March is Women’s History Month, but the lives of modern women are influenced by so much more than just history. When we think of women’s history, we might consider topics like suffrage, art, activism, and race. We imagine Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, Maya Angelou, and Oprah Winfrey. All of these women accomplished incredible feats in fields (and a world) all too often dominated by men.
The term Women’s History Month in some ways makes it seem as though the trials and travails of women’s history are behind us. But in reality, women continue to face inequities and marginalization even in the present day. As of 2025, women earn just 85% of what men make – meaning that for every $1.00 a man earns, a woman in the same role averages $0.85. While that gendered pay cap has decreased over the past two decades, this is still a significant difference.
Women are also more likely than men to be living at or below the poverty line. Those identifying as female have a higher risk of being affected by depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders than their male counterparts.
The picture is not all bad: In recent decades, women have outpaced men in college graduation rates as well as lifespan. But there are still important differences in the ways that women are treated in healthcare and life that contribute to significant disparities in mental health outcomes and experiences.
Today, in honor of Women’s History Month, we have put together a comprehensive guide to women’s mental health care. Women deserve the same access to mental health treatment and care that men have – and deserve providers with the same amount of training and expertise in all genders. Here are some must-know facts and statistics to paint a holistic picture of women’s mental health in the 21st century.
Why Does Women’s Mental Health Matter?
Women, like all people, deserve comprehensive treatment and understanding around mental health concerns. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with a few key mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
Other mental health challenges – like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia – have not shown different rates of diagnosis depending on gender, but certain symptoms are more common in women and gender can impact the way that disease runs its course.
Women are also more likely to experience mental health concerns that are hormonally related, and some of these disorders are specific to women. For example, women may experience depression during or after pregnancy, around the time of their menstrual cycles, or during the transition state of menopause.
Understanding what mental health risks women are most likely to face is an important part of effective treatment and care. At Triumph Behavioral Health, our team of mental health providers is trained in care that prioritizes gender equality and makes an effort to best understand the issues that modern women are dealing with in 2026.
Key Facts and Statistics About Women’s Mental Health
When we are discussing women’s mental health, what are the key statistics worth knowing – and how do they relate to intersectional identities?
One in five women experiences a common mental health disorder.
This is perhaps the most jarring (and the most general) statistic about women’s mental health. One in every five women, or 19% of women, experiences a mental health disorder. This rate continues to increase and is higher than that of men: 1 in 8 men experiences a common mental health disorder, according to recent research.
Mental Health and Abuse
There are between violence against women and mental health concerns: 53% of women who have mental health problems have experienced abuse. Another staggering statistic? About 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence, either by partners or non-partners.
As these statistics make abundantly clear, addressing women’s mental health concerns requires trauma-informed strategies as well as systematic changes to address the worldwide epidemic of violence against women.
Mental Health and Race
Stigma, marginalization, and racism continue to play a role in mental health concerns for women. The rates of mental health challenges rise when we look at Black women, Asian women, and mixed-race women: 29% of Black women, 29% of mixed-race women, and 24% of Asian women experience common mental health disorders.
Again, the statistics point to a well-known but under-addressed fact about women’s mental health: It is an intersectional conversation that requires discussing topics like race, poverty, abuse, and much more.
Mental Health and Income
As you might suspect, income also plays a role in the likelihood of mental health concerns in women: 29% of women in poverty have experienced a common mental health disorder. As we mentioned earlier, women are more likely to live at or below the poverty line than men. Women living in poverty are also more likely to experience abuse – which, as we know, in turn contributes to poor mental health outcomes.
Other Mental Health Concerns for Women
There are countless different ways that we can break down the overarching category of “women” and discuss mental health outcomes for different groups. But ultimately, the bottom line is that women continue to be affected by common mental health disorders at rates significantly higher than what men experience.
Young women are particularly at risk, and about 25% of women under 24 years old have engaged in self-harm behaviors. Age is another key factor in determining the risk of and treating mental health disorders.
This Women’s History Month, we encourage you to reach out to those women around you and play a leadership role in lessening the stigma around mental health treatment and boosting the support systems of women in your life. Community can make a big difference in mental health outcomes for women, and women supporting each other offers incredible benefits.
Get the Support You Need at Triumph Behavioral Health
Here at Triumph Behavioral Health, we are committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health care to individuals and families across Maryland. We work with clients of all ages, from childhood all the way through late life senior care. Whether you are navigating stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, or life transitions, support is available.
Caring for your mental health is one of the most powerful investments you can make in your overall wellness, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Reach out to our team today to get the help you need. At Triumph, we care.