{"id":111513,"date":"2020-10-14T15:14:58","date_gmt":"2020-10-14T20:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/?p=111513"},"modified":"2020-10-30T16:22:25","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T21:22:25","slug":"bearing-the-brunt-of-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/for-our-wellness\/bearing-the-brunt-of-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Bearing the brunt of it"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here we are, s<\/span>t<\/span>ill,\u00a0<\/span>in the middle of\u00a0<\/span>a national crisis\u2014a\u00a0<\/span>rag<\/span>ing pandemic that has already resulted in\u00a0<\/span>hundreds of thousands of<\/span>\u00a0American deaths,\u00a0<\/span>22 million<\/span>\u00a0lost jobs and countless failed businesses. That, and a festering political divide that becomes ever more vitriolic as election day approaches.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No disputing that it\u2019s among the most stressful times in our history\u2014taking\u00a0<\/span>its toll on men and women\u00a0<\/span>in equal measures<\/span>.<\/span>\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Or is it?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m directing this blog\u00a0<\/span>specifically<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>towards<\/span>\u00a0women, because\u00a0<\/span>of what we are learning about how women\u00a0<\/span>ar<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0bearing more of the brunt of this crisis.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest.\u00a0<\/span>This is a provocative conversation to have. Women want and need to talk about matters that impact them. Yet, too often, when women raise what are considered to be issues uniquely associated about being women in their personal and professional lives, aspersions are cast. \u201cHere they go again.\u201d Both men and women can cast those aspersions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are issues that need to be called out for women, just as there are issues that need to be called out for men.\u00a0<\/span>So, let\u2019s take that provocative dive!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

STEREOTYPE THREATS<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Women still carry a disproportionately heavier workload when balancing\u00a0<\/a><\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>job<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with family responsibilities<\/span>. Women will oftentimes talk about having three job<\/span>s<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>C<\/span>aring for a home, caring for children, and working. Women are in<\/span>creasingly the breadwinner<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0for their\u00a0<\/span>families yet<\/span>\u00a0face uphill battles on something\u00a0<\/span>as\u00a0<\/span>basic as equal pay<\/span>\u00a0for equal jobs<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Women are increasingly the decision makers for their family\u2019s long-term financial commitment and investments. Women still face societal pressures when it comes to their role<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span> \"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

S<\/span>till on the table are conversations amongst some about women being subservient to men, about women not being employable or promotable because they may take a leave from work to have children, even the debate about whether women should work at all<\/span>\u00a0remains.<\/span>\u00a0It is 2020, yet here we still are. Women are increasingly engaged and responsible, yet continuously questioned and scrutinized in a way that is unique and confusing to too many.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Women also continue to\u00a0<\/span>struggl<\/span>e\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>what is known as\u00a0<\/span>stereotype threat.<\/span>\u00a0In other words, w<\/span>omen\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>acutely\u00a0<\/span>aware of the negative stereotypes attached to women in the\u00a0<\/span>workplace.<\/span> that <\/span>women aren\u2019t perceived to<\/span>\u00a0exhibit the\u00a0<\/span>much valued\u00a0<\/span>masculine traits that have traditionally been associated with success, and\u00a0<\/span>too many women\u00a0<\/span>worry\u2014either consciously or unconsciously\u2014about confirming those stereotypes and making\u00a0<\/span>their\u00a0<\/span>work seem less valuable.<\/span>\u00a0When women\u00a0<\/span>d<\/span>o display\u00a0<\/span>what is seen as more<\/span>\u00a0traditional masculine traits in the workplace, they too often are viewed negatively for doing so. When women display more traditional female traits in the workplace, they are too often viewed<\/span>\u00a0negatively<\/span>\u00a0for that too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that negative gender stereotypes exist is a hurdle that can impact\u00a0<\/span>women\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>self<\/span>–<\/span>confidence and even their\u00a0<\/span>actual work. <\/span>I<\/span>t leads to stress, anxiety, impaired concentration, reduced cognitive ability and even reduced job performance. I<\/span>f<\/span>\u00a0w<\/span>omen a<\/span>re persons of color or from <\/span>low socioeconomic\u00a0<\/span>or culturally diverse backgrounds, their<\/span> struggles are further escalated.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s combine this source of\u00a0<\/span>stress with what happens when women<\/span>\u00a0leave work. In all but the most stringently balanced household<\/span>s<\/span>\u2014in which each partner carries 50 percent of the\u00a0<\/span>home and\u00a0<\/span>family workload<\/span>, and let\u2019s agree that that\u2019s pretty darned rare<\/span>\u2014<\/span>w<\/span>omen<\/span>\u00a0are the primary caregivers of children and sometimes aging\u00a0<\/span>parents<\/span>, the schedulers of doctor\u2019s appointments<\/span>, play dates<\/span>\u00a0and sports practices and, these days, the overseers of remote learning.<\/span>\u00a0Even as w<\/span>omen<\/span>\u00a0toil to overcome gender stereotypes at work,\u00a0<\/span>they\u00a0<\/span>must\u00a0<\/span>continue to manage the sociocul<\/span>tural expectations that direct them<\/span>\u00a0to act according to other gender stereotypes at home.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If w<\/span>omen<\/span> are stressed, especially as the pandemic and all the ensuing complications it brings with it drags on, it\u2019s no wonder. <\/span>They have their<\/span>\u00a0hands full.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

HOW WOMEN RESPOND TO STRESS\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

What\u2019s important to know is that men and women respond differently to stress<\/a><\/span>, which is why<\/span>\u00a0women are letting us know\u00a0<\/span>th<\/span>ey<\/span>\u00a0are shouldering more than their fair share of the stress burden these days<\/span>. For men, it\u2019s \u201cfight or flight.\u201d They shore themselves up for stress by conserving their energy and\u00a0<\/span>compartmentalizing\u00a0<\/span>the perspectives or needs of others<\/span>. Women, on the other hand, adopt a \u201ctend and befriend\u201d approach, seeking to understand what the other person is going through and\/or why stress i<\/span>s present in the first place.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Women invest\u00a0<\/span>psychological energy into understanding stress, watching for variances in facial expressions,\u00a0<\/span>while\u00a0<\/span>men focus on angry or neutral faces, triggering a more negative and aggressive response to stress.<\/span>\u00a0In addition to\u00a0<\/span>women\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>own stress,\u00a0<\/span>too often they t<\/span>ake on the stress of those around<\/span>\u00a0them.\u00a0<\/span>It mounts up, sometimes to unmanageable levels.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the chaos around us continues to intrude on our everyday lives,\u00a0<\/span>w<\/span>e need to keep stress in check. One of the negative results of stress is the development of anxiety and depressive\u00a0<\/span>disorders<\/span>, either of which\u00a0<\/span>can take an even greater toll on our ability to\u00a0<\/span>manage both work and home responsibilities. As women, we are twice as likely to develop these disorders as men.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

THE DA<\/span><\/b>NGER ZONE<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

So<\/span>\u00a0when does stress stop being just everyday stress (like when you\u2019re pulling out all the stops to make a deadline or reacting to an argument with a co-worker or family member) and become something more serious?\u00a0 The symptoms can be\u00a0<\/span>identical<\/span>\u2014insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension<\/span>, irritability. But\u00a0<\/span>unlike situational stress,\u00a0<\/span>anxiety is persistent, excessive worries that don\u2019t dissipate with time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stress can also morph into depression\u2014a serious mental health condition that\u00a0<\/span>requires prompt and ongoing\u00a0<\/span>understanding and\u00a0<\/span>professional\u00a0<\/span>care. Left untreated, depression can be devastating for those who have it and their families.\u00a0<\/span>It’s<\/span> not as rare as you might think; more than 17 million U.S. adults\u2014over 7% of the population, had at least one major depressive episode in the last year.\u00a0 \"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u00a0<\/span>can\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0be allowed to go unchecked, although for far too many it does<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Healthcare data shows that only 20% of those experiencing depression get the help they need:\u00a0<\/span>E<\/span>arly detection, diagnosis, and a treatment plan consisting of medication,\u00a0<\/span>psychotherapy<\/span>\u00a0and healthy lifestyle changes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UNDERSTANDING THE THREAT<\/h4>\n

Remember:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>B<\/span>oth anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder occur more often in women than in men. And during a time when our lives are defined by chaos and uncertainty, that is truer than ever. It\u2019s likely to get worse before it gets better.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Many of us are still in lock-down mode,\u00a0<\/span>wary of<\/span>\u00a0ventur<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0into crowds, grappling with the challenges of online jobs and virtual classrooms, demoralized by the\u00a0<\/span>social\u00a0<\/span>unrest that is sweeping our country, and watching as the number of COVID-19<\/a> victims grows.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As we continue to hunker down for the long haul<\/a>, it\u2019s critical that we all understand the threats<\/span>\u00a0posed not just by the Coronavirus, but by the mental health consequences of the pandemic. Know the symptoms, practice a healthy lifestyle, and reach out for help when you need it. Our families and workplaces depend on us.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember, life is short.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Let\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0each do our part to make it the best we can, for ourselves and for those around us.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Follow me on Instagram<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Learn more about The Chicago School<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Chicago School provides you with an exceptional education rooted in innovation, service, and community.\u00a0Enroll in one of our 30 academic programs<\/a>\u00a0today, or request more information by filling out the form below!<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Women are twice as likely than men to develop anxiety and depressive disorders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":111636,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[704],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1047],"class_list":["post-111513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-our-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBearing the brunt of it - Insight Digital Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For many reasons, women are bearing the brunt of the stress caused by the crises we're experiencing, and their mental health is suffering.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/for-our-wellness\/bearing-the-brunt-of-it\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bearing the brunt of it - 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