#womens-mental-health

#womens-mental-health

The most significant finding from the study is the powerful positive effect a hybrid work model has on women's mental health. The sweet spot appears to be working mainly from home while spending one to two days per week in the office. For women who were already experiencing poor mental health, this arrangement provided a mental health boost comparable to a 15% increase in household income. This suggests the benefits go far beyond simply cutting down on commute time. The flexibility to better manage work and family responsibilities and experience less work-related stress are likely major contributing factors.

Depression, that is, "major" or "clinical" depression, is so prevalent that many mental-health authorities call it "the common cold of mental illness." Depression has a host of known risk factors: female gender, family history, distorted thinking patterns, medication side effects, adverse life events ( divorce, financial reverses, the death of loved ones), and chronic illnesses (diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's diseases, and hormonal disorders).

There she sits at her granite kitchen counter at 9:42 p.m., the blue glow of her phone casting harsh shadows across her exhausted face. The cold surface beneath her forearms contrasts sharply with the warmth of the mug of chamomile tea growing cold beside her-a failed attempt at winding down. Her color-coded calendar app glows up at her like a slot machine, each hour of busyness claimed by someone or something else.