Women’s Mental Health: Females Have Higher Chances Of Developing Anxiety Disorders Than Men Due To ‘Hormonal Fluctuations’

Women are more susceptible to developing anxiety disorders than their male counterparts. Researchers found that young females, especially those with health issues, are most affected by anxiety.

Researchers from Cambridge University found that four in every 100 people are afflicted with anxiety, according to BBC News. More than 60 million individuals living in the European Union suffer from anxiety disorders annually, with North America as the most affected and East Asia the least.

Study author Olivia Remes, who is from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, said anxiety disorders could lead to an array of diseases and psychological disorders. Anxiety can also boost the risk of suicide among sufferers.

Reasons Why Women Are Most Affected

Remes said women are most affected by anxiety because of hormonal fluctuations. Females also experience lots of stress because they are tasked with caring for the younger generation.

Women with chronic health illnesses have higher chances of developing anxiety because of their condition. For instance, females with cancer, heart disorders and pregnancy have a higher level of anxiety than males. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is likely to occur among pregnant women or those who have just given birth.

Some of the symptoms of anxiety are restlessness, irritability, being easily fatigued and sleep issues. Those with anxiety also experience difficulties when they're around other people such as blushing, sweating or trembling, as well as feelings of nausea when he/she is with other people. Having an anxiety disorder hinders a person's daily activities like schoolwork, job performance and relationships, the National Institute for Mental Health listed.

Other people who have high risks of anxiety are those addicted to opioids, as well as individuals with gambling and internet obsessions, the Huffington Post reported. LGBT people and individuals who experienced trauma in the past have high chances of developing anxiety too.

How To Cope With Anxiety

Doctors recommend reading self-help books and taking up online courses to people with anxiety, BBC News further reported. They also advised sufferers to exercise regularly and to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol, caffeine and smoking cigarettes.

Treatments for anxiety disorders include drugs and psychological treatment like mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT. With CBT, patients will be able to fight their negative thoughts and behaviors, while mindfulness helps them focus and be grounded to the present.

Mindfulness therapy encourages the use of the brain's neural pathways, which calms the nervous system, Forbes wrote. A series of mindfulness therapy helps patients control or slow down their mind's response to anxiety triggers. Their ability to endure discomfort is also increased.