Women are often portrayed as “wonder women,” and therefore expected to behave as such. Society depicts that women should succeed in every area of their lives such as career, family and relationships. Which therefore adds pressure to a woman and affects their mental health and well being.
Women are subjected to different forms of stress in the different phases of their lives as soon as they enter adulthood, according to the study done in London, which establishes specific age ranges corresponding to different stressors. Most of them are strongly correlated with the mental load that women regularly face.
The study identifies three distinct periods of life.
Men and women share many of the same sources of stress, such as money matters, job security, health, and relationship issues.
Perhaps a little more unique to women are the many roles they take on. In today’s society, women’s roles often include family obligations, caregiving for children and/or elderly parent (statistically more likely to be a woman) and work responsibilities as well as other roles. As demands increase to fill these roles, women can feel overwhelmed with time pressures and unmet obligations. They may feel a sense of failure in not being able to meet expectations for themselves and others. Oftentimes, women spend more time meeting the needs of others rather than nurturing their own needs. If functioning at high stress levels, women may not even recognise what their needs are.
According to the study done in London, it identified that the majority of 21 to 34-year-olds are worried about their mental health, careers and friendships. Between the ages of 45 and 54, romantic relationships are the most pressing of their concerns. And after 65 years, respondents say they are mainly worried about their family.
The research showcases the important stages of a woman’s life. From career to the pressure to succeed or the fear of failure, the wish – or for some, the pressure – to start a family, while in later life concerns about a possible divorce or remarriage can occur.
Although the research was done in London many women across the globe can relate as they all experience the same amount of pressure of to succeeing and living up to what society depicts.
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