Psychiatric Disorders in Women

Chronic psychiatric disorders are associated with a significant burden of morbidity and disability and tend to be underdiagnosed in the population. Furthermore, gender appears to be a significant determinant of psychiatric disorders, yet the literature does not make a gendered distinction regarding the prevention and adjuvant treatment of psychiatric disorders. A gendered perspective of psychiatry holds great promise for more effectively preventing and treating psychiatric disorders in women, and it may be useful to view women’s mental health across the lifespan in order to do so. As of now, lifestyle interventions focused on nutrition, exercise, tobacco use cessation, stress management, healthy relationships, and sleep are evidenced-based modalities that are likely to be useful for reducing the prevalence and morbidity of psychiatric disorders.