4 Reasons Women’s Mental Health Is Overlooked

Despite progressing as a society, women's mental health still seems to be overlooked.

Does mental health have a gender? Do only men experience mental health concerns? We know women have been resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, often working and serving as caregivers while putting their personal health on the back burner.

Many women have skipped recommended medical and mental health checkups in response to the pandemic, leading to untreated conditions and serious complications.

Over time, this delay can have a serious impact on her health and the health of her family. As a woman takes on more caregiving roles for her immediate and extended family, her health becomes more important to the health of her family and community.

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Why Women’s Mental Health Is Overlooked

Due to the intricate interplay of biological, social, and cultural factors, women are generally more susceptible to anxiety and depression.

It's obvious that women's mental health is frequently overlooked when you consider the fact that they have historically been marginalized by the healthcare system and that men continue to be the subjects of standard study and treatment procedures.

On that note, here are four reasons why women's mental health is overlooked:

1) Gender Division in Treatment

The persistent gaslighting of women is just one example of how gender prejudices in the medical field manifest themselves.

Microaggressions are detrimental to the narrative. It's deeply problematic to even question a woman if she's about to start her period when she seems angry or disturbed.

While female hormones certainly contribute to the regulation of mood, they're not the main factor behind women's anxiety or unhappiness. Their mental health concerns take a backseat, and they're asked to focus on their physical symptoms.

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2) Prescribed Norms

In between taking care of children, chores, and office work, we miss on women's health. (Image via Pexels/Sarah Chai)

Women's efforts to seek assistance are hampered by the socially mandated standards of the feminine quality of sacrificing her needs for that of the family and a lack of time for herself.

That has been the result of the current gendered division of labor. While gender norms are changing, women typically wait longer than males to receive medical attention. That may be partly due to their unwillingness to disturb their well-ordered home till they become really ill.

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3) Image of Perfection

Women are expected to be perfect. (Image via Pexels/Denise)

Women and those around her expect her to be the perfect mother, wife, and homemaker.

It would be surprising if there wasn't any emotional cost, given how underappreciated domestic work is. Women often earn less money, have a harder time advancing in their career, have to juggle several responsibilities, and are constantly exposed to pictures of the ideal women.

Even the most resilient people may find it difficult to overcome these obstacles, and poor self-esteem is a known risk factor for psychological issues. Remember that women are much more likely than men to have experienced sexual abuse, a traumatic event that's frequently linked to a subsequent diagnosis of mental illness.

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4) We don't Believe Women

We don't pay close attention when women discuss their lives and experiences, which is one of the reasons why we overlook women's mental health.

As stereotypes portray women as unreliable and irrational, women are frequently vulnerable to a credibility deficit: they are considered as less dependable sources of information.

Due to our penchant to discount complaints from those who are most likely to be harmed, our awareness of issues like workplace harassment, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence is drastically skewed. The moment we start believing in women, we're the most likely to support them.

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Takeaway

While it's a collective responsibility to take care of women's mental health, it's also incumbent on women to be aware of their mental health.

If you're a woman and are going through any mental health concerns, be kind to yourself if you're not able to complete every task on your to-do list. Practice good sleep habits.

Your mind and body are healthier when you sleep well. Go outside, and try to get 150 minutes of exercise each week. Exercise helps lower stress and improve sleep. Stay connected to family, friends, and other people or places where you can find support.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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