(RxWiki News) Depression affects many aspects of someone's life, including thoughts, behavior and physical well-being. Add relationships to the list as well.
A new study explains how a woman's mood may take a toll on their relaltionship with a significant other and shows evidence that depressed women may have a harder time understanding their significant others thoughts and feelings.
"It is important for individuals with depression to seek help."
According to lead author, Reuma Gadassi, the more depressed a woman is, the harder it becomes for her to understand her partner's feelings and thoughts.
Women also have a hard time being empathetic to their partner. On the other hand, men's depression does not affect their ability to be empathetic.
Fifty heterosexual married, together or cohabiting couples that had been together for fives years participated in the study done by Reuma Gadassi and Nilly Mor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Eshkol Rafaeli at Bar-Ilan University.
Every individual was administered a questionnaire to assess their levels of depression. The couples had a conversation with each other, in which one person was seeking help from the other. These conversations averaged twelve minutes and were videotaped. The couples were asked to watch the taped conversation and write down their thoughts and feelings on their partner.
The reports were reviewed for similarities and differences between a couples report. For twenty-one days, the participants rated their feelings and mood as well as their feelings and thoughts about their partner and their relationship.
The results indicated that women had a more difficult time understanding and accepting their partner's mood when depressed.
