Younger women are more likely to seek treatment for depression

Although women are known to be better at expressing themselves emotionally, new evidence says otherwise. It seems that as we get older, we begin to bottle up our feelings and become less skilled at articulating them.

 

Findings from the National Health Service showed that women in their 20s are more likely to ask for help when their depressed, as opposed to women in their 50s.

 

At the moment, two in three patients looking to treat their depression are women, with almost 475,000 referred for therapy last year.

 

Other figures show that there has been a rise in prescriptions for antidepressants, with up to 7.5% more drugs being handed out this year.

 

This has raised concerns that those taking antidepressants are becoming addicted to them. Especially since a prescription can be easily written out by GPs.

 

Beth Murphy, of mental health charity Mind, said: “We also know that people are really struggling at the moment, as unemployment, cuts to welfare and other pressures take their toll on the mental health of the nation.”

 

She advises anyone struggling with mental help to speak to a GP as soon as possible.