Frustration. Isolation. Fear. These are just a few emotions our world is dealing with as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the U.S. with little sign of winding down. Everywhere you look or listen, people are struggling to manage these emotions several months into the pandemic. Even people who haven’t been infected with COVID-19 are not safe from its negative impact on their minds. It may feel like we’re all in this together, but how women are experiencing changes in their mental health due to COVID-19 is quite different than from how men are.
A July 2020 poll indicates that 57 percent of women reported adverse mental health effects from the pandemic compared to 50 percent of men. Part of the reason women are more affected than men is due to a combination of social factors and biological differences that can intensify the effects of stress on their mental well-being.
The world is recognizing these differences and making an effort to gain deeper insight into why they exist. Research shows that women are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and major depression associated with persistent strain caused by living in the new reality forced upon us by COVID-19. Data from China collected early on the pandemic confirmed this by showing stress-related psychiatric disorders are becoming more prevalent in women than men.
With no guarantee that a vaccine will be available soon or that herd-immunity will decrease the virus’s effects, the issue of women’s mental health decline during the pandemic cannot be ignored.
The scientific reasons behind why men and women experience mental health differently cannot be changed. But worldwide, forced lifestyle changes are contributing to these disparities in unique ways. Telemedicine providers are coming to the rescue by filling the need for more tele-psychiatry services. Offering this help provides women with an essential opportunity to receive mental health support as they respond to the unprecedented challenges being imposed on them.
The Impact of Gender Differences On Mental Health Issues
While partly due to sex hormones, several factors contribute to the different ways in which women experience mental health issues. Sex differences, meaning the biological traits that distinguish males and females at the hormonal level, account for part of the reason men and women experience emotions differently.
Gender differences related to social and behavioral roles also impact women’s mental health. Worldwide, women are finding themselves entangled in a chaotic mix of old and new situations where they:
- Are more often primary caregivers for children and other dependent family members
- Feel stress and pressure caused by new responsibilities imposed by remote learning
- Often juggle jobs while taking care of the majority of household tasks
- Often receive less income due to the gender wage gap, part-time or low-income work
- Experience more isolation when they do not work outside the home
- Are more prone to abuse and often struggle with its’ lasting mental health effects
All of these factors contribute to the differences in how mental health issues manifest themselves in women. In recent years, the demands of modern life have resulted in almost 50 percent more women being treated for mental illness than men. Studies also show women are:
- Diagnosed with depression 1.4 times more than men
- Shown to have a 70 percent more likelihood to have a severe mental illness than men
- Twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with a panic disorder
How Has COVID-19 Contributed To The Decline Of Women’s Mental Health?
As mentioned above, the pandemic’s sweeping change has brought intense feelings of stress, isolation, and fear to our lives. Eighty-three percent of women surveyed say they are experiencing more feelings of depression since COVID-19 arrived. These feelings can have a more profound effect on women since they are more vulnerable to stress-related disorders. And many of them may find themselves lacking the resilience needed to weather the pandemic restrictions being imposed on them for such a long period of time.
While women are busy doing their best to meet everyone else’s needs, they may not be taking the time to get the help they need to address their internal struggles. During the pandemic, getting help may look different for different women.
It can look like:
- Finding a healthy or unhealthy outlet for overwhelming feelings
- Finding support to meet goals for improving emotional well-being
- Getting professional advice for reducing the risk of getting stuck in negative patterns
- Getting a psychiatric evaluation for possible a mental health disorder
- Continuing to get help for ongoing mental health conditions
Thankfully, telemedicine technology is helping women access the care they need while they continue to deal with the effects of the pandemic.
A New Player On The Telemedicine Mental Health Scene
Greenfield Groves, founded by Lindsay Giguiere, offers a different option for women looking to use telemedicine to care for their mental health. With so much of their time spent giving of themselves, women these days are bearing a tremendous load. We feel they shouldn’t have the additional worry of struggling to find a mental telehealth provider.
Recognizing the power, strength, and comfort of women supporting each other was part of the inspiration behind designing a telehealth platform just for them. Founded by a champion of women-supporting-women, Greenfield Groves recognizes and celebrates the infinite good that can transpire when women advocate for each other. All women deserve to thrive in their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Our new telemedicine platform aspires to help all women achieve this pinnacle of health so they are empowered to become the best version of themselves possible.
Whether taking care of themselves or their families, women need technology that delivers convenient access to more than just professional medical care and advice. It offers:
- Applications that make being accountable for health easy
- Access to an online community for support and camaraderie on their journey
- Revolutionary self-care products women can trust to be safe, effective, and luxurious
- Education to support women in making informed health decisions
Our socially-conscious wellness company is dedicated to providing patients with the ultimate in telemedicine and tele-psychology. But we are also committed to other things that truly matter – like complementary products based on real science, efficacy, transparency, and sustainability in everything we do.
Our hope is that choosing Greenfield Groves not only feels good on the inside. We want consumers to be part of the outward expression of excellence we embrace and the values we know you share with us.
