Introduction
Men and women experience different levels of stress and anxiety in their daily lives. People suffer from anxiety from time to time, therefore disrupting their lives in one way or another. While, most notably, anxiety has been acknowledged to be a significant driver of the change in physical health, it can also have negative implications for changes in behavior. For instance, one may have been anxious when addressing a group, which makes the heartbeats intensify or makes one feel nauseous. Typically, women tend to experience more anxiety than men. Mental Health Foundation (n.d) confirmed this by stating that, on average, 37.1% of women while 29.9% of men indicated high records of anxiety between 2022 and 2023. The high levels of anxiety in women is a critical care issue that stems from biological and societal factors, highlighting the need for comprehensive interventions to foster complete well-being.
Women’s hormonal imbalance is a factor that contributes to higher anxiety levels in women. An example highlighted by Wdowiak et al. (2022) explains that women’s reproductive health effects are causative agents of hormonal imbalance among them. Pregnancies, menstrual cycles, and menopause can characterize these changes. These changes in women cause sexual differences between men and women, which explains why men experience fewer hormonal shifts compared to women. Women have to deal with a lot of hormonal changes throughout their lives compared to men, which brings about a lot of anxiety in women. The uncertainties and pressures associated with these aspects of life can trigger emotional distress. Additionally, hormonal changes during menopause can bring about mood swings, sleep disturbances, and heightened stress levels, further contributing to anxiety. In light of these hormonal changes, developing effective interventions is necessary. Wdowiak et al. (2022) say that psychological support is a proper intervention that lessens the severity of women’s anxiety. These strategies help the affected individuals understand their emotions and behaviour. This can include therapy directly tailored to solve individuals’ specific needs. Addressing hormonal imbalance is an important aspect when it comes to anxiety because it stresses the importance of therapy and psychological support to enhance women’s mental wellness.
Women experience more emotional and physical abuse compared to men. Research has shown that men are more vulnerable to anxiety because of accidents, military combat, natural calamities, and artificial disasters (Hu et al., 2017). On the other hand, women are more likely to experience traumatic events, emotional and sexual assault, and gender-based violence. These traumas occur in private and public arenas, thereby causing them to be more vulnerable to anxiety. The effects of such trauma exacerbate the feelings of guilt and shame, which make them unable to speak out. As a result, the affected individuals deal with the emotional turmoil by beating themselves up mentally, thereby increasing anxiety. Furthermore, childhood traumas cause increased anxiety in women as they grow up. This explains the reason why women depend on substances and drug abuse to tranquillize themselves mentally as they grow up. Another effect of these traumas is overthinking and self-doubt, leading to anxiety. Comprehensive interventions such as psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT), and medication-based treatment have been suggested by Hu et al. (2017). Therefore, traumatic life events have a negative impact on women’s anxiety, and therefore, the interventions should dismantle the social pressures that traumas cause.
The balance between domestic duties and the demands of the modern world increases their anxiety. Playing different societal roles and responsibilities can lead to increased stress among women (Kelmendi & Jemini-Gashi, 2022). They are expected to take care of their families, care for children and older adults, and go to work. As the demands continually increase, women often have to deal with the pressure that comes with it and the different unmet obligations. Women are nurturing beings and are likely to spend much of their time caring for other people rather than caring for themselves. As the pressure and stress continue to rise, so do their anxiety and other psychological disorders. This has a massive effect on their mental and physical well-being. The modern world’s insistence on success in careers can lead to postponed childbirth, potential career setbacks after maternity leave, and unequal pay, amplifying stress and anxiety among women. When maternity leave is done, they tend to miss out on promotions, causing them to be confused and demotivated, amplifying their stress. Modern companies can ensure that women are given more flexible working environments and progression opportunities to make women feel less stressed as they continue working. Therapy interventions emerge as a crucial component in addressing this intricate web of anxiety-inducing factors (Kelmendi & Jemini-Gashi,2022). Therapeutic approaches, such as counselling and cognitive-behavioural therapy, can provide women with essential coping mechanisms, emotional support, and strategies to navigate the complexities of domestic duties and modern societal demands. Conclusively, comprehensive therapy interventions are vital for mitigating anxiety and fostering the mental well-being of women in the face of these pervasive challenges.
Conclusion
Women have been shown to have higher chances of dealing with anxiety. The hormonal changes, emotional and physical abuse, and demands of the modern world are factors that explain anxiety among women. Anxiety symptoms are depicted differently between women and men. The lifecycle of a woman is made up of hormonal fluctuations such as puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and even menopause. All the different phases are accompanied by stress and emotional strain. It is also essential to understand the complex consequences that emotional and physical abuse brings about when it comes to women. Traumatic abuses diminish their capacity to fully participate as individuals in society because of the long-lasting anxiety that comes with these events. The fact that women are unable to balance between domestic duties and family responsibilities justifies the reason behind more cases of anxiety in women. Work-related stress and balancing the duties of taking care of and nurturing families is stressful and could ultimately lead to anxiety. Therapy, medicine-based interventions and psychological support are essential for navigating these challenges. Addressing these factors enables women to become resilient and have a greater emotional capacity to deal with stress.
References
Hu, J., Feng, B., Zhu, Y., Wang, W., Xie, J., & Zheng, X. (2017). Gender differences in PTSD: susceptibility and resilience. Gender differences in different contexts, 21-42.
Kelmendi, K., & Jemini-Gashi, L. (2022). An exploratory study of gender role stress and psychological distress of women in Kosovo. Women’s Health, 18, 17455057221097823.
Mental Health Foundation. (n.d.). Anxiety: Statistics. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/anxiety-statistics
Wdowiak, A., Makara-Studzinska, M., Raczkiewicz, D., & Cyranka, K. (2022). Reproductive problems and intensity of anxiety and depression in women treated for infertility. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359354780_Reproductive_problems_and_intensity_of_anxiety_and_depression_in_women_treated_for_infertility
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