Mood disorders may have set diagnostic criteria, but biological and social factors play into women’s mental health. Between hormonal changes in puberty and pregnancy and social expectations and experiences of girls and women, mood disorder symptoms may appear differently than they do in males. For example, major depressive disorder might affect men’s ability to study or work as where women experience more social and relationship impairment.
Women’s Mental Health at a Glance
Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men are, and depression can onset for women and girls at any age. Especially after puberty, depression rates are higher in girls than boys and there is some evidence to suggest this disparity continues throughout the lifecycle.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2020, adolescent females experienced depression at a rate of 25.2% compared to their male peers who experienced it at a rate of 9.2%. The data from 2020 shows that in adulthood, women experience depression at a rate of 10.5% compared to males, who experience it at a rate of 6.2%.
Concerningly, the CDC reported that in 2021 nearly 1 in 3 high school girls reported that they seriously considered suicide. That is nearly a 60% increase from a decade ago. And while in totality the suicide rate is higher in men, women are 1.5 times as likely to attempt suicide as men.
All women and girls face these unique challenges, but there are even more disparities when we focus on women from historically marginalized communities. These women are less likely to receive mental health treatment due to factors such as access to culturally competent providers, stigma, and issues with insurance or cost. It has been found that Black individuals are more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia than bipolar, this is just one illustration of the lack of culturally competent care available in the mental health space. Women from historically marginalized communities may have a distrust of providers due to the history of medical racism in the United States.
Women face a unique set of challenges with mood disorders as we consider the diagnoses of pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder and postpartum depression. These conditions related to women’s menstrual and birthing abilities can be highly stigmatized and hard to deal with.
Caregiving also brings a unique set of stressors to women. Women are more likely to be unpaid for caregiving work which adds an additional layer of complication for women who are managing the caregiving responsibilities for children and elders, while also attending to their own role in the workforce. Caregiving can lead to financial strain and social isolation for women.
Attending to the unique needs of women’s mental health ought to be a top priority for providers and policymakers. Women are more likely to be tasked with the healthcare decisions for their whole families. It is so important that we continue to research, support, and meet women where they are in terms of their mental health needs.
References:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20047725
https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032799001585
