Feminine Gender Roles and Mental Health

HOW ARE THEY RELATED?

Gender and its various roles are undoubtedly, quite significant in dictating mental

health and mental illnesses. Both males and females have distinctive power and

control over a number of socio-economic factors impacting mental health. This

kind of power is sourced from gender-based aspects themselves. On a broader

horizon, gender affects individuals’ lives, social status, and proneness to particular

risks associated with mental health. Statistically speaking, women tend to

encounter much greater rates of mental diseases in comparison to men of all ages

and religions around the world. As a matter of fact, a recent study even suggests

that adolescents who are followers of more traditional gender roles tend to have an

attitude which results into worse outcomes based on mental health.

Over the years, various gender-based norms have developed. Upon studying the

connection between gender roles and health, it can be deduced that masculinity

(qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of men) is specifically associated

with improved physical and mental health. On the other hand, women are twice as

likely to have unipolar depression. Apart from being a majority of women’s most

common mental health problems, depression is likely to be more continual in

women than in men. Women predominate in the case of individuals facing three or

more comorbid diseases with a higher likelihood to experience the disability

associated with mental illness. The variations in mental health caused by gender

differences have been reported in the age of onset of symptoms, frequency of

psychotic symptoms, course of these disorders, social adjustment, and long-term

outcome.

Several mental health issues have an inter-connected relationship with

gender-based roles, stressors, and negative life experiences and events.

Gender-based violence, socioeconomic disadvantage, low income, and income

inequality, low or subordinate social status, and rank and unremitting responsibility

for the care of others are risk factors which can be classified as “gender specific”

and have a disproportionate impact on females. Apart from this, the number of

women subject to some form of sexual violence is increasing. Subsequently, this has

resulted in a high rate of PTSD (Post Traumatic Sex Order) with the sufferers

mostly being women. Hence, women are the largest single group being impacted

here.

On the other hand, a study suggests gender is an aspect which contributes to an

individual’s attitude when it comes to seeking help of mental health experts.

According to the findings of this study, compared to their male counterparts,