Source: Flickr_Headache_touching_forehead_By Jose Navarro
Discussions regarding mental health and care are a recent phenomenon. Fifty years ago, no one talked about mental health as much as we do today. It is a good thing though. As we have ventured into studying about our brain and body, we have realized that taking care of our mental health is, in fact, extremely crucial for survival.
Studies in this field make important developments every now and then. We get to know more and more about our needs and requirements on another level. But how much is true and unbiased? Have you ever thought about this? I can say with certainty that numerous people have no clue about the way gender issues get incorporated into research.
It is important we learn more about it.
What is Mental Health?
The World Health Organization defines Mental Health as ‘a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community’. Easy definition, no? But it’s a complex subject.
Source: https://www.educare.net.au/mental-health-awareness-is-important/
Someone with difficulty handling their mental health can suffer from mental disorders which can result in self-harm and other dangerous situations. But having mental health is much more than living without mental disorders. Every person has a separate battle and no two people have the exact same issues. The problems faced by different people vary on different levels; the outcomes are also distinct.
This is why it becomes important to understand how your own mental health condition is and seek help if you can’t seem to handle it alone. Up until a few years ago, the very concept of talking or even thinking about possible mental disorders was taboo. But now we have better facilities and better understanding about these issues in society. Not that better, but its better than no understanding at all.
Gender Discrimination
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Here is an issue which hardly anyone hasn’t heard of. Gender discrimination and debates on this topic, unlike the issue we discussed before, aren’t a recent phenomenon. We have heard of numerous incidents about hate crimes committed on grounds of gender discrimination. This is how we define Gender Discrimination- Someone is subjected to Gender Discrimination when they experience inequality or negative treatment because of their gender.
The most common targets are cis women and girls of course. But recent news updates indicate that men and queer people have also started experiencing this problem increasingly over the years. Such treatment has been categorized as a violation of fundamental human rights and can manifest in any form. One good example is that of the gender pay gap which has become a global issue now.
Where do these lines intersect?
You must have started reading this article with one question in mind- what does gender discrimination have anything to do mental healthcare? Good question. And one that many people don’t think about. Let’s see.
Women face a lot of mental disorders which are completely unique to them- these don’t happen to men. One example is how they experience depression when their hormones change because of either pregnancy or other similar health conditions. Can this happen to men? Depression? Yes. Depression because of pregnancy? No.
Furthermore, it has also been found that mental disorders are most likely to effect women than men. So, after reading all these facts, one must wonder how much progress we have got in this field. Well, the answer is- next to nothing. How? Thanks to gender disparities.
Gender discrimination can affect women’s health by giving rise to situations which can trigger mental health issues.
The WHO uses studies to report that many women are subjected to words and actions which have a detrimental impact on how they view their success and well-being. A study finds that more than 1 in 10 women answered with a yes when they were asked if they faced gender discrimination when they were pregnant. Situations like these become the reason behind their failing mental health.
Many other causes of worsening mental health are violence, abuse, and reproductive health. All these can have profound detrimental impact on a woman’s mental health conditions and lead to mental illnesses which can be hard to manage. And many times, men and queer people also face the brunt of this societal evil as well.
Wrong concepts like toxic masculinity and forced gender conformity are leading causes of depression and suicide amongst the other two communities. This is how bad the situation is. So, read, learn, and understand how your mental health is faring in this busy world. The problems that come in our way are tough but we need to be stronger.
Resources
- World. (2022, June 17). Mental health. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
- Azharuddin S, Vital-Daley K, Mustovic V, Marshall T, Calvin B, DuMont T, Swanson G, Barker B. Mental Health in Women. Crit Care Nurs Q. 2023 Oct-Dec 01;46(4):336-353. doi: 10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000471. PMID: 37684730.
- Vigod, S. N., & Rochon, P. A. (2020). The impact of gender discrimination on a Woman’s Mental Health. EClinicalMedicine, 20, 100311–100311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100311
- Women and Mental Health. (2024, May 14). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/women-and-mental-health
Soken-Huberty, E. (2023, January 12). What is Gender Discrimination? Human Rights Careers. https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-is-gender-discrimination/ Malhotra, S., & Shah, R. (2015). Women and mental health in India: An overview. Indian Journal of Psychiatry/Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 57(6), 205–205. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.161479
