Women and mental health: an ever-changing playing field
14 March 2022 – “Many women may enjoy a good conversation and most are no strangers to discussing their emotions. However, it seems that for many women the reality is that when they really need to be open to how they’re feeling – when they’re experiencing depression or anxiety – they’re unlikely to do so.”
So says Lekha Daya, senior psychologist at the Panda Mental Health App, noting that although initiatives such as International Women’s Day on 8 March have helped to draw attention to women’s issues, there is still much to be done by way of providing assistance that has real benefits.
“The reality is that social and economic challenges place women at greater risk for mental illness,” Daya points out. “Bearing the burden of being the primary caregiver can take a toll, while abuse – which is sadly rather common in South Africa – adds another dimension. Added to this, many women experience financial stress as breadwinners for their family.”
Often, women don’t report the symptoms of mental illness because they lack access to resources. While the stigma of mental illness has been reduced since the Covid-19 pandemic drew attention to the issue, many women still suffer their burdens in silence.
Daya urges women to seek the assistance they need, pointing out that technology – including apps and websites such as the Panda Mental Health App (search for “join panda” in the app stores) – make it easier to do this than ever before; making it possible to access quality mental health care within a caring ‘community’ environment, remotely and anonymously.
Daya explains that the kind of care required will vary as women experience different mental health issues across their lives. There are so many moments and milestones in a woman’s life which may lead to her experiencing loneliness and isolation, including:
- Adolescence: This notoriously turbulent time is marked by significant hormonal changes, which can have a serious effect on mood. This may be exacerbated by online bullying which is a disturbingly common phenomenon among today’s teens. A teen’s developing sense of self, and the confidence and esteem issues that accompany this, will also play a role. Sexual pressures, teen pregnancies (especially in South Africa) and unforeseen responsibilities, academic burdens and parental demands all play a part in affecting the mental health of adolescent girls. This period, when a sense of self-worth is developing, can be a seminal moment and a period when young women should be encouraged to seek support.
- Young adulthood: It’s during this time that young women are generally trying to find their identity, establish relationships and get a start on their career paths. All of this can be very stressful, especially when any certainty is undermined by rapidly changing circumstances and global events. It’s easy to understand how stress and anxiety can take hold. Social media can also have a large and negative influence as young women constantly compare themselves to the lifestyles they imagine their peers to be leading. Societal expectations regarding success, whether at university or college, career success or finding true love, can feel overwhelming to young women.
- Adulthood: It’s not surprising that so many women experience high levels of depression, often caused or exacerbated by, isolation, stress and in south Africa, high prevalence of GBV. Even women in established, safe, loving relationships can be at risk as they find themselves juggling the various responsibilities of work and family and, in many cases, battles with infertility, miscarriage and post-partum depression can present unwelcome challenges. Being the perfect wife, daughter, mother and employee means women face a huge amount of stress they may not share, even with friends. Adulthood, with its unique challenges some have termed the ‘sandwich generation’, can also be extremely difficult to navigate, balancing the demands of raising young children while at the same time assisting ageing or ill parents and on top of that, for many South African women, needing to support an extended family.
“It’s important for women to know that whatever they are going through, they are not alone.
Mental illness is just as serious as any obvious physical illness, and it is just as important to seek treatment. We need to encourage one another and support ourselves with the care and encouragement we need,” Daya concludes.