Women are twice as likely to develop depression and are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease post-depression, the John Tung Foundation said on Friday in a call to raise mental health awareness for mothers.
Taiwanese mothers often shoulder the burden at home of chores and care for children and the elderly, in addition to the stress of holding down a job, it said in a news release marking Mother’s Day today.
Depressed women are 64 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, compared with 39 percent in depressed men, the foundation said, citing a long-term Japanese study last month published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Asia.
Photo: CNA
The same study also showed that women with depression similarly display a higher risk of heart attack, heart failure, chest pains and seizures than depressed men, it said.
The research linked depression to cardiovascular diseases, although the nature of the relationship remained unexplained, Taipei City Hospital Zhongxing branch director of psychiatry Chan Chia-chen (詹佳真) said.
Women are more likely to develop depression than men due to hormonal fluctuations caused by the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause, and being more affected to interpersonal relationships, she said.
They might find themselves assuming conflicting or contradictory social roles at different places and times, which increases psychological stress, Chan said.
For Mother’s Day, loved ones who want to show support could exercise or converse with their mothers or wives, not merely sharing a meal, she said.
People should avoid using expressions such as “you are OK” or “do not overthink things,” as they place a burden on a depressed person to show forced positivity, adding to their stress, Chan said.
People should avoid forcing false positivity from a depressed loved one and refrain from unhelpful phrases that increase stress, she said.
Expressing willingness to listen to and be with someone is often more beneficial than unwanted advice, Chan said.
Married women are urged to take time to prioritize themselves and dedicate 30 minutes of each day to an activity they enjoy that is unrelated to family, foundation Mental Health Center director Yeh Ya-hsin (葉雅馨) said.
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