MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN IN INDIA

MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN IN INDIA

Gender roles impact identity in both man and woman. Gender differences are based in physical, physiological and psychological attributes. For centuries, the differences between men and women have been socially defined and distorted through a lens of sexism and this is where the concept of ‘patriarchy system’ comes. And most of the time women stay submissive in Indian society and this leads to poor mental health of women. The statistics indicates that there are profound differences of psychological distress and psychological disorders between men and women.

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL DISORDER?

The term ‘mental health’ basically describes a person’s cognitive or emotional well-being. This includes a person’s ability to enjoy life and achieve psychological resilience.

‘Mental disorder’ is a change in behavioral pattern of a person (causing distress) which is not expected as a part of normal development or culture.

COMMON REASONS BEHIND POOR MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN IN INDIA

·       Gender-based discrimination

·       Belonging from an economically under-developed family

·       Hormonal factors

·       Getting less attention from family

·       Always being compared with other male members of family

·       Pregnancy

·       Domestic violence

·       Abusive husband

·       Sexual or physical harassment

·       Being widowed or separated

·       Having low autonomy in decision making

·       Getting raped

·       Financial insecurity

·       Sexual trafficking

·       Public humiliation

·       Experiencing menopause

·       Cultural differences

·       Gender barriers

MOST COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS OF WOMEN IN INDIA

·       Anxiety disorders- A mental disorder that is characterized by significant feeling of anxiety and fear.

·       Depressive disorders- A serious mental disorder that negatively affects a person’s lifestyle.

·       Substance use disorder- This disorder takes away the ability to control a drug’s use.

·       Somatic symptom disorder- This disorder makes the person to extreme focus on physical symptoms.

·       Unipolar depressive disorder- Persistent sadness and showing least interest in outside stimuli.

Symptoms of depression, anxiety and other unspecified psychological distress are 2-3 times more common among women.

SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS

·       Schizophrenia- A disorder that affects the person’s ability to feel, think and behave properly.

·        Bipolar disorder- A mental disorder marked by alternating period of elation and depression.

Though these disorders are less prevalent than common mental disorders, still the taboo associated with these diseases makes these chronic.

Currently India is world’s most depressive country and so are the women of India. When a woman is mentally ill the services are sought infrequent and late and the ill may get abandoned by her family. The only reason is the subject ‘mental illness’ is still ostracized in Indian society. Women go through a lot of thing in their entire life. All they need is proper support from their family to be mentally strong. All the social, economic, legal, infrastructural and environmental facts that hampers women’s mental condition needs to be fixed as soon as possible. 

The fundamental need for a girl is education and this has to be started from the early childhood. It is a family’s responsibility to educate a girl child, make her strong enough to fight exploitation and injustice, aware her of what is wrong and what is right, what is acceptable and what is not, make her understand how desperately a girl need economic independence and support her through the course of the time. 

ELDERLY DEPRESSION

ELDERLY DEPRESSION

When we think about aging and health, we commonly associate getting older with physical ailments like arthritis, vision loss, and mobility problems. A less talked-about health risk that increases with age is depression. In fact, depression is the second most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder in later life. Depression is a common problem among older adults, but it is not a normal part of aging. In fact, studies show that most older adults feel satisfied with their lives, despite having more illnesses or physical problems. However, important life changes that happen as we get older may cause feelings of uneasiness, stress, and sadness.Unfortunately, all too many depressed older adults fail to recognize the symptoms of depression, or don’t take the necessary steps about it.

REASONS THAT CAUSES ELDERLY DEPRESSION TO BE OVERLOOKED

• One may assume that one has good reason to be down or that depression is just part of aging.
• One may be isolated or with a few around to notice his/her distress.
• You may not realize that your physical complaints are signs of depression.
• One may be reluctant to talk with others.

Over 20% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or neurological disorder (excluding headache disorders).

TYPES OF DISORDERS	% OF PEOPLE EFFECTED
DEMENTIA	5%
DEPRESSION	7%
ANXIETY DISORDERS	3.80%
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS	1%
DEATHS FROM SELF HARM	4%

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION IN OLDER ADULTS

·         Sadness or feelings of despair

·         Unexplained or aggravated aches and pains

·         Loss of interest in socializing or hobbies

·         Weight loss or loss of appetite

·         Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness

·         Lack of motivation and energy

·         Sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, oversleeping, or daytime sleepiness)

·         Loss of self-worth (worries about being a burden, feelings of worthlessness or self￾loathing)

·         Disturbed movement or speech

·         Increased use of alcohol or other drugs

·         Fixation on death; thoughts of suicide

·         memory problem

DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS

·         Major depression involves severe symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy life. An episode can occur only once in a person’s lifetime, but more often, a person has several episodes.

·         Persistent depressive disorder is a depressed mood that lasts for at least 2 years. A person diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder may have episodes of major depression along with periods of less severe symptoms, but symptoms must last for 2 years to be considered persistent depressive disorder.

·         Other forms of depression include psychotic depression, postpartum depression, and seasonal affective disorder.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS OF DEPRESSION

1. Genes—People with a family history of depression may be more likely to develop it than those whose families do not have the illness.

2. Personal history—Older adults who had depression when they were younger are more at risk for developing depression in late life than those who did not have the illness earlier in life.

3. Brain chemistry—People with depression may have different brain chemistry than those without the illness.

4. Stress—Loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, or any stressful situation may trigger depression.

5 .Health problems – Illness and disability; chronic or severe pain; cognitive decline.

damage to your body image due to surgery or sickness.

6. Loneliness and isolation – Living alone; a dwindling social circle due to deaths or

relocation; decreased mobility due to illness or a loss of driving privileges.

7. Reduced sense of purpose – Feelings of purposelessness or loss of identity due to

retirement or physical limitations on activities you used to enjoy.

8. Fears – Fear of death or dying; anxiety over financial problems or health issues.

9. Recent bereavements – The death of friends, family members, and pets; the loss of a

spouse or partner.

THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION 

• Psychotherapy, also called "talk therapy," can help people with depression. Some treatments are short-term, lasting 10 to 20 weeks; others are longer, depending on the person's needs.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy is one type of talk therapy used to treat depression. It focuses on helping people change negative thinking and any behaviors that may be making depression worse.
• Interpersonal therapy can help an individual understand and work through troubled relationships that may cause the depression or make it worse.

Other types of talk therapy, like problem-solving therapy, can be helpful for people with depression.

MEDICATIONS FOR DEPRESSION 

Antidepressants are medicines that treat depression. There are many different types of antidepressants. They may help improve the way your brain uses certain chemicals that control mood or stress. Antidepressants take time, usually 2 to 4 weeks, to work.

HOW TO PREVENT DEPRESSION

Staying in touch with friends and family and letting them know when someone is feeling sad is most important. Regular exercise helps to prevent depression or following your hobby helps too. Being physically fit and eating a balanced diet may help avoid illnesses that can bring on disability or depression.

Depression, especially in middle-aged or older adults, can co-occur with other serious medical illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Depression can make these conditions worse and vice versa. Sometimes medications taken for these physical illnesses may cause side effects that contribute to depression. A doctor experienced in treating these complicated illnesses can help work out the best treatment strategy.

Older people face special physical and mental health challenges which need to be recognized. And depression is not a flaw in anyone’s character. It is a serious mental illness that needs to be treated without losing valuable times of someone’s life.