Which gender is more likely to acquire mental health issues?
Today, women are three times more likely than men to experience common mental health problems. In 1993, they were twice as likely. Rates of self-harm among young women have tripled since 1993.
This content mentions sexual assault, suicide or suicidal thoughts, self-harm, eating disorders, anxiety, abuse and violence, trauma, body image and substance abuse and addiction (which may include mentions of alcohol or drug use), and some people may find this triggering.
Mental health problems affect both men and women, but not in equal measure.
In England in 2014, one in six adults had a common mental health problem: about one in five women and one in eight men. From 2000 to 2014, rates of common mental health problems in England steadily increased in women and remained largely stable in men.1
In 2018, there were 6,507 suicides registered in the UK2, and in 2019, there were 5,691 suicides registered in England and Wales:
Of these, three-quarters were among men, which has been the case since the mid-1990s 2,3
Three times as many men as women die by suicide. 4
Men aged 40 to 49 have the highest suicide rates in the UK.5
Men report lower levels of life satisfaction than women, according to the government’s national wellbeing survey.6
Men are less likely to access psychological therapies than women: only 36% of referrals to NHS talking therapies are for men.7
Nearly three-quarters of adults who go missing are men.4
87% of rough sleepers are men.4
Men are nearly three times as likely as women to become dependent on alcohol and three times as likely to report frequent drug use.4
Men are more likely to be compulsorily detained (or ‘sectioned’) for treatment than women.8
Men are more likely to be victims of violent crime (1.5 more likely than women).9
Men make up the vast majority of the prison population. There are high rates of mental health problems and increased rates of self-harm in prisons.4
Women between the ages of 16 and 24 are almost three times as likely (26%) to experience a common mental health issue as males of the same age (9%).10
Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety as men.11
25.7% of women and 9.7% of men aged 16 to 24 report having self-harmed at some point in their life.12
Statistics about women and girls' mental health
According to our 2017 report on the mental health of women and girls:
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Today, women are three times more likely than men to experience common mental health problems. In 1993, they were twice as likely
Rates of self-harm among young women have tripled since 1993
Women are more than three times as likely to experience eating disorders than men
Young women are three times more likely than young men to experience post-traumatic stress disorder
Young women are more likely to experience anxiety-related conditions than any other group
The context behind the statistics
Domestic violence and abuse
Mental ill-health has a strong association with domestic violence, and there has been a significant increase in levels of domestic violence over recent years.
Recent research with mental health service users in London found that:
70% of women had experienced domestic violence during their lifetimes
27% of women had experienced domestic violence in the past year
61% of women reported having experienced sexual violence during adulthood
10% reported having experienced sexual violence in the past year
Despite the close association between mental health and domestic violence, there is a poor record of mental health services detecting the issues.
Online culture, social media, body image and pornography
Online culture and social media can place pressure on young women and impact their mental health.
The report ‘#StatusOfMind’ on social media and young people’s mental health and wellbeing found that:
90% of teenage girls say they are unhappy with their bodies
Girl guides research found that:
Large numbers of girls report holding themselves back from doing everyday things they’d like to do for fear of their bodies being criticised
37% of girls aged 11 to 21 say they compare themselves to celebrities ‘most of the time’ or ‘often’
Girls commonly cited social media and online influences as factors contributing to anxiety and poor self-esteem
Prince's Trust found that:
70% of young women agreed with the sentiment that online portrayals were unrealistic
69% said that lack of self-confidence was one of the key things that held them back
However, online culture is a double-edged sword: half of the girls also said they are using social media to empower themselves to speak out.
Pornography and online culture - A survey found that:
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Many young women are under pressure to adopt pornified roles and behaviours, with their bodies being merely sex aids for male gratification and pleasure
Girls in school report being under pressure for images they don’t want to send, with boys using these images as a form of currency to swap, share and publicly humiliate girls
The changing culture around social media, the internet and pornography brings issues of control, objectification, consent and sexual power into the lives of young women and girls across the country.
Economic and historical context
There is an economic and historical dimension to increasing mental ill-health in young women and girls.
Young women and girls who are from low-income backgrounds are particularly vulnerable in terms of their mental health
There has been a disproportionate effect from government austerity measures which were introduced in 2010 on these vulnerable groups
In total, austerity cuts have cost women a total of £79 billion since 2010
Research from the House of Commons Library pointed to the disproportionate price that women have been paying for austerity measures, with 86% of the burden for austerity falling on women
Young mothers are another group who have been particularly affected by the hardships of austerity
Expectations that young women should “have it all” (establishing a successful career before marrying and having children - if they choose to) place pressure on young women today that was not felt by previous generations
These are just some of the reasons that women and girls can experience poor mental health.
Browse all of the mental health statistics
If you feel like ending your life or are unable to keep yourself safe, please call 999 or go to A&E and ask for the contact of the nearest crisis resolution team. These are teams of mental health care professionals who work with people in severe distress. If you feel affected by the content you have read, please see our get help page for support.
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