The World Health Organization talks about issues related to gender disparities and mental health in its publication (http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/genderwomen/en/) stressing that “overall rates of psychiatric disorder are almost identical for men and women but striking gender differences are found in the patterns of mental illness”. In summary, it cites that women are two times more likely than men to develop certain mental health conditions like depression, eating disorders, and panic disorders.

Women are also two to three times more likely to attempt suicide, although four times more men die from suicide. Symptoms can also differ between men and women, so it’s important to understand the different factors that can contribute to each illness. For example, females tend to report more physical symptoms in relation to mental illness. These can include fatigue, loss of appetite, restlessness, nausea, and headaches (www.dualdiagnosis.org).

Today, March 8th, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, we at Gede Foundation invite you to join us as we raise awareness on mental health as they relate to various cohorts and marginalized populations in our society, especially women.