Women and Mental Health

The reality of women's lives remains invisible to men and women alike and this invisibility persists at all levels beginning with the family to the nation. Although geographically men and women share the same space, they live in different worlds. The mere fact that "Women hold up half the sky"- does not appear to give them a position of dignity and equality. True, that over the years women have made great strides in many areas with notable progress in reducing some gender gaps. Sprawling inequalities persist in their access to education, health care, physical and financial resources and opportunities in the political, economic, social and cultural spheres. Women's mental health has drawn attention not only from scholars, practitioners but also the media and the general public at large, acknowledging the dual role of biologically determined gender and socially determined gender in the way Health including Mental health's conceptualization. It is observed at all levels of scientific understanding right from the sociocultural to the hormonal, cellular and DNA levels. But it is also important to study gender differences in conditions less frequently found in women or has a relatively milder course and outcome in women and girls. The origins, expressions, course and outcome and the responses to treatment of all psychiatric illnesses differ in women than men.