Although women’s health is still growing as a field within the medical community, behavioral and emotional health for women is an equally necessary area to pay attention to. That’s because women experience unique mental health concerns that aren’t often recognized by women themselves or their healthcare professionals. Caring for your behavioral and emotional health is an important aspect of your overall health, so here’s what to know about it.
Why is Women’s Mental Health Unique?
According to the Office on Women’s Health, women can experience certain mental health conditions differently or more frequently than men. There are a wide variety of factors that can contribute to this, including both anatomical and societal. Unfortunately, the medical community and even women themselves don’t always understand that women’s mental health can manifest differently. By recognizing the different ways that women experience challenges to their mental health, we can more effectively support them and get them appropriate treatment.
What is Behavioral Health?
Behavioral health concerns the ways that you maintain your body and overall health. It can include everyday behaviors like eating, drinking, and exercising. It can also include the ways that you facilitate good mental health, like avoiding stress, practicing positive thinking patterns, and engaging in self-care. On the other hand, poor behavioral health could include things like remaining in toxic work environments or relationships, self-harming behavior, or untreated addiction to drugs or alcohol.
What is Emotional Health?
Emotional health is an awareness of your emotional state and an ability to manage and cope with both positive and negative emotions. Although it’s completely normal to feel all different kinds of emotions, emotional health is an understanding of your emotional scope and how it (and your actions) affect your day-to-day life. Examples of good emotional health can include an ability to moderate your lifestyle, effective emotional regulation and processing, and strong, deep relationships. Poor emotional health may include chronic stress, a higher rate of interpersonal conflicts, and low self-esteem.
Why Is Behavioral and Emotional Health Important?
Both facets of mental health tie directly into your overall physical health. By being able to keep your lifestyle balanced and stay away from harmful behaviors – as well as manage your emotions in a healthy and productive way – helps establish good habits and reduces your chances of both physical and mental health concerns.
Schedule an Appointment
Your gynecologist is here to help when it comes to managing your mental health and finding the help you need. To meet with our award-winning team and get support at every stage of your journey, we invite you to contact our New York City office by calling or filling out our online form.
