Women Mental Illnesses

Women today often face pressure from many different areas of life and may have to fulfil multiple roles at the same time. Many working women manage household responsibilities and care for their children after work. Some also continue working or pursue further studies in the evenings. Over time, these demands can lead to increasing levels of stress.

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Common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders affect more women than men. Women are twice as likely as men to develop depression and three times as likely to develop an anxiety disorder. Depression is not only more common among women, but may also be more persistent. In 2008, the Hong Kong Federation of Women’s Centres conducted a three-month survey on women’s mental health. Among the 376 women surveyed, nearly half (47.9%) showed signs of depression: 20.2% had mild depressive symptoms and 27.7% had severe depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the prevalence of emotional distress among women.

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Certain mental health conditions are specific to women, including postnatal depression, premenstrual syndrome and menopausal syndrome. These conditions are closely associated with hormonal changes. Changes in identity and conflicting responsibilities may also contribute to emotional distress.