The Mental Health of Mothers Is Declining

Nearly 200,000 mothers participated in the National Survey of Children’s Health, an annual report on households that include kids up to age 17. According to the data, in 2016, one in 20 mothers surveyed reported that their mental health was poor or fair. By 2023, one in 12 mothers rated their mental health as poor or fair—a significant turn for the worse in just seven years.

What the study researchers say

While the self-reported study didn’t explore the “why” for this downward mental health trend, its authors believe that the high cost of housing, child care, and food may well be negatively impacting women’s mental health.

That sounds plausible when you also factor in that women often do the majority of the parenting and housework, and they’re more often the main caregiver for aging parents as well. All of that adds up to more stress, and more anxiety.

Lessons from the addiction treatment world

I’ve treated many women with substance use disorder (SUD) who also had co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I’ve gleaned a lot from this experience, including:

• Women overthink things: Women do this a lot—especially mothers.
• Women have trouble saying “no”: They often think they can “do it all,” sometimes to the detriment of their mental health.
• Eating disorders (EDs) are far more common in women than men, and they’re widespread in general: Among the nearly 30 million people with EDs in the U.S., estimates show that around three-quarters of those are women. EDs often have a profoundly detrimental impact on our mental health.
• Anxiety is common: Anxiety disorder is a prevalent co-occurring condition in women with SUD, and that holds true in the general population as well.

Women tend to delay addiction treatment

Compared to men, women with SUD often wait longer before getting the help they need. The result? Women tend to be sicker than men by the time they’re seen for treatment. That means their addiction is farther along, and more difficult to treat. The same usually goes for the co-occurring conditions they’re likely living with, such as depression.

The reasons behind this tendency to delay treatment vary from person to person, but often, women don’t think they can take time out from their families and their responsibilities, so they put those priorities first.

For many women, it’s a financial decision. They simply don’t think they can afford treatment. In fact, women often do earn less than men, and they’re more likely than men to stop working or cut back when they have kids.

These factors likely apply to all mothers, not just those with SUD; therefore, mothers may not be getting the timely mental health treatment they need.

Final thoughts

This survey makes it clear that women are increasingly struggling with their mental health. No doubt, men are, too.

Therefore, the advice is clear: Regardless of gender, be sure you make your mental health a priority, and get the professional treatment you deserve. Today may be the day.

To find a therapist, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.