• Depression and anxiety appear differently at different stages of the life cycle.
• Key stages of life to watch out for depression and anxiety include:
  
  Youth: Depression and anxiety often have their onset in the teenage years...
  
  Women: From puberty onward, women are twice as more likely to experience depression than men...
  
  Men: Around one in six Australian men suffer from depression at any given time...
  
  Late-life: Depression and anxiety may occur for the first time in later-life, especially in association with certain types of physical illness such as heart disease or stroke...
  
  Youth
• Depression and anxiety often have their onset in the teenage years. This may be associated with loss of energy and social withdrawal but may also result in disruptive behaviours or substance use (drugs and alcohol).
• Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems in young people.
• At any point in time, up to five percent of adolescents experience depression that is severe enough to warrant treatment, and around 20% of young people will have experienced significant depressive symptoms by the time they reach adulthood (National Health and Medical Research Council. Depression in Young People: Clinical Practice Guidelines. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1997).
• In the longer term, depression can reduce social and vocational opportunities for young people as a result of early school dropout and sporadic employment opportunities.
  

Women

• From puberty onwards, women are twice as likely to experience depression than men.
• Depression occurs more commonly in younger rather than older women.
• Those women who are vulnerable will usually experience their first episode during their reproductive years (aged 15 to 45 years).
• While women may experience all types of depressive illness, there are certain types of depression that are specific to women:
  • Postnatal depression : depression is common after childbirth and varies from mild to very severe
  • Pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): three to five percent of women experience PMDD and it should not be confused with 'Pre-menstrual stress' (PMS). PMDD symptoms (anxiety, tension, mood swings depression, feeling overwhelmed or out of control and fatigue) are far more severe than PMS symptoms
  • Post-menopausal: depression may become more severe after menopause in some women
    

Men

• Around one in six Australian men suffer from depression at any given time.
• Four times more young men than young women commit suicide (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2000)
• Depression in men is associated with an increased risk of a variety of disorders, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• The experience of male depression is complicated by the fact that men are more likely than women to shy away from medical treatment of any kind. Instead of discussing psychological problems, or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed or anxious.
• The statistics for teenage boys and young men are a concern. In the past 30 years, the suicide rate for males aged 15 to 24 years tripled.
• For older Australian men (aged 65 years and over) the suicide rate remains very high. Risk factors for depression and suicide for this age group include death of a spouse, isolation, physical illness and chronic pain.

Late-life

• Depression and anxiety may occur for the first time in later-life, especially in association with certain types of physical illness such as heart disease or stroke.
• Current treatments for depression are safe and effective, including for older patients.
• Severe depression in older persons may be accompanied by:
  • Suicidal ideas;
  • Cognitive impairment (i.e. memory, concentration and planning difficulties);
  • Psychotic symptoms (e.g. overwhelming feelings of guilt, hopelessness or failure); and,
  • Rarely, hallucinations (e.g. hearing a voice saying "you're bad" or "you're evil").
• Preventing depression is just as important for older people.