chapter 4
chapter 4
chapter 4
AND GENDER
FACTORS AND
MENTAL HEALTH
Chapter 4
It is estimated that globally , about 500
million people are believed to suffer
from neurotic , stress-related.
Another 200 million suffer from mood
disorders such as depression
Epilepsy affects 30 million
Dementia 22 million
Social and economic transformation in
fast growing and middle income
economies such as Botswana influence
negatively on occurrence of these
disorders, resulting in a rise in occurrence.
Religion, culture and gender factors have
a great influence on the perception of the
causation and remedies of mental illness
in Botswana. The majority of people in
Botswana believe that all diseases,
particularly mental illness are afflictions
caused by supernatural evil factors.
STRESS AND MENTAL
HEALTH
Most people in Botswana use traditional
methods for treating mental illness and
those who look for a modern treatment
method do so after trying several local
means.
In Botswana,there are several situations
in the lives of women and girls that
render them more vulnerable to mental
and behavioral disorders than men and
boys. Stress invoking factors can be
summarized under following social and
physical situations.
UNFAVOURABLE WOMEN’S
[ AND GIRLS] GENDER ROLES
Family guardians (multiple roles)-
economic & social burden
Carers- daily chores, sickness, social
organizers etc.- emotional Burden
Poorer members in Society- no land
rights, low income, part time and low
job status, safety issues.
Physical and sexually abused
Discriminated members of society
SOCIAL PREDISPOSITION TO
WOMEN’S MENTAL DISORDERS
Many social behavioral practices
perpetrated against women that have
direct bearing on mental, emotional,
physical an other harm that is closely
associated with the prevalence of mental
and behavioral disorders. These include
but are not limited to:
Rape
Sexual assault and harassment
Defilement
Intimate partner violence
Chronic sexual and physical violence
COMMON MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL
DISORDERS AMONG WOMEN
Based on the highlighted stress inducing social
conditions that women face, globally there are
certain common mental and behavioral disorders
that prevail among them. Botswana equally
experiences a rise in prevalence of these
disorders and they include the disorders below:
Depression
Anxiety and panic attacks
Posy traumatic stress syndrome
Bipolar disorders
Eating disorders
Suicidal Tendencies
Borderline personality disorders
Read about and discuss common mental
disorders under the following headings
Definitions
Etiology/ social predisposition
Signs and symptoms
Pathology
Treatment/ management
Policy implications/ population based
intervention strategies.