Sex differences in inpatients with major depression.

To assess sex-related differences, 53 inpatients with major depression were evaluated with the Zung, Dempsey , and Hamilton depression scales, and part of the Beck scale. Women had more fitful sleep, easy crying, social withdrawal, agitation, somatic anxiety, gastrointestinal symptoms, genital symptoms, crying spells, constipation, and fast heartbeat. Men had more self-dislike and lack of clear mind. Differences in manifestations of major depression may account for misdiagnosis of female depressives as suffering from anxiety or functional insomnia and lead to treatment with anxiolytics rather than antidepressants. Self-dislike and mental clouding may lead male depressives to serious suicide attempts and work failures.