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                Knowledge and News on Women: OWH Blog

Knowledge and News on Women: OWH Blog

                        Knowledge & News on Women: Commit to a Healthier Version of You
          Knowledge & News on Women: 2023 Women's Health Year in Review
          Knowledge & News on Women: Pregnancy Exposure Registries
          Knowledge & News on Women: Mammography Matters
          Knowledge & News on Women: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
          Knowledge & News on Women: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Blog
          Knowledge & News on Women: Women and Heart Health
          Knowledge & News on Women: World AIDS Day 2022
          Knowledge & News on Women: Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2022
          Knowledge & News on Women: National Women's Health and Fitness Day 2022
          Knowledge & News on Women: Fibroid Awareness Month 2022
          Knowledge & News on Women: Maternal Health Matters
          Knowledge & News on Women: Endometriosis Awareness Month
          Knowledge & News on Women: Heart Health Month
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          Knowledge and News on Women: OWH Blog
          Knowledge & News on Women: National Minority Mental Health Awareness MonthKnowledge and News on Women: OWH Blog Knowledge & News on Women: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
  
  					From the FDA Office of Women's Health
	
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              FDA OWH KNOWH Banner**National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month**

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
**If you need immediate help, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also chat at 988lifeline.org to speak with a trained crisis counselor.**

**July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.** It is a time to bring awareness to the unique challenges that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States face when it comes to mental illness. In 2020, fewer than one in every two African American adults got care for mental health. In 2018, Asian Americans were 60 percent less likely to receive mental health treatment than non-Hispanic Whites. Obstacles for many include a lack of health insurance, less access to treatment, and stigma.

Mental illness can affect women of all races and ethnicities. Show your support this month and beyond by learning more about mental health. You can also use and share the resources below to help spread awareness about mental health in your communities and families.

What Is Mental Health?

Mental health includes emotional, mental, and social well-being. Mental health impacts how a person thinks and feels. It also affects how you act, manage stress, and make choices. When you take care of your mental health, you are better able to cope with stress or challenges.

Sometimes it can be hard to manage  your mental health. If you have noticed a change in thoughts, behaviors, or moods that disrupts your life, talk to your health care provider. You can also contact a mental health specialist or a trusted loved one for help if you have noticed these changes in yourself or in a loved one.

Serene woman sitting in sunny field stock photo
What Causes Mental Illness?

There is no single cause for mental illness. Multiple mental illnesses can occur at the same time and at random. They can also last for a short or long period of time.

Your mental health can change at any point. Some risk factors that can play a role in developing mental illness include:

Use of alcohol or drugs
	Feeling lonely or isolated
	Biological factors or chemical imbalances in the brain
	Adverse childhood experiences, like child abuse or sexual assault
	Experiences tied to ongoing medical conditions, like cancer or diabetesSymptoms of a Mental Illness

Most of the same mental illnesses can develop in both men and women. However, women may have more distinct symptoms.

Some common symptoms can include:

Pulling away from people and usual activities
	Appetite or weight changes
	Ongoing sadness or feelings of hopelessness
	Intense changes in eating or sleeping habits
	Clear changes in mood, energy level, or appetiteNavajo woman smiling
Mental Illnesses Common to Women

Having a mental illness is more common than most people may think. At least one in five women in the United States has had a mental illness at some point. Those that are common in women include depression and anxiety. Postpartum depression can develop after giving birth.

Read more about mental illnesses common to women below.

Anxiety Disorders in Women

While they can happen to anyone, anxiety disorders are twice as likely to occur in women than men. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear about an event or situation. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and helps you cope. But when it gets hard to control and affects day-to-day life, it can be disabling. Anxiety disorders happen when extreme anxiety affects your daily activities, such as going to work or school or spending time with friends and family.

Signs of an anxiety disorder include anxious thoughts or feelings of dread. The symptoms can keep you from living as you normally would.

Depression in Women

Studies show that about 1 in 10 women in the United States reported symptoms that suggest they experienced an episode of major depression in the last year, and women are nearly twice as likely as men to have had depression. It is normal to feel sad at times. However, depression can cause people to feel sad on most days. This can affect your daily life and how you engage with your loved ones.

Certain types of depression are unique to women and can occur at different stages of a woman’s life. Pregnancy, the postpartum period, perimenopause, and the menstrual cycle are all associated with physical and hormonal changes that could impact your mental health. If you have depression and get pregnant, your depression may get worse during pregnancy.

There are many signs of depression. A few of them include feeling sad, hopeless, or tired most of the time. Speak with your health care provider if you have noticed signs of depression. You can discuss next steps and treatment options with your health care provider.

More Than Just the Baby Blues: Postpartum Depression

It is normal for some women to feel sad or have no emotion after giving birth. But if such feelings last more than two weeks, you may have postpartum depression. This can happen up to a year after giving birth. Once you give birth, your hormone levels quickly drop back to normal. The decrease can be sudden and extreme, which can lead to this condition.

Postpartum depression is not a normal part of life after giving birth. If you notice signs of this condition, speak to your health care provider. You can also call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. It offers free and confidential support for new mothers. Call or text the hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).

Managing Your Mental Health

Many parts of daily life can impact your mood and mental health. They can include stress, your physical health, or the regular demands of life. But you can improve your quality of life when you take charge of your mental health.

Here are a few ways to manage your mental health overall:

Get enough sleep each night (at least 7 hours)
	Engage in healthy habits, like exercising and eating well
	Stick to a treatment plan given by your health care provider
	Find a support group and seek out your health care provider for supportToday, good mental health is achievable thanks to many forms of support. Share the resources in this blog to spread awareness of the importance of good mental health and to help ensure that everyone has equal access to the mental health resources they need. You can also use the blog as a source to find tools to help you manage your mental health. Together, we can all do our part to support better mental health for ourselves and others.

**Learn more about mental health and treatment with these resources:**

Women and Depression | FDA
	Women and Anxiety | FDA
	Mental Health | CDC
	Depression Among Women | CDC
	Depression During and After Pregnancy| CDC
	Anxiety Disorders | NIMH
	For Friends and Family Members | SAMHSA
	Mental Health | Office on Women's Health (womenshealth.gov)**For resources and materials on other women's health topics, visit www.fda.gov/womens.**

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      09/21/2023Knowledge and News on Women: OWH Blog

          
                        January 2024: Commit to a Healthier Version of You
          December 2023: Women's Health Year in Review
          November 2023: Understanding Pregnancy Exposure Registries
          October 2023: Mammography Matters
          July 2023: Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
          May 2023: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Blog
          February 2023: Women and Heart Health
          December 2022: World AIDS Day 2022
          October 2022 - Breast Cancer Awareness Month
          September 2022 - National Women's Health and Fitness Day
          July 2022 - Fibroid Awareness Month
          May 2022 - Maternal Health Matters
          March 2022 - Endometriosis Awareness Month
          February 2022 - Heart Health Month
          Knowledge & News on Women's Health Blog Archive
 
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