The intersection of stressful life in our current circumstances and mental health is posing many challenges for all of us. This equation becomes even more complicated when gender-based roles and inequalities are introduced, especially for women. Women often face unique mental health challenges while juggling their careers with societal expectations and caring roles. Societal expectations and pressure to conform to social norms often lead to an uneven distribution of family responsibilities, leading to stress and burnout. Women often have to bear the most time-consuming and tedious task of taking care of children. Daily care responsibilities such as preparing meals, supervising homework, and traveling to different activities often consume a significant amount of time, leading to lack of rest and physical fatigue. substance and spirit. Additionally, the demands on time, resources and mental strength to meet childcare responsibilities are often unpredictable due to many factors such as academic demands, illness, holidays, etc. This sudden, unpredictable episode can affect the professional life of a working woman. .
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Unlike men, women often work under pressure from stereotypes that paint a picture of motherhood and career success as incompatible. These factors lead to job dissatisfaction and mental stress. Experiences of discrimination, sexual harassment, violence and lack of a women-friendly environment add to emotional distress, significantly impacting mental health. When a woman tries to escape these stereotypes by enacting social roles that do not fit the stereotype, hostile stereotypes are activated. For example, women endure economic and social consequences and are stigmatized (hated, less likely to receive job offers or promotions) when they engage in stereotypically male behaviors. . Although gender equality is increasing, women are still the primary caregivers. stay at home and have to struggle with ideal worker standards. It has been observed and researched that ideal worker standards “match” gender expectations for men (the assumption that men will privilege success at work at all costs) compared to women. women (who are expected to care for their families in the same way).
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Although the challenges and consequences that women face of poor mental health are easily observed on a daily basis by families and society at large, there seems to be little effort to improve the situation. image. Therefore, all women, especially working women, should take it upon themselves to address the mental health challenges they face and take appropriate steps to improve their health:1 ) Self-care and self-love: Make sure to create and follow a self-care routine such as healthy eating, exercise, relaxation training, regular sleep, etc. 2) Establish healthy boundaries and learn to say no: Set clear boundaries between work and personal life. Minimize work-related communication during personal work hours. Say no to extra burdens, whether personal or work-related, if you find it difficult to handle your current job. 3) Support network: Build a support network with members among family, friends and colleagues to share responsibilities and worries. Connecting with people often reduces stress and improves mental health. 4) Seek professional support: Reach out to a mental health professional as they can provide a safe space and comfort. Take time to talk openly about mental health challenges. They can also help create appropriate strategies to improve mental health. (Author: Dr. Meenakshi Jain, Consultant, Psychiatry, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad)
