By Emily Siansky and Tori Newby
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it is important to recognize the challenges women face regarding mental health. In the past year, nearly 25 percent of women in the United States have experienced a mental health condition, compared to 16 percent of men. A factor contributing to this disparity is a higher rate of sexual and physical abuse towards women than men. For example, one in five women has been raped in their lifetime compared to one in 71 men, and one in four women versus one in seven men has been physically abused by an intimate partner.
Mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often consequences of an abusive situation or experience. Many female abuse victims feel afraid to tell their story, possibly to avoid further abuse and/or having their experiences invalidated. Internalizing these fears in addition to their trauma can lead to both diagnosed and undiagnosed mental health conditions.
Women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD over a lifetime. Typically, PTSD symptoms last for four years pre-diagnosis for women while only one year for men. Women with PTSD may be more likely than men with PTSD to feel depressed, anxious, and emotionless. These symptoms may develop gradually and can possibly last a lifetime, especially when untreated.
De-stigmatizing women’s mental health may lead to more women to acknowledge their realities and get help when they need it.
Sources:
https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health , https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/abuse-trauma-and-mental-health
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