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10th October, World Mental Health Day, is a good time for women to share their stories, and speak up for themselves and other women, because they are more at risk than men.
October 10th is celebrated as World Mental Health Day across the world to create awareness about Mental Health and bring together all stakeholders to strengthen the discourse about mental health and reduce the related ignorance, stigma and taboo.
This year the focus is on Suicide Prevention This becomes pertinent for Indian women as various studies in the past have indicate that they remain one of the most vulnerable groups in regard with mental health.
Why are women more vulnerable?
Mental health related issues affect women, men, and other genders apparently equally, though some conditions like social anxiety and long-term depression are more common among women. Abuse and discrimination remain major factors in women’s mental health crisis.
There are several socio-cultural that factors put women at a much greater risk of having a mental health related problem than men. Though social workers often find that women are more ready to talk about their emotions, express feelings as crying and seek support (often barred for men in conventional societies) in their closed networks, they are, however, not allowed to prioritize their health in families conventionally.
So the 5 major socio-cultural factors that prevent them from seeking healthcare for mental health are:
In India especially, mostly it is the lady of the house who regulates the diet and meals of the entire family and is responsible for grocery shopping, deciding menus and cooking.
So traditionally, women are expected to look after the health of all family members, especially children and the elderly. This role puts additional stress often on women to make healthy choices in limited budgets, cater to various demands and tastes and also never put their choices first.
Most caregivers in most families are still women. Whether it is the routine care for children, partners, elderly family members, extended family, pets and also family members with illness and/or disability.
Women caregivers often suffer from caregiver burnout, and are more at risk to suffer from anxiety and depression because of their caregiving duties without any break or support. However women receive little or almost no care even when they fall sick.
As so much of feminist literature, research and movement has asserted women friends are the strongest support a woman can have, often termed a ‘sisterhood’ by feminists due to the empathy involved.
However in conventional societies women are still not allowed to have many ‘friendships’. The friendships they nourish during their growing up years and during education and youth often fade away after marriage due to geographical distances or lack of time and/or freedom to socialize freely. Even the interaction of women on social media is sometimes controlled by partners or families.
Depression amongst pregnant women, post-partum depression and depression among mothers is more common than the figures tell. Modern women often are involved in some kind of paid work, run a household and in addition also handle biologically stressful events like pregnancy, breastfeeding and motherhood.
What are commonly referred to as ‘baby blues’ are often hormonal changes that severely affect a woman’s mental health. Surveys also indicate that a mother’s adverse mental health might affect the offspring’s too in turn, especially daughters, referred to as the Mother Wound.
The common perception is that sexual crimes and safety of women at public places is a social issue. However, it also affects the mental health of women badly.
Women often get caged in work that is low income, part-time, work from home, or housework, due to concerns about safety and fears of sexual violence. Rising sexual crimes often make families use this as an excuse to control women’s free movement, and sometimes limit education and work opportunities. The risk of developing PTSD after any traumatic event is 20.4% for women and 8.1% for men because often women don’t retaliate, or even speak about it, and internalize the trauma.
Women are increasingly coming out about oppression and all kinds of discrimination and prejudices. It is time the mental health aspect of all these factors is also highlighted and addressed.
Image source: shutterstock
Pooja Priyamvada is an author, columnist, translator, online content & Social Media consultant, and poet. An awarded bi-lingual blogger she is a trained psychological/mental health first aider, mindfulness & grief facilitator, emotional wellness trainer, reflective read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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