Women Carry An Undue Mental Health Burden. They Shouldn’t Have To

As with so many other global health problems, mental health hits women hardest. Building a fairer world means recognizing and closing this gap.

In 2020, Project HOPE began delivering mental health and resilience training to health care workers around the world – most of whom are women. (Courtesy of KUN Humanity System +, 2020)

The month of May was the Month of Mental Health Awareness – a movement that takes me back in time to the time I spent in my home country, Lebanon, after the massive explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020.

One day when I passed a group of mothers and young children who were regularly sharing their daily messages and conversations, I couldn’t help but notice the number of signs that these women were suffering from stress and potential mental health problems. One of them shared her inability to sleep at night, another mentioned their children’s involuntary urination, and another heard glass shattering all the time.

It was then that I realized that in addition to all of the other crises in the country, we were facing a mental health crisis. My eyes opened to the widespread need for high quality mental health services – especially for women and children.

While not widely known, gender can be a determining factor in mental health. Notable gender differences are found in patterns of mental disorders. The most common risk factors that increase a woman’s risk of developing mental disorders include gender-based violence; lower socio-economic status due to low income and income inequality; a lower social status including subordination; the ongoing duty to look after other family members; stressful gender roles; Discrimination; Abuse; and other stressors and life events.

By 2020, depression – which is almost twice as common in women – was predicted to be the second leading cause of the global burden of disability. In addition, women are the largest group of post-traumatic stress disorder, which is directly attributable to the high rate of sexual violence women experience: almost one in five women suffers rape or an attempted rape in the course of their lives. Not to mention violence, wars and disasters that affect women and children disproportionately.

Clara, 32, was injured in the explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020, an event that also left a lasting mark on her as a psychologist. “I can never forget what I saw in the hospital,” she says. “It’s going to be a considerable amount [mental] Trauma. “(Firas Itani / Project HOPE, 2020)

In developing countries, there is a large gap in the availability and accessibility of specialized mental health services. Rather than going to mental health specialists, women are more likely to seek psychological support in primary health care facilities when accompanying their children or attending counseling on other health issues. As a result, many mental illnesses are not recognized and therefore not treated. Women often do not feel comfortable revealing certain psychological and emotional burdens because they fear stigmatization, breaches of confidentiality or not being taken seriously.

COVID-19 has threatened the psychological well-being around the world. More and more adults are reporting mental health problems, drug use, and experiencing more symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders. The stressors caused by the pandemic have affected the entire population; however, the effect was greater specifically on women and mothers.

Women, the unsung heroes of the pandemic, are under increasing pressure amid this global health crisis. According to reports, the long-term effects of COVID-19 could undo decades of progress for women and place significant additional burdens on them, which could threaten the difficult journey to gender equality.

Unemployment, parental responsibilities, homeschooling or caring for sick relatives are an additional burden on women’s everyday lives during the pandemic. It is also important that we recognize the exponential need for mental support for health workers, and especially health care mothers, who balance both their professional and parental responsibilities. They are the frontline heroes in the fight against the virus, and it is vital to prioritize both their physical and mental health. Recognizing the massive need for this support, Project HOPE is conducting mental health and resilience training courses in various countries around the world aimed at healthcare workers who are responding to COVID-19. More than 75 percent of the health workers participating in the training courses are women.

More research is needed to understand the mental health problems of certain groups, including women, and to identify protective factors that help maintain their wellbeing. Additional awareness programs are also important to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, normalize the issue, and encourage behaviors that seek support. The availability of high quality mental health services at the primary health care level has been shown to be the most efficient way of reaching all vulnerable populations who are in need of mental health services most. In terms of policy making, we still have a long way to go in lobbying to improve existing mental health policies and to ensure that lawmakers consider mental health a priority. Although the road may be rocky, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

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source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/women-carry-an-undue-mental-health-burden-they-shouldnt-have-to/