Women’s Mental Health
By: Ava Wilson
With March being Women’s History Month, there is an opportunity to shed light on the mental state of Women in our world today. Although this month was established to recognize the contributions and success women have made towards equality and civil rights, there are still and will always be problems that we, as a society, need to work on. One in five women in the United States experience a mental health condition such as anxiety and/or depression. (OASH, 2023) Women experience different symptoms and perceptions of their disorders than men. This can be due to social or economic issues that they face.
Although women are more likely to express their feelings and seek help for them, when they are unable to, they often tend to internalize them. Whereas men tend to act out on their emotions even if they are not speaking/expressing them. There are three major health aspects in women’s life that frequently bring on mental disorders. These being puberty, bearing a child, and menopause. Puberty is something each and every female will face in their lifespan. Occurrences such as bullying, problems with friends and/or dating, weight issues, social media, and academics negatively affect teenage girls. Having a baby is a life-altering event in a women’s life. It can often trigger disorders such as perinatal depression and anxiety. The hormonal changes are a lot for a woman to handle no matter their situation. It is important to recognize that this isn’t a choice, it does not make them a bad parent. There are many coping mechanisms such as therapy, medication, and/or specialist services. Menopause is an occurrence in a woman’s life span that is experienced differently by each individual. However, majority of women experience mood swings and changes as well as mental health alterations. Treatments for this include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), therapy, and other medications.
The Covid-19 pandemic. It’s necessary to touch on this topic as it was life-changing for most people in the world. Women make up most of the frontline and healthcare workers in our society. They also are most likely to work unpaid jobs, be overused in insecure and low paid work, and are more likely to experience financial instability such as debt and bills. Women are given a much larger proportion of caring responsibilities. All of these women were already at a greater risk of developing mental health problems and the Covid-19 pandemic just increased these rates immensely. The economic aftermath plays a large role in this. Finally, women are more affected by violent instances such as domestic violence and abuse which only increased after lockdown. “The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce recommended that women be explicitly considered in all future mental health policies.” (Mental Health Foundation, 2021)
So, what are the options for women experiencing these thoughts and feelings? For starters simple lifestyle changes can help such as…
1. Eating well
2. Physical activity
3. Adequate sleep
4. Journaling
5. Hobbies
6. Social media breaks
7. Finding a solid support system
Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 1-888-302-0738
Resources:
“Understanding Mental Health over a Woman’s Lifetime.” Understanding Mental Health Over a Woman’s Lifetime | McLean Hospital, 4 Mar. 2022, www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/understanding-mental-health-over-womans-lifetime.
“Women and Mental Health.” Mental Health Foundation, www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/women-and-mental-health. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.
