The Inflammation and Depression Connection Women and Mental Health – Are We More at Risk

What affects women’s mental health?

Around one in five women have a common mental health problem, such as depression and anxiety. While there can be many reasons why these develop, some risk factors affect many women. Women are more likely than men:

to be carers, which can lead to stress, anxiety and isolation. Carers UK has information on looking after your mental health
to live in poverty which, along with concerns about personal safety and working mainly in the home, can lead to social isolation
to experience physical and sexual abuse, which can have a long-term impact on their mental health. Contact Refuge if you’re experiencing domestic violence
to experience sexual violence, which can cause PTSD

When women find it hard to talk about difficult feelings, they tend to internalise them. This can lead to depression, eating disorders. Men are more likely to express their feelings through disruptive or anti-social behaviour.

Some factors protect women’s mental health: they tend to have better social networks than men, find it easier to confide in their friends and are more likely to have been treated for a mental health problem.

Women’s health issues

Life events and hormonal changes can affect women’s mental health.

Perinatal depression

Having a baby is a life-changing event. For some women, it can trigger postnatal depression (after birth) and/or antenatal depression (during pregnancy). The term ‘perinatal depression’ covers both.

Perinatal depression isn’t a sign of weakness; it doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent. There is help available: talking therapy, medication or specialist services depending on your symptoms and what’s right for you.

Menopause

While every woman’s experience of menopause is different, many women find they have symptoms in addition to their periods stopping. These can include changes to your mental health, such as mood swings, anxiety and feeling low. Treatment includes hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or talking therapy. Speak to your GP about what’s best for you.

Hypnotherapy can relieve menopausal symptoms

The premise of hypnotherapy is to change the way individuals perceive messages to reduce the intensity of what they are feeling. Using a variety of therapeutic techniques with the integration of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy renders it a successful way to identify and understand anxiety response patterns and behavioural traits that might be causing and maintaining the client's anxious thought process. Cognitive Hypnotherapy psychotherapy gets to the root cause of the anxiety problem and changes the perception and empowers the client to feel calm remain relaxed in situations that would typically trigger anxiety attacks.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is helpful for various health problems, including anxiety, stress, depressed eating disorders, mood, hot flushes, night sweats, sleep problems, and fatigue during menopause. CBT can be beneficial managing Anxiety and Stress:

Anxiety and stress are common reactions to everyday life situations. During menopause.
CBT helps you develop practical ways to manage these problems by providing coping skills and useful strategies.
Addressing anxious thoughts and stressors, CBT can improve overall well-being and reduce the impact of menopausal symptoms on your daily life.

Reducing Stress Response:

When stressed, the body releases adrenaline, preparing muscles for action. However, this response isn’t always adaptive in modern life.
CBT helps you recognize stressors, challenge negative thoughts, and develop healthier coping mechanisms.