The Urgency of Self-Care – Why Women Need to Prioritize Mental Health Now

Its March 8th International Women’s day, a day to both celebrate the various achievements of women in different scenes like social, economical, political, and many more. But it is also a day and an opportunity to raise awareness about many different struggles and difficulties women face all around the world. One of which is the difficulty in prioritizing mental health due to various factors. (IWD, 2025). Let’s use this opportunity to discuss the challenges women encounter when it comes to prioritising their mental health.

Why women struggle to prioritize mental health

Prioritizing mental health is essential, as neglecting it can have serious consequences for physical well-being. According to a 2024 Hologic-Gallup study, many women report that their mental health directly impacts their physical health, creating a barrier to overall well-being. Similarly, research by Safety and Health (2024) highlights that 60% of women struggle to prioritize their health due to mental health challenges. These findings emphasize the urgent need to address mental well-being as a fundamental part of maintaining overall health.

There are many factors that act as barriers to women prioretizing mental health. To begin with, women are more likely to develop certain mental health conditions like depression and anxiety disorders. One factor affecting such risks is violence against women, we can see that according to the WHO, (2021) 1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. This statistic while shocking, is unfortunately true, violence such as sexual and physical can lead to PTSD, depression, anxiety, and many other disorders and conditions. (Psychology today, 2025).

Another significant barrier for women is the difficulty in receiving a diagnosis due to societal expectations. These expectations can hinder the recognition of serious health conditions, as women may hesitate to seek help for certain symptoms because of the pressure to meet societal standards. Many women today balance full-time jobs with caring for children and managing their households. This overwhelming environment often becomes normalized, causing women to overlook the severity of their symptoms. As a result, they may endure the consequences of a serious condition without seeking professional assistance (Kinghorn, 2023).

Moving on, another barrier to accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of women’s mental health is stigmatization. Research by Khan et al. (2015) found that women in Pakistan suffering from depression experience higher levels of internalized stigma compared to men. Consequently, many women withdraw socially, leading to further challenges and negative consequences stemming from discrimination and stigma.

Conclusion

While International Women’s Day serves as a celebration of women’s achievements across various fields, it also presents an important opportunity to reflect on the ongoing struggles women face, particularly in prioritizing their mental health. As highlighted, women face unique barriers such as higher susceptibility to mental health conditions, the impact of societal expectations, and the added challenges of stigmatization. These factors contribute to the difficulty women experience in seeking help, potentially leading to serious, untreated conditions. It is crucial that we continue to raise awareness and work towards breaking these barriers, ensuring that mental health is prioritized and accessible for all women. By doing so, we can help create a future where women’s mental health is seen as just as important as their physical well-being.

Dorotheos Charalambous.