3 Facts About Mental Health in Women
There has been a concerted effort by the global medical community to focus on and encourage more conversations about the topic of mental health. This is because so much research and so many discoveries about the subject have come to light in recent years that have indicated just how prevalent the issue of mental health really is in the world today.
While there is hardly a demographic that isn’t affected by mental health in some way, shape, or form, mental health in women is a topic that is of growing concern. It has been estimated that there has been a rise of about 19% of occurrences of mental health conditions among women in recent years.
There are many reasons behind this rise in mental health conditions among women that stem from societal pressures to internal pressures. The challenges that the modern woman faces are starkly different and in many ways more mentally demanding than those of ages gone by. Many women find it difficult to cope with such demands, leading to the development of a mental health condition.
With that in mind, here are three things that everyone should be aware of when it comes to the topic of mental health among women.
1. Abuse is a Contributing Factor
Among the many reasons for the rise in mental health conditions among women, abuse is near the top of the list. Conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, and anxiety disorders can all arise as the result of abuse. In fact, anywhere from 30-60% of women who experience some sort of mental health condition have also experienced a form of domestic abuse.
When it comes to young women and adolescents, a common result of abuse is the development of an eating disorder. Such disorders arise from the need to feel as though a woman has some control over her own feelings and life in general. If you feel that you might be suffering from an eating disorder, you can find valuable help and resources at edentreatment.com.
2. Anxiety is More Prevalent Among Women
Although anxiety is the sort of mental health condition that can affect men and women, statistics show that women are twice as likely as men to experience some sort of anxiety disorder. While there are many reasons why this is so, many experts feel that it is the result of the distinct hormonal differences between men and women.
In particular, phobias, or specific fears towards certain things, are thought to be far more prevalent among women. That being said, other conditions like OCD, PTSD, and eating disorders are also more commonly seen in women.
3. Age-Related Conditions Tend to Affect Women More
Another type of mental health condition that tends to affect women more than men is dementia. A condition that commonly affects the elderly and aging, dementia can manifest itself in the form of memory loss. Since women statistically live longer than men, the chances that a woman will develop dementia later on in life is higher.