According to the FDA, women are more than twice as likely as men to develop an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. There are a wide variety of factors that play a significant role in explaining why anxiety is more prevalent in women than men. Keep reading to learn about why anxiety impacts women more than men.
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Four Factors that Increase Your Risk of Anxiety
Anxiety impacts women more than men for several reasons.
- Biological Factors
First, there are several biological differences between men and women that can impact a woman’s increased risk of struggling with anxiety. Women experience more significant hormonal fluctuations throughout their lifetime relative to men. From monthly menstrual cycles to pregnancy and menopause, women experience more significant fluctuations in their hormones, which inevitably impact components like mood and energy levels. These elements can then influence your level of anxiety and stress.
- Environmental Factors
Women also typically experience varying life stressors which can impact their anxiety. For example, women can experience more heightened stress and anxiety levels to balance both work and family life effectively. While men also experience this stress, because of societal expectations, women are typically more expected to be able to balance both professional life and family responsibilities together.
- Social Factors
Another element to consider is social factors, like how often a person is likely to speak up about their mental health challenges like anxiety. Typically, women are much more likely than men to speak out and get help for mental health concerns, like anxiety. Therefore, because women are more likely to talk about their mental health struggles, there may be more men who do struggle with anxiety, but don’t seek help or report that they struggle with anxiety.
- Cultural Factors
Finally, cultural factors regarding gender differences may also play a role in why women may struggle with anxiety more than men. In other words, cultural expectations and pressures may increase a woman’s risk of struggling with anxiety.
For example, society can oftentimes have a very narrow beauty standard for women, which can cause many women who don’t meet these unrealistic beauty standards to feel “lesser than” and anxious. While men also face comparable cultural expectations, some women may have a more difficult time coping with the anxiety that comes from cultural norms and expectations.
Get the Help That You Need Today
Now you know more about why anxiety impacts women more than men. From hormonal fluctuations to varying cultural factors between the genders, there are a variety of factors that can help support why anxiety tends to be more common among women than men. If you are struggling with anxiety, it’s critical you seek professional support to effectively manage symptoms.
At Worthy Wellness, we offer mental health treatment programs that can provide support for women struggling with anxiety. Our dual diagnosis treatment programs can help women who struggle with substance abuse in addition to anxiety, delivering more comprehensive care.
Our compassionate team is here to help you take back control of your life so you can lead a healthier, happier life. Ready to start your recovery journey? Contact us today!
