How Women Can Prioritize Their Mental Health: Celebrating Women’s Equality Day

This Women’s Equality Day, how can you prioritize your mental health? Below are some ideas that can help you get started on a journey toward healing.

Currently, women are particularly vulnerable to mental health concerns. Pressure is felt from every corner. They receive messages in the media that insinuate that women should look and live a certain way, do certain things, or fulfill the expectations of other people.

Women are stressed, unfulfilled, and feel the pressures to conform to unwanted ways. What is the result of this? Women are diagnosed with mental illnesses, up to more than 50% more compared to men. Aside from that, women are more likely to:

• Struggle with anxiety and depression.
• Deal with other serious mental illnesses.
• Experience violence that leads to mental health disorders.

Women’s Equality Day (August 26) in 2021 commemorated the passage of the 19th Amendment. This 1920 addition to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote, a landmark achievement for equal rights and opportunities.

Today, women are also striving for equal opportunities to receive support for mental health matters, substance abuse concerns, and other related conditions. What are some ways you can prioritize mental health self-care as a woman?

Carve out time for things that bring you joy

Practicing self-care helps reduce the stresses of life, bringing people peace and fulfillment. Just as healthy food and exercise nourishes your body, self-care nourishes your mind. Think about activities that bring you joy, and schedule at least 30 minutes up to an hour of these things regularly.

Many women enjoy:

• Walking out in nature.
• Working on arts and crafts.
• Writing or journaling.
• Engaging in sports, martial arts, or dancing.
• Spending time with pets.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to self-care. What is most important as a woman is knowing what you deeply enjoy and making time for it.

Keep your communication lines open

When we don’t feel good, it is often challenging to reach out to people. We have the tendency to keep ourselves boxed in, building walls that keep others from forming or strengthening relationships with us.

As a woman, it is essential to open our communication lines to other people. You can do this in a variety of ways:

• Reach out to old friends: Take the first step by asking old friends how they are. If they are nearby, you can invite them for a meal or a cup of coffee. If they live far away, you can use your phones or online apps to talk and catch up with each other.
• Find new friends and acquaintances: Do you want to identify with a certain group? Consider finding book clubs, support groups, or other gatherings for women. Such participation can help people interact regularly with like-minded people.
• Discuss things with others: There are also online message boards, forums, and other virtual places where you can receive support and share experiences with others. You can find specific niches and engage with certain online communities if you have limited time to interact in person.

Seek expert help

If you feel that your mental health symptoms persist even after joining support groups and engaging in self-care, there is no shame in reaching out for expert assistance. There is help available for various situations, such as when you experience anxiety, feel depressed after having a baby, or are struggling with a drug or alcohol dependency if you’ve been using substances as coping mechanisms.

There are professionals who understand the specific needs of women. They know your unique challenges, biological and interpersonal factors, and all the factors that can affect your mental health as a whole.

Help is available both online and in-person. During uncertain times, you can find valuable support both digitally and within your local community.

Celebrate equality: understanding women’s mental health needs

As you remember your rights as a woman this Women’s Equality Day, it is also crucial to focus on your mental health needs. By making time for joy, reaching out to others, and seeking professional help, you can cultivate peace and restore wellness in your life.

Sources

regiscollege.edu – Women’s Mental Health 101: Statistics, Symptoms & Resources

holidayinsights.com – Women’s Equality Day

sunshinebehavioralhealth.com – Co-Occurring Disorders and Addiction: Examining the Not-So-Hidden Links

lifehack.org – The 5-Step Guide to Self-Care for Busy People

sunshinebehavioralhealth.com – About Us