Originally published in Psychology Today, March 20, 2025
At this point, it’s common knowledge that America is suffering from a mental health crisis. The downturn in mental health started even before the pandemic and has continued as we’ve seen Americans’, and especially American women’s, mental health deteriorate.
Last year, 1 in 5 women reported suffering from depression or anxiety compared to 1 in 10 men. A constellation of factors, from biological to societal, contribute to mental health. However, there’s one key difference to highlight: autonomy.
The freedom to make one’s own choices has a significant impact on mental health. Women in places of power, the ones who can choose their own path, tend to have better mental well-being than their more oppressed counterparts.
We see that gender equality and mental health go hand in hand as countries that rank among the highest in gender equality, like Sweden and Norway, also have the highest mental health scores for women. But having more gender equality doesn’t always translate to better rates of mental health.
Women in unhealthy romantic relationships or restrictive homes, or who have fallen on hard times, struggle most with their psychological health. Autonomy over one’s body, how a woman spends her time, and where she lives have an outsize impact on her quality of life.
While there are many ways to impact women’s mental health, one way is to gain more autonomy through wealth equality. For example, in 2021 Congress expanded the child tax credits so that families would receive $3,600 per child under 6 and $3,000 per child up to age 17. A study conducted by Harvard found that the expanded tax credits significantly decreased rates of depression and anxiety among low-income families.
So perhaps money can’t buy lasting happiness, but it can certainly buy mental well-being. Historically, women are the primary caretakers and thus have to choose between careers and childcare. Data demonstrates that women in low-income communities suffer from mental health disorders at rates three times that of women in higher income brackets.
Meditation, yoga, and therapy all have their place in improving mental health, but it doesn’t matter how long you hold downward dog for: If you’re going to bed hungry, your mental health will not improve.
In the public health space, we call these social determinants of health, and they relate to poverty, access to health care, and other environmental indicators. The good news is that there are identified protective factors that can buffer the impact of stress on our lives.
I always start with connecting with your inner circle. When my children were young, we had family dinner every Sunday night with extended family. That planned event usually included an opportunity to look at calendars for the week to see who needed support. This access to grandmother’s support for my children allowed me to continue to work into the afternoon hours. Even families that are struggling financially may still report solid mental well-being if they are supported by loved ones. If you’re in a position to reconnect with friends or loved ones, take the time to do so. If you’re feeling isolated from your supportive unit, think about making a change.
Take a moment to assess your support system to determine if you need to focus on creating local support in your life.
You may feel like you’re alone out there, but there are probably programs in your area designed to provide assistance. Many people are not comfortable seeking help from systems, so I suggest looking at your cultural practices of support. I have a good friend from the Caribbean, and she shared with me how her community supports each other financially. Have you ever heard of a susu savings account?
A revolving susu savings account is a nontraditional savings account you create with the help of family or close friends. Every two weeks or month, you and your susu members contribute a certain amount of money to the account. Each time the money is pooled, one member gets to keep this lump-sum payment. Each group member takes turns receiving the lump sum payment. A susu account will hold you accountable, give you instant access to funds (when it’s your turn to receive the susu), and help build community.
Take a moment to think about where you would find concrete supports in times of need.
Another way to impact your well-being is through intentionally focusing on building your resilience muscle. There are going to be good times and some not-so-good times, and having the skills to navigate the latter, will come in handy.
So, what does that look like? It’s different for every woman, but it’s something that we need to work on when things are going well so we’ll have the tools for when they are not. For me, I utilize a combination of exercise, meditation, writing, and spending time with friends. When I’m going through stressful times, you will find me creating routines that incorporate these activities daily (sometimes hourly). I know that when I have a lot on my mind it will impact my sleep, so I’m intentional about meditation before bedtime. I know that when I have a jam-packed day, a four- to five-mile walk/run will be the best way to start my day. These resilience tools are in my toolbox for when I need them.
Take a moment and identify what’s in your toolbox, or what you would like to develop.
The data is clear that women experience mental health challenges at higher rates than men. We also know that being a woman offers amazing gifts that men will never comprehend—we have the ability to birth little humans. The tools provided here can be used to prevent the overwhelm that often comes with being a woman in today’s world.
References
Women’s Mental Health. Office on Women’s Health. (n.d.).
Cooper, W. Which Are the Best Countries for Mental Health? William Russell. 2024, May 22.
Child tax credit expansion improved parents’ mental health. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 2024, November 22.
Poverty, depression, and anxiety. Matthew Ridley, Gautam Rao, Frank Schilbach*, Vikram Pate. December, 2020.
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