Why Are LDS Women More Likely To Get Depressed?

[Third Hour]

Opinion A study published in the 1983  Dialogue: A Journal For Mormon Thought, sought to determine the prevalence of depression among Mormon women. The survey compared rates of depression among non-LDS women and LDS women, only to find the difference to be statistically insignificant. However, the study identified a number of factors that related to depression: education, caring from spouse, health, and income. Interestingly, the 1983 study did not find that employment outside the home, age, stressful life events, number of children, or marriage to a non-LDS spouse affected a woman's likelihood of having depression. Intriguing as the Dialogue study results may be, it only looked at a small sample of Utah women — and a lot can change in over 30 years. The more recent The Next Mormons Survey (NMS) is attempting to answer some of the same questions for our modern time. Jana Reiss On Depression Among Mormon Women (via askgramps.org) In her most recent article "Mormon Women and Depression, revisited," Religion News Service writer, Jana Reiss, shares some of the statistics from the NMS. At the beginning of the article,...

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[Guest]

I'm not sure what point the author is making or why a question is being raised.

She states:

1. The 1983 study shows a statistically insignificant difference between LDS and non-LDS women.
2. The NMS study (presumably in 2013) shows only 27% of LDS women and 14.5% of LDS men take depression medication.

Then asks why LDS women are more likely to get depressed?  More likely than whom?  Non-LDS women?  LDS men?

This article indicates that again a statistically insignificant difference between LDS and non-LDS women on medication. And it indicates the difference between LDS and non-LDS men are just as insignificant.

We already have two HUGE plausible explanations why men don't get depression meds as often as women.  Societally, they don't seek that help or decide that they can "just beat it" much more often than women do. And, they are MUCH more likely to be on ritalin or other ADHD drug, so they're already on a type of medication that changes their brain chemistry.  So, yeah, men aren't on the meds as often.  This doesn't mean we're not as depressed.  Nor does it mean that women are as depressed as the stats say.

I think we tend to overmedicate as it is.  Do some need the medication?  Of course?  Are there HUGE numbers of people who really shouldn't be?  Absolutely.  So, the number of people on meds I believe is about the medical industry more than the reality of how people are actually feeling.

But the primary reason the title confused me was that whatever the explanations, LDS or non-LDS seems to have nothing to do with it.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Guest

[The Folk Prophet]

Another brilliant article on mormonhub. 

[Guest]

My theory on this?

When Mormons get depressed, they recognize what is happening and get help.  Most Mormons are educated above average and have the resources and knowledge to recognize a problem and to know how to properly respond.  Church services, the bishop, and the Mormon network also helps in this regard.  This leads to a diagnosis and an official record of depression.

When non-Mormons get depressed, they often (not always, but often) "self-medicate": hit the bottle, have an affair, indulge in porn, etc.  This leads to no diagnosis (and often addiction, as the underlying depression is never reached).

Yeah, my theory is simplistic,  but maybe there is some truth here?

 

[The Folk Prophet]

1 hour ago, DoctorLemon said:

My theory on this?

When Mormons get depressed, they recognize what is happening and get help.  Most Mormons are educated above average and have the resources and knowledge to recognize a problem and to know how to properly respond.  Church services, the bishop, and the Mormon network also helps in this regard.  This leads to a diagnosis and an official record of depression.

When non-Mormons get depressed, they often (not always, but often) "self-medicate": hit the bottle, have an affair, indulge in porn, etc.  This leads to no diagnosis (and often addiction, as the underlying depression is never reached).

Yeah, my theory is simplistic,  but maybe there is some truth here?

 

A much better title and premise of the article could have been, "Why LDS women more easily recognize depression" or the like.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, The Folk Prophet said:

A much better title and premise of the article could have been, "Why LDS women more easily recognize depression" or the like.

Actually, the gist of the article simply took a turn from the title.  That's why it was confusing.  A better title would have been:

"A Look at Depression Among LDS Women"