Depression among girls and women - when will this stop being treated like news?

[BainsBane]

11. It's far more complicated than that

Firstly, there are genetic components to mental illnesses. Bipolar and schizophrenia are more prevalent among males, and both most commonly present in late adolescence or early adulthood. Males are also more likely to commit suicide, which is of course the most severe manifestation of mental illness.

In terms of societal factors, Major Depression is most common in the poorest countries of the world. Poor women are more likely to develop depression and are more likely to stay poor than those who don't suffer from Depression. A few years ago, the WHO identified Depression as one of the world's most prevalent illnesses and charted it's linkages to severe poverty.

Additionally, diagnosing children with mental illness is fraught with controversy. Until recently, most psychiatrists did not believe it appropriate to diagnose children with these disorders. As a result, you would see few children diagnosed with many of the most common adult psychiatric disorders and instead a huge number of kids diagnosed as ADHD (attention deficit) and/or EBD (Emotionally and Behaviorally Disturbed). Boys tend to act out when Depressed, while girls more often turn inward, which means that illness among girls was less likely to be observed by school authorities, doctors, etc. There is nothing simple about understanding or treating mental illness, and the popular press is that last place to go to learn anything it.