Situating Sadness : : Women and Depression in Social Context / / ed. by Janet M. Stoppard, Linda M. McMullen.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter New York University Press Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2013
• MitwirkendeR: Gammell, Deanna J.,; Hurst, Susan A.,; Jack, Dana Crowley,; Mauthner, Natasha S.,; McMullen, Linda M.,; Nicolson, Paula,; Scattolon, Yvette,; Stoppard, Janet M.,; Walters, Vivienne,
• HerausgeberIn: McMullen, Linda M.,; Stoppard, Janet M.,
• Place / Publishing House: New York, NY : : New York University Press, , [2003]; ©2003
• Year of Publication: 2003
• Language: English
• Series: Qualitative Studies in Psychology ; 20
• Physical Description: 1 online resource

It is well known that depression occurs more often in women than in men. It is the most commonly encountered mental health problem among women and ranks overall as one of the most important women's health problems. Researchers have studied depression a great deal, yet women's depression has rarely been the primary focus. The contexts of women's lives which might contribute to their depression are not often addressed by the mental health establishment, which tends to focus on biological factors. Situating Sadness sheds light on the influence of sociocultural factors, such as economic distress, child-bearing or child-care difficulties, or feelings of powerlessness which may play a significant role, and points to the importance of context for understanding women’s depression. Situating Sadness draws on research in the United States and other parts of the world to look at depression through the eyes of women, exploring what being depressed is like in diverse social and cultural circumstances. It demonstrates that understanding depression requires close attention to the social context in which women become depressed.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1 “Depressed” Women’s Constructions of the Deficient Self -- 2 Depressed Women’s Treatment Experiences: Exploring Themes of Medicalization and Empowerment -- 3 The Anger of Hope and the Anger of Despair: How Anger Relates to Women’s Depression -- 4 “Imprisoned in My Own Prison” A Relational Understanding of Sonya’s Story of Postpartum Depression -- 5 Postpartum Depression: Women’s Accounts of Loss and Change -- 6 Legacy of Betrayal: A Theory of Demoralization from the Perspective of Women Who Have Been Depressed -- 7 “I Just Went On. . . . There Was No Feeling Better, There Was No Feeling Worse” Rural Women’s Experiences of Living with and Managing “Depression” -- 8 “Your Heart Is Never Free” Women in Wales and Ghana Talking about Distress -- 9 Conclusion -- About the Contributors -- Permissions -- Index