Healing for Her: Addressing the Gender Divide in the Mental Health Sector

This week, from Monday 12th of May to Sunday 18th of May 2025, is Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental health issues, specifically those faced by women, are not widely acknowledged in today’s world. Whether this is because of unfair and restrictive gender stereotypes in society, or female voices not being heard across different communities, this is an issue which we, as members of Women In Neuroscience UK, aim to address through the work that we do. To commemorate Mental Health Awareness Week, we would like to explore the issues that females face within the mental health space in the UK, and provide ways in which we can help to combat this issue from a personal as well as a healthcare commercialisation perspective. 

The prevalence of mental health concerns in women

It is understood that women are more likely to experience ‘common’ mental health concerns such as both anxiety and depression compared to men (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018). The rate of these mental health issues in men has remained quite constant, however, the prevalence of mental health concerns faced by women is rising (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018). Specifically, young women are a particularly high-risk group with 26% experiencing disorders such as anxiety and depression, which occurs almost three times more than the prevalence of these issues observed in males at 9.1% (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018). So, based on the statistical evidence, we can see that women are highly susceptible to developing mental health disorders like anxiety and depression…but why is this the case?

1. Women are more likely to have caring responsibilities 

Women, as mothers, are more susceptible to increased mental health concerns due to the high levels of stress, anxiety and isolation they may suffer during the various lifestyle changes they undergo, including those associated with being postpartum. In addition to this, women may suffer from postnatal depression after giving birth, which could impact their ability to establish their new identity as a mother, for example.

2. Women are more likely to live in poverty

With women being more likely to live in poverty compared to men, they may develop further mental health concerns that arise from the social isolation periods they undergo to limit any additional expenses, for example. 

3. Women are more likely to experience physical and sexual abuse

Both men and women experience cases of physical and sexual abuse within today’s society, however the physical abuse, specifically that of domestic abuse experienced by women, is deeply rooted in the structural and societal inequalities between men and women (Women's Aid, 2024). And so, gender-based violence towards women is a detrimental issue in today’s society; in 2023, data supplied by 28 police forces showed that the victim was female in 73.5% of domestic-abuse related crimes reported by the police, as opposed to the significantly reduced 26.5% of domestic-abuse related crimes where the victim was male (Women's Aid, 2024). 

4. Hormonal changes that women undergo

The hormonal fluctuations that women undergo can lead to changes in their mental health. Examples of times where sex-specific hormones change significantly include premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menopause, pregnancy and the various stages of a woman’s menstrual cycle. 

The issues that women face regarding their mental health worsened throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for various reasons (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). Women made up the majority of the frontline healthcare workers that worked tirelessly through the entirety of the pandemic, whilst often being severely underpaid for the work that they were doing, placing an additional financial strain upon them (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). As well as this, incidences of domestic violence against women increased significantly throughout the pandemic which led to many women suffering from damaging mental health concerns (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). 

Barriers that women face in accessing mental health help

Despite women being likely to experience mental health concerns at some point during their life, they face several issues when trying to obtain support and help for their mental health problems.

1. Inaccessible services

Many of the mental health services available in the UK face have major inaccessibility issues, ranging from communication barriers between patients and medical professionals for individuals who do not speak English as their primary language, to the lack of cultural awareness about the needs and experiences of individuals with different ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, and other marginalised communities (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018). 

2. Re-traumatising services

Many women have stated that they experience large amounts of judgement within mental health organisations whereby they are not given a safe space to openly discuss their concerns with a mental health professional (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018). As a result of the negative experiences that many women have faced when talking to medical professionals in the mental health sector, they begin to label these experiences as ‘re-traumatising’, as they worsen the feelings associated with their mental health concerns. 

3. Dismissal of service

Some patients, specifically women who are survivors of domestic violence and abuse, have stated that upon meeting with a medical professional for their mental health concerns their feelings are quickly dismissed; they are given medication as a treatment for their concerns without a thorough discussion of their experiences, thoughts and feelings (McCarthy and Birchall, 2021). This issue is prevalent in cases of domestic violence and abuse as medical professionals do not undergo extensive training on how to treat victims of domestic violence and the various comorbidities that follow from their experiences (McCarthy and Birchall, 2021).

4. Long waiting lists

Long NHS and other waiting lists act as one of the physical barriers to accessing mental health support, and many mental health organisations are only able to provide short-term patient care due to the severe lack of resources, time and funding. This issue has persisted amongst mental health services within the UK, even after the pandemic, with an estimated number of 1.6 million people waiting for mental health support as of September 2021(McCarthy and Birchall, 2021). More recently, as of April 2024, 10% of individuals waiting for second contact mental health consultations have been waiting at least 116 weeks which has increased from the previous 100 week wait in December 2023 (England, 2024).

Sex-specific needs within the mental health sector

Another concern that women face within the mental health sector is their sex-specific needs being unmet when visiting a mental health professional for support and guidance. These involve tailoring support and guidance towards the specific mental health disorders and subsequent symptoms that women suffer from. Within this blog we are going to discuss the different ways in which sex-specific needs are not being met to the best standard, as well as potential ways to help eradicate this. 

(High Street Medical Clinic, n.d.)

1. Multiple needs

Some women enter mental health services with several mental health disorders, as opposed to one distinct concern. For example, an individual who has suffered from domestic violence may also suffer from PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Many mental health services are not fully equipped to efficiently meet complex needs or are not flexible enough to respond to their needs specifically as women (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018). 

2. Specific mental health disorders are more prevalent in women than in men

Building upon women’s unmet needs within the mental health sector, there are specific mental health disorders such as eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide whereby the symptoms present differently in women as opposed to their male counterparts. Importantly, eating disorders and experiences of self-harm are more prevalent in women and girls than in men and boys (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018).

3. Gender-based violence and trauma

There is a clear relationship between gender-based violence and trauma towards women, and their associated poor mental health. This direct link is rarely considered as women have stated they have experienced restraint and unkind observations made by male healthcare workers and staff (The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents, 2018). Furthermore, despite having specialized training in trauma and PTSD, female staff are not being assigned to directly engage with women affected by such experiences.

Diversity amongst mental health professionals

Lack of diversity amongst mental health professionals is an issue that exists across various mental health services, whereby poor representation of different backgrounds and ethnicities results in limited medical expertise. Increased diversity across mental health professionals, specifically within the primary care sector which exists as the first point of contact for many patients, will enable the medical workforce to more effectively deal with the range of mental health concerns patients present with and enable treatment to be delivered before issues escalate further. 

How can we solve this inequality issue between the sexes within the mental health sector?

1. Increased education around sex-specific needs such as specialist training for mental health professionals

2. Increased sensitivity surrounding women’s mental health issues, with focus on distinct situations that may have an impact, such as young mums who have caring responsibilities

3. Better resources and/or support groups that are specifically aimed towards females suffering from specific mental health issues to help like-minded individuals share their concerns in a monitored space 

4. Increased diversity amongst mental health professionals whereby a patient can have their preference on which professional they would like to be seen by due to the concept that individuals of a similar race or gender have the ability to relate more to them on a personal level to provide them with tailored guidance

5. Reduced judgement within the mental health sector entirely where terms such as ‘suicide’, ‘eating disorder’, ‘addiction’ and ‘domestic abuse’ are more widely used to reduce the stigma surrounding these terms 

6. More efficient reporting services where women are able to anonymously report any concerns they have regarding treatment from mental health professionals or services, and for these reports to be dealt with in the same way they would be  if a male counterpart had reported them

How can we combat gender inequality concerns amongst women who are suffering from postnatal depression, for example? (Maternal Mental Health Alliance, 2019)

(inkling_admin, 2021)

More than one in ten women suffer from postnatal depression in the UK, with this then affecting many fathers in addition (NHS, 2022). Pregnant women and new mums may suffer from various inequalities when accessing mental health support, which includes many of the examples previously discussed including judgment, stigma or unmet needs. So, what are the ways, other than those mentioned so far, in which we can help to combat these gender inequalities that new mums specifically deal  with when accessing mental health services?

1. Encourage mental health professionals to involve new mums when creating and producing new services and resources where appropriate

2. Consider what roles or services could help support young mums, including those whereby staff have specialist training and education around birth and suicide prevention, for example (Maternalmentalhealthalliance.org, 2023)

3. Encourage more new mums to make use of platforms such as ‘MumsAid’ which exists as a non-judgmental trauma-informed and responsive platform of support that offers a range of things such as specialist psychotherapy, drop-in groups, special festive events and home visits (MumsAid, n.d.)

4. Using small gestures within mental health appointments, such as offering a cup of tea or coffee, to create a safe space where patients are able to feel heard and supported

5. Being as flexible as possible about appointment times, or offering a range of appointment locations, to ensure a slot is found that works best for the mum and baby (Maternalmentalhealthalliance.org, 2023)

6. Aiming to reduce any physical barriers, such as poor transport links to mental health practices or digital inequalities (Maternalmentalhealthalliance.org, 2023)

Conclusion

There are clear inequalities in accessing mental health support for women, as well as a lack of understanding and awareness surrounding the sexgender-specific needs of women. This has led to an increased prevalence of women suffering from mental health concerns within the UK due to their needs not being fully met, dealing with negative experiences with mental health professionals or organisations, and a general lack of sensitivity for their specific concerns and experiences. With the help of organisations such as WiNUK, we are able to raise awareness about this important gender gap in the mental health sector, and advocate for increased education and training about issues women suffer with. This will help in the fight to ensure mental health professionals and services can effectively help women target their concerns, whilst maintaining a non-judgmental, kind, safe space for women from all walks of life.

Book recommendations that involve therapeutic techniques to deal with mental health concerns

Upon writing this blog, there was one individual who came to mind whose work I wanted to share, as her books have helped me navigate mental health challenges in a way that allows you to decode what you are feeling and thinking.

Dr. Julie Smith is a clinical psychologist and a member of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. She has an extensive background in the mental health sector through her time in the NHS, working in many departments including primary care and intensive care wards.. Dr Smith is a working mum, who works to make mental health education freely available online for those who do not have the ability to access therapy, but are still keen to obtain the best start in their self-help journey (Dr. Smith, 2014).

1. ‘Why has nobody told me this before?’ by Dr. Julie Smith – key techniques that are effectively used in therapy to help you deal with a variety of mental health issues all the way from being stuck in toxic cycles to grief, building confidence and so much more.

2. ‘Open When…’ by Dr. Julie Smith - a series of ‘open when’ style letters from Dr. Julie to help you navigate moments of overwhelm, confusion, self-doubt that we all face. These letters help to offer calmness and clarity by incorporating real-time tools that will help you to reframe a situation and decide on your next move.

Useful links for mental health support

• Useful links - Women’s Aid

• Advice, information and support from the experts – Rethink.org

• UK & Ireland Counsellor Directory – Find a therapist in your area

• YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds – Mental health help for young people

• Home - MumsAid

• Additional support | Young Women's Trust

  
  

References

The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce Final report Contents. (2018). Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c18e0f0ed915d0b8a31a424/The_Womens_Mental_Health_Taskforce_-_final_report1.pdf.

Mental Health Foundation (2021). Women and mental health. [online] www.mentalhealth.org.uk. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/women-and-mental-health.

McCarthy, L. and Birchall, J. (2021). The reality of the barriers to mental health support - Women’s Aid. [online] Womens Aid. Available at: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/the-reality-of-the-barriers-to-mental-health-support/.

Maternal Mental Health Alliance (2019). Maternal Mental Health Alliance | Awareness Education Action. [online] Maternalmentalhealthalliance.org. Available at: https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/.

NHS (2022). Postnatal Depression. [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-natal-depression/overview/.

Maternalmentalhealthalliance.org. (2023). Launch of new resources to help meet mental health needs of young mums | Maternal Mental Health Alliance. [online] Available at: https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/news/resources-mental-health-needs-young-mums/ [Accessed 27 Mar. 2025].

MumsAid. (n.d.). Home. [online] Available at: https://www.mums-aid.org/.

Dr.Julie, A. (2014). Dr.Julie. [online] Dr.Julie. Available at: https://www.drjulie.uk/about.

High Street Medical Clinic. (n.d.). Women’s Health. [online] Available at: https://hsmc.com.au/services/womens-health/.

inkling_admin (2021). Learn the Signs and Symptoms of Postpartum Depression - Maternix. [online] Maternix - Pregnancy & Postpartum Care Courses - created and taught by a Plevic Floor Physiotherapist. Recover Better Today. Available at: https://maternix.ca/learn-the-signs-and-symptoms-of-postpartum-depression/.

England, N. (2024). NHS England» Monthly operational statistics – July 2024. [online] England.nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/monthly-operational-statistics-july-2024/.

Women's Aid (2024). Domestic Abuse Is a Gendered Crime. [online] Womens Aid. Available at: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/domestic-abuse-is-a-gendered-crime/.

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This article was written by Riya Verma and edited by Lauren Wallis, with graphics produced by Suzana Sultan. If you enjoyed this article, be the first to be notified about new posts by signing up to become a WiNUK member (top right of this page)! Interested in writing for WiNUK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch.