Anxiety in women is a serious problem, and it is becoming more and more common. While there is no clear indication of why this is happening, it may be caused by the changing roles of women in society. As well as these sociological causes, however, anxiety in women can have very real physical causes.

Women are almost twice as likely to suffer from anxiety or from a panic disorder as men. This is the case between the teenage years and menopause. There are a huge number of factors that contribute to this, including hormonal differences between men and women and the lifestyle differences between genders. In many cases, anxiety and panic disorders are accompanied by depression.

Many women suffer from severe anxiety during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth. This is called Postpartum Panic Disorder. Some studies indicate that as many as 6% of pregnant women will develop anxiety or panic disorders towards the end of the pregnancy. While there is no easy way to predict whether a woman will develop such an anxiety problem, a history of anxiety or panic disorders in the family may increase the likelihood of a woman developing a similar problem.

The treatment for anxiety is the same in both men and women, and may be a combination of therapy and medication. Medications called SSRIs, traditionally used to treat depression, are used to treat anxiety. Medications may be used unless the woman is pregnant in which case they may harm the baby. The most common treatment for anxiety in women is therapy, though there can be various approaches. Therapy for anxiety may come in the form of CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy, or a mindfulness based therapy.

Mindfulness means being aware of something. In the case of treating anxiety, mindfulness means simply being aware of the anxiety and not trying to fight it. This can be very difficult for someone with a severe panic disorder which is why it is often practiced in a therapy setting with an experienced professional. This practice comes from the ancient Buddhist practice of meditation in which the meditator simply observes thoughts and does not cling to them or reject them at all. This is often a very quick way to stop panic attacks and make it less likely that they will recur later in life. Similarly the technique can be used for any type of anxiety, unlike CBT which takes different approaches depending on the cause of anxiety.

Anxiety is a crippling mental illness, but there is a way out. To read more about signs of anxiety in women, then click here.