Calm Her Mind

So I was just reading some of the depressive and anxiety disorders, and was shocked to see that these disorders are always seen more in women. Women are more prone to many disorders.

In today’s fast-paced life, many things go unnoticed, and one of those is women’s mental health. Every single day, millions of women silently battle their mental health. The perfectly curated Instagram feeds and endless multitasking have a bad side, which is that women are facing multiple mental health challenges. These challenges are unique and deserve open conversations, compassionate support, and timely intervention. 

Today, we’ll dive into women’s mental health in detail, explore the reasons behind it, understand common conditions, and discuss actionable ways to promote healing. This blog aims to break the silence.

Why women’s mental health needs special attention

Although mental health is universal, women experience it differently because:

1. Hormonal fluctuations: Women have major hormone shifts during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause, which drastically affect their mental health.
2. Societal expectations: Women have been pressured since earlier times, but nowadays, societal expectations from women are just too much. The pressure to ‘have it all’ creates constant life stress.
3. Gender-based trauma: Statistically, women are more likely to experience sexual abuse, harassment, and domestic violence, which leads to PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
4. Stigma and Shame: We easily think that it’s 2025, the world is so advanced, but even today, many women feel ashamed to discuss their struggles of being judged, labeled, or misunderstood.

Common mental health challenges faced by women

As I said earlier, many disorders are more common in women than in men. Let us discuss some of the most prevalent conditions affecting women:

1. Depression: Women are nearly twice as likely as men to fall prey to depression. Many women around us are suffering from depression (clinically known as major depressive disorder), without us realizing it. Factors like emotional exhaustion, loneliness, body image issues, postpartum changes, and societal expectations contribute a lot.
2. Anxiety disorders: If you pick up any diagnostic manual like ICD-11 or DSM-5, you’d know that there are so many types of anxiety disorders, and almost all of them are more prevalent in women. Disorders like GAD, panic attacks, and social anxiety are extremely common in women, often beginning in adolescence and peaking during childbearing years.
3. Postpartum depression: As per the data available online, 1 in 7 new mothers experience postpartum depression, yet many of them choose to suffer in silence. Symptoms of postpartum depression are overwhelming sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and difficulty bonding with the baby.
4. Eating disorders: Young women are at high risk for anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder. Factors fueling these disorders are unrealistic beauty standards and diet culture.
5. PTSD & Trauma: PTSD is post-traumatic stress disorder, which can be caused by experiencing or witnessing trauma (e.g., abuse, assault, loss, etc). Women’s risk is significantly higher than men’s.
6. PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder): Mood swings during menstruation are normal, but only to a certain extent. Symptoms of PMDD include severe mood swings, irritability, and depression during the menstrual cycle. This affects over 3-8% of menstruating women.
7. Menopause-related mood disorders: Menopause is a hormonal roller-coaster in itself that can trigger mood swings, anxiety, and depressive episodes in midlife women.

Signs women often ignore

Women dismiss their mental health by considering it tiredness or fatigue, but some signs shouldn’t be ignored:

1. Constant fatigue even after enough rest
2. Feeling of emotional numbness
3. Frequent irritability or unexplained anger
4. Major changes in appetite or weight
5. Lack of interest in hobbies
6. Persistent feeling of guilt or worthlessness
7. Trouble concentrating
8. Withdrawal from loved ones

If some of these exactly define you, know that it’s time to seek help.

Why early intervention?

Just like many illnesses that can be healed at early stages, early intervention in mental health has the power to change lives. 

1. Talk to a professional therapist or counsellor
2. Open up to trusted friends or family
3. Educate yourself about your mental health
4. Join support groups
5. Consider lifestyle changes

When is it necessary to seek professional help?

It is necessary to seek professional help if you experience these:

1. Persistent sadness for 2+ weeks
2. Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
3. Panic attacks
4. Severe mood swings affecting daily life
5. Difficulty functioning at work or home

A professional will recommend therapy, medication, or a combination of both to help you out.

Know that you are not alone. It’s high time to normalize these conversations, support each other, and break the stigma surrounding women’s mental health. Know that mental health issues are just health issues, not any kind of personal failure. Let’s build a community with love and compassion.