Understanding Depression in Women
Depression, also called major depressive disorder, is more than sadness. It is a persistent low mood or loss of interest that lasts weeks or longer and affects how you sleep, eat, think, and function. At Lilac Psychiatry, depression is evaluated and treated by Natasha Massoudi, MD, MPH, a physician who specializes in women's mental health, so your symptoms are understood in the full context of your life rather than brushed aside as a phase.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Depression looks different from woman to woman. You may notice several of these lasting most of the day, nearly every day:
- Persistent low mood, sadness, or emptiness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy
- Fatigue, low energy, or feeling slowed down
- Changes in sleep or appetite, up or down
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness
Why Depression Can Look Different in Women
Women experience depression at higher rates than men, and it can be intertwined with hormonal transitions, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and the postpartum year, and perimenopause. Depression in women can also show up as irritability, anxiety, or physical symptoms rather than obvious sadness, which is one reason it is sometimes missed. Understanding these patterns leads to more accurate, more personal care.
How We Treat Depression
Care is collaborative and evidence-based, and medication is one tool, not the entire plan. As a physician who also provides psychotherapy, Dr. Massoudi may combine talk therapy, practical strategies, lifestyle support, and, when appropriate, medication. The plan is built to help you feel like yourself again, at a pace that respects your goals.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Your first appointment is an unhurried 90 minute evaluation. Dr. Massoudi takes time to understand your history, your symptoms, and the context of your life before recommending a plan. Care is delivered entirely by secure telehealth across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Florida, so you can meet from wherever you feel most comfortable.
When to Reach Out
If low mood, exhaustion, or loss of interest has lingered for more than a couple of weeks, or you simply no longer feel like yourself, it is worth reaching out. You do not have to wait until things feel unbearable. There is space for your story here.
What to Expect in Care
A few things set Lilac Psychiatry apart, and you feel them from the very first visit:
- One physician, real continuity. You see Dr. Massoudi at every visit, so nothing about your care gets lost between rotating faces.
- Trained for women's depression. Fellowship-trained, with an eye for how low mood ties to hormones, cycles, and life stage.
- Time to be truly heard. First visits run 90 minutes, because lifting depression starts with understanding it.
- More than a prescription pad. Therapy, lifestyle, and medication when it helps, shaped around your goals rather than a template.
You deserve to feel like yourself again.
Physician-led depression care for women, from wherever you are.
FAQs
Common signs include a persistent low mood, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, fatigue, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of guilt or hopelessness lasting most of the day for two weeks or more.
Depression usually results from a combination of genetics, life stress, and biology, including hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. A careful evaluation weighs all of these rather than assuming one cause.
Beyond sadness, depression in women can appear as irritability, anxiety, tearfulness, physical aches, or simply feeling flat and unlike yourself. Because it does not always look like classic sadness, it is sometimes overlooked.
Both can help. Some women do well with therapy alone, others benefit from medication, and many do best with a combination. Dr. Massoudi builds the plan around you rather than defaulting to a prescription.