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National Women's Health Week

May 11-17, 2025

Women's Mental Health Matters

Women's Mental Health Matters

Banner image featuring a solid color background with organic line shapes. The text reads -- Prioritizing Women’s Health: Caring for Mind and Body May 11 – 17, 2025 -- Includes logos for OASH - Office on Women’s Health and NWHW.

Women who are struggling or having thoughts of suicide should call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. This service is confidential, free, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In life-threatening situations, call 911.

Women's mental health naturally evolves over time and is a vital part of overall well-being. Many women face challenges such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It's important to recognize these struggles and understand that support is available. Women don't have to face these challenges alone.

Women are more likely than men to experience conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. 

Hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, after childbirth, and menopause can all affect mental health. Understanding these natural changes can help women find the care and support they need. By focusing on their mental health, reaching out for support when needed, and talking openly with others, women can navigate these challenges more effectively and feel better supported. 

Photo of a young woman with a medium skin tone and black hair in a bun, sitting in a room in front of a yellow couch. She is wearing white headphones and has her eyes closed, holding her hands on her chest.

Common symptoms for women with depression include sadness, tiredness, and feelings of worthlessness.

Women are more likely than men to experience anxiety together with depression, physical symptoms such as aches and pains, and changes in mood with the seasons.

Women are more likely to be affected by certain risk factors for mental health conditions than men, including experiencing poverty, surviving violence, dealing with stress at home, and being a caregiver.

Light Buld IconWhat's the difference between cognitive health and mental health? Cognitive health refers to the brain’s ability to think, learn, and remember. Mental health includes emotional and psychological well-being.

Common Mental Health Symptoms in Women

If any of these symptoms appear, talk with a health care provider about treatment options:

  • Feeling sad or hopeless often
  • Mood, energy, or appetite changes
  • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Low energy or tiredness
  • Worrying too much or feeling fearful
  • Anger or irritability
  • Headaches, body aches, or stomach problems
  • Using alcohol or other drugs to cope
  • Distancing from friends or family members
  • Thoughts of death or self-harm

Treatment and Relief

Health care providers can connect women with mental health professionals, including therapists and psychiatrists.

Treatment options—such as therapy, medication, or a combination of both—can help women feel better.

Women who are struggling with mental health can visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help to connect with free, confidential support and resources.

There are also daily tips women can follow to support their mental health. However, it's important to remember that everyone's journey is unique and challenges may persist. Explore these tips below.

Everyday Tips to Support Mental Health

  • Get regular exercise (aim for 30 minutes most days)
  • Eat healthful foods and drink plenty of water
  • Limit caffeine and alcohol
  • Keep a regular sleep schedule
  • Try a calming activity such as meditation or deep breathing
  • Spend time with loved ones and stay connected socially
  • Set realistic goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed

Learn more about mental health and how to find support in this video from the NIH National Institute of Mental Health:

For Midlife and Older Women

Social media can also benefit women in midlife and beyond. For women ages 40 to 70, social media can:

  • Help them feel connected to friends and family
  • Provide helpful news and health information
  • Reduce feelings of stress, sadness, and isolation

However, there are potential downsides. For some women between the ages of 40 and 70, social media use can:

  • Lead to feelings of loneliness
  • Increase negative body image thoughts
  • Make them feel left out or disconnected from real-life relationships

Women of all ages should take time to reflect on how social media affects their moods and self-esteem.

Photo of an older woman with gray curly hair leaning against a marble kitchen counter. She is smiling softly looking at her mobile phone in one hand with a mug in the other.

Healthy Social Media Habits

There are healthy habits women can practice when using social media to get the most benefit:

  • Limiting their time on social media apps: Women can set time limits on their phones
  • Turning off notifications to stay focused
  • Following accounts that make them feel good and supported
  • Unfollowing accounts that make them feel bad about themselves
  • Using app settings to block accounts, words, or phrases to limit harmful content
  • Sharing and liking positive posts about things such as gratitude, joy, and celebration
  • Remembering that what people post is only part of the story; most people share only the good moments
  • Reporting posts that are harmful, bullying, or worrisome

Social media should make women feel more connected, not worse about themselves. Even when they make small changes in how they use it, they can help protect their mental health.

Learn more about healthy social media habits from the National Institutes of Health's NIH News in Health.

Caregiving and Mental Health

A caregiver is someone who supports another person, such as an older adult, spouse, or child. Most caregivers are women, and some women even find themselves caring for young children and aging parents at the same time.

Caregiving can be rewarding, and many caregivers feel proud to support the people they love. However, it can also be stressful. Many caregivers are unpaid and must balance caregiving with jobs, family life, and other responsibilities. As a result, caregivers are more likely to experience depression, including symptoms such as:

Photo of two women standing outside in front of a row of green bushes. On the left is a younger woman with black hair in a ponytail wearing a tan shirt. She is facing and holding the arm of an older woman with short gray hair wearing a long dress and holding a walker. They are both smiling at each other.

 

  • Isolation
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Irritability
  • Feelings of sadness

Over time, high stress from caregiving can also contribute to health problems, including obesity, chronic diseases, and a weakened immune system.

When caregivers take care of themselves, they are better able to take care of others.

Tips for Caregivers

Infographic with the title 'Take Care of Yourself as a Caregiver' and a beige background with a multicolored semicircle containing the following content: Purple section with a guitar icon and the text 'Make time for a hobby you enjoy.' Brown section with a moon icon and the text 'Go to sleep a half-hour earlier.' Blue section with an icon of a person walking next to a tree with the text 'Take a short walk outside.' Red section with an icon of a person doing a yoga pose and the text 'Try a yoga class.' Gray section with an icon of a cafe and the text 'Meet a friend for lunch'. Green section with an icon of two people holding hands and the text 'Join a support group'. Underneath these sections is an image of a midlife woman with brown hair smiling. At the bottom of the graphic is the text 'Activities like these can lower your stress, boost your mood, and help make you a better caregiver, too. Learn more about caregiving at www.nih.nia.gov/caregiving. Includes the NIH logo.

To protect their mental and physical health while caring for others, women should:

  • Set boundaries and make time for themselves
  • Build a support network of family members, friends, and other caregivers
  • Stay physically active and maintain a balanced diet
  • Take care of their own mental and physical health by seeing a mental health professional and/or another health care providers
  • Ask for and accept help when needed
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Check out the National Institute on Aging's Caregiving Toolkit, which features videos and other resources to support caregivers in their roles.

Resources to Learn More

All material contained on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and maybe copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.
Page last updated: May 13, 2025