Society is continuously pressed to change, adapt, modify and accommodate. The recent discourse around the harassment that women face which culminated in the #MeToo campaign has brought to light the many ways in which society still needs to undergo a significant shift. The time is ripe for us, not just women, but whole communities to come together and #PressforProgress.
Change can only happen if we ourselves become the agents of change and progress. So as women within a society we need to come together and decide what we want. We can choose to let things keep happening to us or we can take a step forward and ensure that we become the deciding factors in what happens.
I am a mental health professional and putting aside the discourse around the gender divide and lack of gender parity, I would like to draw attention to the state of mental health for women. The following are the facts in this regard:
- Women are more predisposed to developing mental health problems like depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, to name a few.
- Women during menstruation, pregnancy, at the time of childbirth and at the time of menopause can experience mental health-related concerns.
- High prevalence rates of sexual violence to which women are exposed correspondingly lead to high rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), making women the largest group impacted by this diagnosis.
- A large proportion of women having emotional distress or psychological disorders are likely to not reach out for help.
These facts highlight the need for GENDER SENSITIVE treatments that can help ensure that women feel more encouraged to seek help. Women within our country have varied roles and responsibilities that create a unique set of experiences for them. A majority of them choose to put their families before, keeping even thinking about their own selves for the very last.
As a result, the concerns they experience tend to be more culturally driven, requiring intervention that is more suited to their specific viewpoints, beliefs and familial situations. It is a known fact that mental health impacts overall health, well-being, and productivity. For women to continue being productive members of society who achieve to their fullest potential it is imperative they take care of their selves.
Yes, we need to #PressforProgress and that needs to also start with women’s mental health. This International Women’s Day we must all pledge, be it man or woman, to prioritize women’s mental health.
Dr. Kamna Chhibber, is a Clinical Psychologist, Heading the Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences for Fortis Healthcare. She has been practicing for the last decade and is a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, with the particular interest in relationships, trauma, abuse and the impact of personality related variables on mental health.
