Mental Health Issues in Young Females: A Gender Perspective

Abstract

This article reviews various issues of occupational stressors and mental health status .from gender perspective. The current shift in gender identity has brought about many stressors for women. These stressors precipitated further by gender bias in diagnosis and treatment, bias out feelings, stresy and strains of multiple roles, traumatic or rapid change of life events, work overload, unhealthlv working conditions, vulnerability to physical, mental and sexual abuse and many others. The symptom manifestation ranges from mild headache, sleeplessness, psvchosomatic symptoms to severe mental estrangement. The specific anxieties, distress, phobias, depression, schizophrenic status, alcohol and drug intake, criminality, sexual denials, sexual dysfunction, obesity are discussed in this article. Strong inter- disciplinary advocacv is needed for making policy decisions if mental health of women is to become a priority in the society. The goal should be to minimize inequality, discrimination and undervaluation of women, and enhance their self' image.