If you feel like you are carrying a sadness, or a constant heaviness that makes it hard to breathe, you are not alone. More than one in ten women has experienced depression in her life — and that’s more than double the amount of men who’ve similarly struggled. Not only do women experience depression more often than men, though; they also experience it differently. Every woman must encounter and overcome so many challenges that men never experience. From sexual assault and trauma to gender discrimination and even hormonal imbalances, there are a number of issues that may lie underneath the presenting symptoms of depression in women. Healing your depression for good means digging down and healing those underlying issues once and for all. It’s deep work, but worth it — and possible at a mental health IOP for women.
Is it “just sadness” or something more? When can you tell if your depression is serious enough to seek mental health treatment? Of course, only a medical professional can truly diagnose depression in women. There are a variety of symptoms and guidelines, however, that may indicate that some outside help would be beneficial. Ask yourself the following questions, which are based on guidelines from the DSM-V (a book that doctors use to diagnose):
Have you been experiencing a depressed or irritated mood?
Have you lost pleasure in the activities you used to enjoy?
Have you gained or lost a lot of weight recently?
Are you experiencing trouble sleeping — or, sleeping too much?
Are you exhausted most of the time?
Is it just not getting better?
Depression of any kind is never something that a woman should have to conquer on her own. Typically, it doesn’t resolve on its own and requires some kind of outside support to heal. Even more importantly, trying to deal with depression on your own can lead to even more serious co-occurring disorders, such as substance use disorder, eating disorders, or self-harm. According to one depression study, people with mental illness are 25% more likely to consume alcohol and 69% more likely to consume cocaine, for example. In another study, more than 93% of patients struggling with an eating disorder were also found to meet the clinical criteria for depression. Getting help for depression doesn’t just make things easier now; it also can prevent you from even more serious consequences further down the road.
One of the most convenient and effective ways to treat depression is in a mental health IOP. Offering much more support, community, and treatment than weekly therapy sessions can provide, mental health IOP typically meets in three to five three-hour sessions per week. In that time, clients meet one-on-one with Masters-level clinicians to do the deep work of healing. They learn coping strategies for dealing with challenges and living life in recovery. Most of all, they experience the support and fellowship of a community of women who are helping each other heal.
Did you know that one in six women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape? What’s more, one in three have experienced violence from an intimate partner. Healing the resulting trauma is difficult and terrifying — but so worth it. A women-only mental health IOP with a female leadership team like Grace & Emerge Recovery in Austin can provide the safe space that women need to do their work and build their future. Here, every team member is experienced and credentialed in treating trauma and its symptoms. Our program is crafted with intention to create a safe space, and innovative programming like yoga for trauma or somatic experiencing offer holistic approaches to clients’ challenging problems. Activities such as farming with Simple Farms or performing service work at Casa de Miel help the women in our community learn to look at the world from a new perspective — as a place that can be navigated with confidence and safety.
If you or a loved one has been suffering from depression, you can find relief at Grace & Emerge Recovery’s mental health IOP for women in Austin. Contact us today through the medium of your choosing, and you’ll reach a sister in recovery, standing by to listen to your story — as you feel safe sharing it — and to help you find your solution on the way to finding yourself again.