“Exploring of the effects of the established social order on the emotional health of the individual has never been encouraged in psychiatry or psychology.  Indeed, adjustment to and acceptance of the social hierarchy is an implicit dimension of the definition of mental and emotional health of the individual.  So mental health professionals are taught to ignore the very salient fact that women’s survival in social and interpersonal realms require that they frankly accept a subordinate social position and voluntarily engage in appeasement strategies in order to escape male aggression themselves and/or protect their children.  The self-sacrifice and self-betrayal required from women, and the powerlessness and insecurity associated with these postures are major causes of women’s dissatisfaction with their lives.  That a relationship exists between the chronic state of frustration and non-fulfillment of women and the female preponderance in prevalence of dysthymia seems compelling.”  Mahin Hassibi, M.D. “Why Change the World… When you Can Have a Prozac Moment?” 

The Daily Lives of Women 
Studies have noted that the exploitation of weaker members of society increases their vulnerability to depression; those that are likely to be depressed are poorly educated, physically ill, poor, in low-status occupations, young, and are students (9).  The first four categories are statistically likely to contain a majority of women (9).  In addition, women face sexual violence and exploitation in their daily lives, get paid less for doing the same work, experience greater stresses from work and family responsibility, and shoulder the burden of domestic duties.  Because of conditioning, women are at risk of internalizing the norms of society and thus have an increased potential for depression.  (9).  Depression is a logical response to an often oppressive, patriarchal society (5). 

The Medicalization of Depression
Depression and other mental health illnesses are being medicalized and put under rationed managed care organizations that control a large part of American medical insurance benefits.  The Medicalization of depression puts a strong emphasis on individual perception and tolerance, doubts/questions social imperatives, and deems the unique individual history or the dynamics of differential power of little consequence.
Deciding the standards by which normal and pathological behavior are differentiated has been dominated and determined by men (2).
Three of the psychiatry departments of the 126 U.S. medical schools are chaired by women (2).
The National Institute of Mental Health has only two female section chiefs. 
The committees that create the classifications of mental illnesses have never had more than a few women among them (2).

The Economic Factors of Depression 
The areas of depression and mental illness are framed by the fact that they are part of the capitalistic market and huge profits can be made.  Drug treatments for psychological disorders are often covered by health insurance while therapy and counseling are either limited or not covered at all. 
In 1998 American psychiatrists received 58 million patient visits and wrote prescriptions for $5.6 billion worth of psychoactive drugs, a 21% increase from 1997 (7). 
During 1997, drug companies spent $947 million marketing drugs to physicians,  2.6 million trips to psychiatrists were made by the 12, 429 newly employed drug representatives to promote their products, and 148,000 “meetings” and “events” with physicians and pharmacists were held (7). 

Giving someone drugs does not get to the root of the problem and if used solely ignores other serious factors that play a part of the depression such as inequality and injustice.

2. Hassibi, Mahin.  “Why Change the World…When You Can Have a Prozac Moment?”  On The   Issues, June 12, 1995. http://mosaic.echonyc.com/~onissues/prozac.html.

3. Jensen, Carla C.  “Treating Major Depression.”  Journal of Women and Social Work, Volume  8 Issue 2, p213-223.  Summer 1993.

4. Lasn, Kalle and Bruce Grierson.  "Malignant Sadness: American Psyche."  Adbusters Magazine, No. 30.  Pages 28-38.  June/July 2000.

5. Sands, Toni.  “Feminist Counseling and Female Adolescents: Treatment Strategies for Depression.”  Journal of Mental Health Counseling; Volume 20, 42-54.  Alexandria: Jan 1998.

6. Segel, Lynne.  Comment & Analysis: The Pressure on Women.  The Guardian;1, 19:7. Manchester; Nov 9, 1999.

7.  Smallwood, Basil.  "Take a Pill: The Pharmacologizing of America." Adbusters Magazine, No. 30.  Pages 42-47.  June/July 2000.

8.  Wells BG, Mandos LA, and Hayes PE.  Depressive Disorders, In: DiPro JT, et al, eds. Former pharmacotherapy.  Third Edition.  Stanford: Appleton & Lange: 1997: 1398. 

9.  Wetzel, J.W.  (1991).  Clinical Handbook of Depression (rev. ed.). New York: Gardner.

10. Miller, Jean B. and Ira Mothner  (1981).  “Psychological Consequences of Sexual Inequality." In Women and Mental Health edited by Howell, Elizabeth and Marjorie Bayes ed. Basic Books: New York: 41