Though hormones play an important part in women's health issues, in the particular case of depression the reasons why it affects women more than men go beyond that.
Regarding the known biological causes there are premenstrual problems, infertility and pregnancy, postpartum depression and menopause (especially during the period leading to it).
There are also however sociological and psychological reasons for this disposition over men.
The role that society assigns them is one of them.
Despite all the women's rights movements that grant her a more important place in the economic world, upbringing and cultural influence is too strong sometimes and thus women find themselves struggling with the roles of mother, wife and professional.
Other reasons are physical or psychological abuse, relationship dissatisfaction (may it be marriage or just a committed relationship) and poverty (a more common stressor among women who are single mothers).
One key reason is something that perhaps could be viewed as a good coping mechanism: women's tendency to ponder over a subject over and over again in their heads and with their friends, trying to find reasons for things that happen to them or to gain sympathy from their girl friends.
Although it is good to vent, the recurrence of this habit can actually cause depression in women to get worse rather easily.
Despite special factors that make women more prone to depression, one fact remains the same: it is a treatable condition and once identified it requires immediate action.
It is important to pay attention to the way we feel.
If you feel moody, irritable, sad or tend to cry for no reason, try to document how often it happens.
You may be developing a depressive condition and just fall for the old stigma yourself and think it is just PMS.
You do not have to feel that way even if that was all there was to it, there are options out there to make you feel better.