Women’s History Month: Championing Women’s Mental Health

Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate the resilience, achievements, and contributions of women throughout history. It is also an opportunity to highlight the unique challenges women face—especially when it comes to mental health. While progress has been made in increasing awareness and access to care, many barriers still exist that prevent women from receiving the support they need.

Celebrating Women Who Advocate for Mental Health

Throughout history, women have played a vital role in shaping mental health awareness, research, and advocacy. Despite facing societal barriers, they have worked tirelessly to challenge stigma, push for policy changes, and develop groundbreaking treatments that have transformed mental healthcare.

One such pioneer is Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark, a psychologist whose research on racial identity and self-perception in Black children laid the foundation for understanding the psychological effects of segregation. Her work not only influenced the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, but also highlighted the deep connections between systemic discrimination and mental well-being.

Another trailblazer is Marsha Linehan, the creator of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), a revolutionary intervention for emotionally unstable personality disorder and other conditions involving emotional dysregulation. Her work has helped countless individuals develop coping strategies, improve emotional resilience, and lead more fulfilling lives. Remarkably, Linehan publicly shared her own struggles with mental illness, breaking barriers by showing that lived experience can inform and strengthen clinical practice.

Beyond research and treatment, women have also been at the forefront of mental health activism. Eleanor Longden, a psychologist and advocate, has worked to reshape the narrative around schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations. After experiencing these challenges firsthand, she has dedicated her career to reducing stigma, promoting compassionate care, and empowering individuals to view their mental health experiences through a new lens.

In the public sphere, figures like Glenn Close, Selena Gomez, and Michelle Obama have used their platforms to normalize conversations around mental health, proving that advocacy can take many forms—from policy change to media representation. Meanwhile, grassroots movements led by women of color, LGBTQ+ activists, and disability advocates continue to fight for more inclusive and accessible mental health support.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we honor the resilience, intelligence, and compassion of the women who have shaped—and continue to shape—the landscape of mental health. Their contributions remind us that mental health is not just an individual struggle but a collective movement toward a more understanding and supportive world.

The Unique Mental Health Challenges Women Face

Women experience several mental health conditions at higher rates than men. Some of the most common challenges include:

  • Higher rates of anxiety & depression – Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression due to hormonal fluctuations, life stressors, and societal expectations.
  • The impact of caregiving – Women are more likely to take on caregiving roles, balancing careers, families, and household responsibilities, often at the expense of their own mental wellbeing.
  • Gender-based trauma & discrimination – Experiences of gender-based violence, workplace inequality, and societal pressures contribute to stress, PTSD, and other mental health struggles.
  • Stigma around seeking help – Despite increased awareness, many women feel pressure to "hold it all together," leading to reluctance in seeking support.

In addition to this, many mental health conditions present differently in females, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Biological, hormonal, and social factors all contribute to these differences, often making it harder for women to receive timely and accurate diagnoses. Here are some key examples:

1. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

  • In females, ADHD often presents as inattentiveness, daydreaming, and internalized struggles rather than the more obvious hyperactivity seen in males.
  • Girls with ADHD are more likely to be labeled as "chatty" or "disorganized" rather than recognized as having a neurodevelopmental condition.
  • Many women are diagnosed later in life, often after years of struggling with self-doubt, anxiety, or burnout.

2. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

  • Women and girls with autism often mask their symptoms by mimicking social behaviors, which can lead to underdiagnosis.
  • Historically, diagnostic criteria for ASD has been male dominated, meaning that some symptoms found more commonly in females are overlooked. These may include perfectionism traits, and strong special interests that are often social or creative in nature - making them harder to recognise than in males.
  • Many autistic women are misdiagnosed with anxiety or borderline personality disorder (BPD) before receiving an autism diagnosis.

3. Depression & Anxiety

  • Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression compared to men, but their symptoms may be dismissed as “hormonal” or stress-related.
  • Symptoms in women often include excessive worry, overthinking, and physical complaints like fatigue and headaches, rather than just sadness or low mood.
  • Hormonal changes due to menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause can also influence the severity of symptoms.

4. PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

  • Women are more likely to develop PTSD after experiencing interpersonal traumas such as, sexual violence, domestic abuse, or emotional abuse.
  • Symptoms in women may manifest as hypervigilance, people-pleasing, and dissociation, rather than the classic "fight-or-flight" responses seen in men.

5. Schizophrenia & Psychotic Disorders

  • Women tend to develop schizophrenia later in life (often in their late 20s or 30s), whereas men are typically diagnosed in their late teens or early 20s.
  • Symptoms may be less aggressive and more emotional, such as paranoia, social withdrawal, or depressive episodes, leading to misdiagnosis as depression or BPD.

Does This Delay Diagnosis?

  • Yes! Many women wait years—or even decades—before receiving the right diagnosis because:
  • Symptoms don’t match the traditional (often male-based) diagnostic criteria.
    Women’s struggles are dismissed as emotional instability, stress, or hormonal changes.
  • Women are more likely to internalize their distress rather than exhibit external behavioral issues.

What Needs to Change?

Greater awareness of how mental health conditions present differently in women.
Updated diagnostic criteria that account for gender-based variations.
Better training for healthcare professionals to recognize subtle symptoms in females.
Encouraging women to advocate for themselves and seek second opinions if they feel unheard.

Understanding these differences can lead to earlier diagnoses, better treatment, and improved mental wellbeing for women everywhere.

Breaking the Stigma & Supporting Women’s Mental Wellbeing

This Women’s History Month, we must not only celebrate women’s achievements but also advocate for better mental health awareness and support. Some key steps include:

  • Encouraging open conversations – Creating safe spaces where women can share their experiences without fear of judgment.
  • Increasing access to support – Ensuring mental health services are accessible and tailored to women’s specific needs.
  • Recognising intersectionality – Understanding that women’s mental health is shaped by factors such as race, sexuality, disability, and socioeconomic background.
  • Prioritising self-care & community support – Encouraging women to prioritise rest, set boundaries, and seek help when needed.

Let’s Continue the Conversation

Women’s mental health matters, and it’s time we ensure that every woman—regardless of her background—has the support, resources, and understanding she deserves. This Women’s History Month, let’s commit to breaking barriers, challenging stigma, and uplifting one another.