It’s been all over the news from the beginning:

• Women and the hidden burden of Corona Virus: How women shoulder the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thehill.com, March 2020

• Women are struggling more with mental health under lockdown than men, QZ.com May 2020 

• Women are drinking more during the pandemic, and it's probably got a lot to do with their mental health, Medical Press, June 2020

• ‘I Am Going to Physically Explode’: Mom Rage in a Pandemic, The New York Times, July 6, 2020

A recent study from researchers at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, and Zurich has revealed a decline in mental health in the US explained entirely by a change for the worse in the mental health of women and found that the mental health gender gap has increased by 66% during the pandemic.

The reasons are obvious: huge levels of stress and anxiety. With schools closed, women are taking on more childcare responsibilities, and more homeschooling, than men, all in addition to their professional roles if they are employed mothers. Traditionally, women tend to do more work around the house and with families stuck at home, the amount of work like cooking, laundry and cleaning has increased, while outside sources of help are not available. And research has shown that more women are losing their jobs than men (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). These stressors often trigger unhealthy coping mechanisms such as excessive drinking or substance use.

In the field of substance abuse treatment, it is widely accepted that there are differences between men and women in how they develop substance use disorders, the consequences of their substance use, and the specific treatment needs of women versus men. Studies show that women start to have alcohol-related problems sooner and at lower drinking levels than men, for several reasons: On average, women weigh less than men and alcohol resides predominantly in body water, and pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men. (niaaa.nih.gov)

Across the board with substance use and addiction, women more often than men meet diagnostic criteria for co-occurring mental health issues such as mood disorders, depression, agoraphobia, PTSD, anxiety and eating disorders. They are also more likely to have been exposed to trauma such as sexual or physical abuse, and more likely to have experienced interpersonal violence and childhood sexual abuse, buried trauma that often leads to substance abuse. (drugfree.org)

Women are more stigmatized for their substance use often related to the gender-specific roles associated with caregiving. Women report higher feelings of guilt and shame surrounding their substance use. Women also may be more susceptible to craving and relapse. (drugabuse.gov)

However, what we are seeing at Freedom Institute is an absence of women coming for treatment. We can only surmise that women are not taking the time to take care of themselves, are too busy or have the unique obstacle to treatment of simply not being able to find childcare. Perhaps women are focused on family and work first, and they are letting their self-care habits slide.

Whatever the reasons, families, in fact society as a whole, need parents, grandparents, all caretakers, emotionally, mentally and physically healthy. This is not the time not to seek help. If you are struggling with stress and anxiety and are worried about your substance use, come get the help and support you need, but more importantly, the help and support you deserve.

Freedom Institute is here to discuss your options. Call us at 212-838-0044 or email us at info@freedominstitute.org

#IfMamaAin’tHappyAin’tNobodyHappy