Women’s mental health: Breaking the stigma and creating spaces for hope

Women face a range of mental health challenges that can be shaped by biological, social, political and cultural factors, according to registered counsellor Josephine Conde.

Conde who is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), explained that gender roles and expectations placed on women across cultures can create pressure to juggle multiple responsibilities, including being a wife, mother, daughter and caregiver.

The expectation to be the “perfect” woman can result in women prioritising the needs of others over their own wellbeing and self-care.

"Over time, this can lead to stress, exhaustion, and eventually, to burnout," Conde said.

She added that women can also experience pressure from internalised expectations about how they “should” be as a woman, wife or mother.

In South Africa, Conde said, women face additional mental health challenges linked to high rates of gender-based violence.

Women are more likely to experience certain types of trauma, which can have long-term emotional and psychological effects. Exposure to trauma, whether directly or indirectly, can increase the risk of certain mental health conditions.

Some of the mental health challenges commonly affecting women include depression, anxiety disorders, trauma-related difficulties such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and struggles with self-esteem.

With this in mind and drawing from her own mental health journey, Durban wife and mother Kim Kinsey-Houston launched Tea of Hope.

Launched in October 2021, the annual event aimed at creating a safe space for women to gather, share experiences and learn about mental health and wellness.

Each event features a panel of speakers who share their personal journeys while encouraging conversations that can help change the narrative around mental health.

Kinsey-Houston said the initiative was inspired by her own mental health journey.

“I started The Tea of Hope because of my own Mental Health journey. I wanted to create a space where people like me can come and learn about different journeys and leave hopeful for the future,” she said.

She said she wanted to see change and play an active role in creating it.