Education and awareness about mental illnesses
to reduce stigma and promote recovery.
to reduce stigma and promote recovery.
WISCONSIN UNITED
for MENTAL HEALTH
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Women
Mental illnesses affect women and men differently — some disorders are more common in women, and some express themselves with different symptoms. Scientists are only now beginning to tease apart the contributions of various biological and psychosocial factors to mental health and mental illness in both women and men. In addition, researchers are currently studying the special problems of treatment for serious mental illness during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Depression is a pervasive and impairing illness that affects both women and men, but women experience depression at roughly twice the rate of men. Researchers continue to explore how special issues unique to women—biological, life cycle, and psycho-social-may be associated with women's higher rate of depression.
From the National Institute of Mental Health
Women and Trauma
Women with mental illnesses often have often been abused. Treatment which integrates counseling about the trauma stemming from that abuse increases the effectiveness of treatment. To learn more about it, visit the following Web site: Women, Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study. A study published in April 2008, "Intimate partner violence and women's physical and mental health in the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence: an observational study," confirms that women throughout the world are physically and mentally harmed by violence from men.
Mental Health Resources
- Wisconsin
- National
- Women's Mental Health (National Women's Health Information Center)
- Surgeon General's Workshop on Women’s Mental Health (2005)
- Women and Depression (New NAMI brochure)
Wisconsin Health Resources
- Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation (Mental Health and Illnesses is one of their focus areas)
- Women's Health (Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services)
- Wisconsin Well Woman Program (provides preventive health screening services to women with little or no health insurance coverage and is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, and is available in all 72 Wisconsin Counties and 11 tribes.)
- Wisconsin Women Equal Prosperity (an economic development initiative)
Domestic Violence Resources
- National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE (7233) - Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Phone: 608-255-0539
Email: wcadv@wcadv.org
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
Phone: 303-839-1852
TTY: 303-839-1681
Email: mainoffice@ncadv.org - Women, Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study
General Health Resources