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Essay / The Challenges Faced by Women Growing Up in Gender Differences in Depression, an article by Susan Nolan-Hoeksema
In “Gender Differences in Depression,” Susan Nolan-Hoeksema describes the challenges facing women face growing up. Depression can worsen more quickly in women than in men and impact everything they do. The article claims that our "lack of social power" can bring out depression and vulnerabilities that most men don't face as often, such as sexual assault. Such trauma tends to leave women feeling helpless and as if they have no control. Women are also forced to conform to gender roles in which girls care more about their appearance and begin to avoid activities associated with men to be more liked by their peers. Such pressure can lead to depression in women around the time of puberty. During adolescence, girls and boys began to handle stress differently. Girls will hold it in and let it manifest as depression, while boys will take steps to relieve stress. This difference is maintained throughout adulthood and this rumination partly explains gender differences in depression. The article also states that when women begin to put aside their own desires to please and care for others, they become dependent on the acceptance of others. This can lead to problems in relationships, stressing women more than men. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The article used a case study in which women and men are assessed and observed to discover how they respond to different stressors and how depression can affect each. In doing so, she discovered that women are more affected by depression and stressors than men. Although both women and men can fall into depression, it has been shown to take a greater toll on women and affect their daily lives. Nolen-Hoeksema found that women are more susceptible to depression than men and have a harder time getting through difficult times. . Traumatic experiences, such as the loss of a loved one or sexual assault, can greatly affect both sexes, but more so women. Studies have shown that around the age of 13, rates of depression in girls begin to increase significantly while in boys they remain low or even decrease. She found that there is a major gender difference, which is mainly associated with vulnerability related to social power disadvantages. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay This article shows that women are not emotional for no reason. It explains the reasons why and can help find ways to change it. Social equality of the sexes could lead to a depression of gender equality. If this were to happen, we would hope that women would experience lower rates of depression and healthier lives, which could lead to a happier world. Nolen-Hoeksema tells everyone how important it is to fully understand why someone is unhappy and where it all comes from. This article could greatly help those fighting for gender equality in today's world..