Predictors And Modifiers Of A Woman's Health

Other Predictors and modifiers of a woman’s health:

Other factors influencing a woman’s mental health include domestic violence, marital rape and occupational difficulties. Domestic violence and marital rape are faced by some women throughout their married life which have severe negative impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of a woman. Moreover, the victim blaming attitude, guilt and self-blame can be contributory. Discrimination in jobs such a withholding promotions, overrepresentation of men for higher posts and leadership jobs while pushing females only towards nurturing roles and jobs can create dissatisfaction in a woman and leads to internalized negative messages affecting self-confidence and self-esteem. An individual’s social

Good social and emotional support has been positively correlated with mental health outcomes.28Though many women are subject to various forms of sexual and non-sexual violence as children, their effects can be long term and can manifest during any age of life especially when there is increased vulnerability such as in midlife. Child hood violence or trauma can show its psychological effects such as low self-esteem, physical ill health and depression in any age group.29The spectrum of manifestations of this trauma can crop up in any form, from merely bullying someone, or being assaultive or being sexually abusive. Some of them suffer from psychiatric illnesses never noticed by their parents or teachers.30The UN declaration of Elimination of Violence against Women rounds it up as any act of gender-based violence That results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, or Psychological harm or suffering. 31 Psychobiological research has lent a better understanding of the toxic effects of stress faced by victims of sexual abuse. The trauma of sexual abuse can have impact on braindevelopment and persistent exposure to severe stress often faced by women, have shown to be related to a decrease in cortical volume and heightened fear responses due to sensitization of the neural pathway.32Economic status is a

Our awareness and knowledge in several areas is lacking and is incorrect owing to the influences of sexism and ageism. These biases have adversely affected the acceptance of woman’s needs at midlife by the society at large and the woman herself.34The midlife years can be a phase of opportunity for inner growth for a substantial number of people. It can be perceived as a time to move in the positive direction from deficiency motivations to growth motivations as described by Abraham Maslow. The growth motivation is the realization of one’s full potential leading to discovery and acceptance of self in turn leading to improved adjustment and satisfaction. Those who lack self-esteem will be driven to prove their worth. By contrast, growth motivations are fed not by a deficiency but by the human need to realize our full potential. Motivated in this way, we may try listening to ourselves in order to discover who we are and what we want. For women, the problem is graver as personal deficiencies are not their prime concerns, instead they are societal. Social awareness, gender equality at all levels and not merely a glorified feministic agenda, indoctrination along with multimodal strategies are the need of the hour to tackle the neglected issue of Woman’s mental Health in the Middle Ages. As