Gender differences play a crucial role in the diagnosis of mental illness. The reason for that is not only the biological differences between men and women but also the social challenges due to gender differences. Without considering the discrimination women are experiencing on account of their gender, socioeconomic disadvantages, and physical and mental abuse we can’t talk about Women’s mental health and mental health issues. There are gender differences in the diagnosis of mental illness. For example, depression and anxiety, eating disorders are more in women than in men. Age behaviour problems, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more common in boys but conditions such as anxiety, depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are more common in adolescent girls. Similarly, conditions like dementia are more common in older women.
Mental health problems and adolescents
In recent decades, the incidence rate of child and adolescent mental disorders has risen significantly. Adolescence is a risky period for mental health problems due to the effect of puberty and development. Pubertal timing has been thought to affect the prevalence of depression and anxiety in adolescence. Adolescent depression leads to downstream outcomes in adulthood, including impaired educational attainment, difficulty in interpersonal relationships and mental health issues throughout life.
Anxiety affects concentration, sleep, mood, and academic performance. It is a state of negative emotions with an intense focus on the future which leads to less peer acceptance, more peer victimization, and the development of depressive symptoms. It may lead to decreased life satisfaction and poor family relationships.
Puberty marks a time of significant biological and social maturation. Biological maturation refers to hormonal changes such as increased oestrogen and causes the development of breasts in females. Social maturation -puberty marks a social milestone that is influenced by gender-specific social views and expectations. Some environmental factors thought to affect pubertal timing, especially in girls, include chronic psychological stress, father or mother absence, and parental conflict. Children who live in low socioeconomic status experience earlier puberty. It is also influenced by childhood diet such as lean protein diet delays breast development in girls and higher processed meat and refined grains advance pubertal development. The earlier or late pubertal timing may lead to mental health disorders. This may be due to the social consequences of being unlike one’s peers, such as the stress of feeling different or misunderstanding. Parents should be concerned about their children who are in puberty and make sure they have a healthy relationship with them, give time to listen to them, and don’t put more stress on them. Help them with medical assistance if needed. According to Ayurveda, the imbalance of doshas which affects the mind is the root cause for depression and anxiety. Proper counselling, ayurvedic therapies, diet and lifestyle modification, yoga, and breathing exercises are also helpful in relieving or stopping the progression of depression or anxiety disorders in adolescence.
Mental health problems related to menstruation
PMS or Premenstrual syndrome is a condition that many menstruating women must have experienced at least once. Some people may develop a serious physical – Psychological condition such as PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder)
Pregnancy-related psychological problems
Pregnancy-related psychological problems may continue from the first trimester of pregnancy to the first year after delivery. It can range from mild postpartum blues to more severe postpartum depression and psychosis.
Causes- Which may be genetic, physical changes, emotional issues etc.
- Genetically-family history of postpartum depression
- Physical -Drop in hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone or thyroid hormones.
- Emotional -If the sleep is disturbed, anxiety about the ability to parenthood
During pregnancy
Mood swings during pregnancy are common which may be caused by physical stress, fatigue, changes in metabolism or by hormones. Significant changes in hormone levels can affect the neurotransmitters, which are brain chemicals that regulate mood. Mood swings are mostly experienced during the first trimester and again in the last trimester.
Tips to overcome pregnancy mood swings:
Get enough sleep, take a break during the day to relax, get regular physical activity, have nutritious food, spend time with loved ones, go for a walk, do yogasanas suitable for pregnancy, meditation, mild body and head massages. If the mood swings last more than 2 weeks and do not seem to be fine, then get the help of a medical practitioner soon.
Postpartum baby blues
Most new mom’s experience postpartum ‘baby blues’ after childbirth. It usually begins within the first 2-3 days after delivery and may last for up to 2 weeks.
Symptoms– mood swings, Anxiety, Sadness, feeling overwhelmed, Crying, Reduced concentration, Appetite problems, Sleep problems
Postpartum depression
Some new moms experience a more severe long-lasting form of depression known as postpartum depression. Sometimes it is called ‘Peripartum depression’ because it can start during pregnancy and continue after childbirth. Symptoms usually begin within the first few weeks after childbirth which may be confused with baby blues, but Symptoms are more severe and long-lasting. They include depressed mood, severe mood swings, crying too much, difficulty bonding with baby, withdrawing from family, loss of appetite or eating too much, sleeplessness, disturbed sleep, or increased sleep. anger, hopelessness, the thought of harming self or baby, thoughts of death or suicide.
Postpartum depression can be treated with Ayurveda by keeping away from all the causes and balancing Kapha dosha since Kapha vrudhi can cause a depressive effect on all the activities of the body and mind. Mindstrengthening therapies include counselling, meditation, and Medya rasayanas which act as brain and nerve-calming tonics and by properly following postpartum Ayurveda treatments.
Menopause-related psychological problems
In perimenopause (The transition stage prior to menopause), sleeplessness, unpleasant hot flashes in some people, depression in some, fatigue, irritability, lack of interest in activities, crying for no reason, hopelessness etc will be seen. The major reasons for these mental health issues are due to fluctuations in female hormones like estradiol, stressful life events such as divorce, jobless, death of parents or life partner, the negative feeling of ageing and menopause, etc.
According to Ayurveda different phases of our life are marked by a predominance of different Doshas. Kapha is naturally predominant from birth to puberty, Pitha from puberty until midlife and Vata is predominant after 50 years. So, menopause is the transition from Pitha to Vatha. The main goal of Ayurvedic treatment in menopause is to establish the balance of vata and pitta doshas, improve the digestive fire (Agni) and eradicate toxins (ama) from the body.
Diet and lifestyle advice for menopause-
Diet should include warm, light, cooked, fresh and unctuous food. Avoid dry, cold, fermented, left-over foods, refined sugar, and red meats, alcohol and caffeine. Regular, mild-moderate exercise is good to combat the symptoms. Exercises that relax the nervous system, such as walking, yoga, and meditation are excellent. To calm vata, it is very important to create regular routines around your sleep, food, work, exercise, and family time. Daily self-massage with warm oil (abhyanga) and nasal medication (nasya) where you place some drops of oil in each nostril can assist with hormonal balancing.
Apart from that Panchkarmas like virechana (Medicated purgation), Medicated enemas (Vasti), Medicated nasal oil (Nasya) etc will also be effective. Pouring herbal oil or decoction over the scalp (Shirodhara) is an effective therapy for calming the nervous system and balancing the neurotransmitters.
Social factors and women’s mental health
Girls from a young age itself are undergoing many discriminations in their own homes. Society instils in us from a very young age an idea that women are physically and mentally inferior to men. This reduces self-confidence in girls and hinders them from discovering and developing their own potential. Girls are also more vulnerable to gender-based violence from a very young age. It can be physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. These abuses affect mental health and personality from a young age. Women are facing many forms of discrimination and violence in the workplace. Women often do not have the power to make their own decisions on childbirth, the number of children and contraception. They have no control over their own life.
Disparities are also evident when women with mental health problems seek treatment. Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with mental illness and more likely to be prescribed medication. Women’s opinions are not often sought in the treatment section and decision-making. There are also differences in society’s attitudes towards women with mental illness. Women with mental illness were more likely to be divorced, isolated, and physically abused than men. We can control the social factors that lead to mental illness through proper socio-political and legal interventions.
