Common Questions Women's Mental Health

Do certain mental illnesses affect women differently then men?

• According to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, more than twice as many women (6.7 million) as men (3.2 million) suffer from major depressive disorders each year.
• Women attempt suicide two to three times as often as men.
• Women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety problems such as panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, phobias and general anxiety.
• Women between 12 and 25 years old comprise 90% of those who suffer from eating disorders.

What accounts for these differences?

Scientists are just beginning to identify the biological and psychosocial factors that contribute to these gender-related differences. Here are some:

Hormones
Before adolescence and late in life, males and females experience depression at the same rate. Scientists hypothesize that hormonal changes during adolescence place women at higher risk for depression and anxiety. There is some evidence that women become more anxious when their levels of estrogen and progesterone are low, such as in premenstrual syndrome, post-partum depression and menopause. Reproductive events such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, infertility and menopause can cause fluctuations in mood that for some women include depression and anxiety.

Juggling
Unique stresses play a role in the development of depression in women. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the higher incidence of depression may be caused by the particular stresses that many women face, which include major responsibilities at home and work, single parenthood, and caring for children and aging parents.

Relationships
While rates of major depression are highest among the separated and divorced, they are always highest among women. Lack of an intimate, confiding relationship, as well as overt marital disputes have also been shown to be related to depression in women, with the highest rates of depression occurring among unhappily married women.

Body Image
Body image is how people perceive and feel about their physical appearance, and how they think others see them. With a positive body image, women are more likely to have a realistic perception of their size and shape, and will feel comfortable and proud of their body. A distorted perception of their weight or shape may cause women to compare their body to others and feel shame, awkwardness and anxiety. Women with poor body image are also more apt to experience emotional distress, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorders and eating disorders. The idealization of thinness in the media has contributed to unrealistic measures of beauty and success, creating an idealized and unattainable standard for most women.

What can women do to improve their mental health?

• Prioritize. What do you really value in life? Make a list of what’s most important to you and then make a pact with yourself to let go of things that get in the way of attending to your priorities.
• Give yourself the “okay” to be less than perfect.
• Ask for help. Not just from your partner, but from anyone that might be willing.
• Set aside time for yourself every week.
• Focus on things you like about yourself and your body and surround yourself with people who have a healthy perspective about food, weight, and their bodies.
• Eat healthy foods. This can help your body get healthier.
• Get active. Women of all sizes can be active. Exercise can help you feel better about your body and give you more energy.

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