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Long-Term Use and Switching of Antidepressants: What Happens in Your Brain?
Worldwide, we see the same pattern. A WHO report and studies in the US and Europe, among others, show that women are systematically prescribed more antidepressants than men.
There are several explanations for this. For example, women are generally more likely to seek help for psychological complaints such as depression, anxiety, or burnout. They also report these types of symptoms more often, which increases the chance of a diagnosis — and therefore a prescription. In addition, hormonal factors play a role. Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, for example during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, can affect mood and make women more susceptible to psychological complaints.
Social factors also seem to play a role. Women are more likely to combine different roles — such as work, informal care, and family — and therefore experience more stress. Moreover, research shows that healthcare providers are more likely to give women a psychological diagnosis, while similar complaints in men are more likely to be interpreted as physical. All these factors together can explain why women are more often prescribed antidepressants.
I am not medically trained, but I am an expert by experience, and as a journalist, I have immersed myself in countless articles about…
