Exclusive: On Women’s Health Day 2025, Psychiatrist Shares What’s Holding Women Back From Better Health

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Every woman carries the weight of a hundred silent expectations-at home, at work, in society, and sometimes within her own body. While the world advances in science and innovation, a significant number of women still navigate life without access to even the most basic healthcare.

They live with untreated depression, normalize menstrual agony, mask chronic fatigue, and bury emotional trauma-all while being expected to smile through it. That's why May 28, International Women's Health Day, matters. Because she matters. Marked globally each year, this day brings attention to the gaps in women's healthcare-gaps that too often cost women their physical safety, their mental stability, and sometimes their lives.

In an exclusive interview with Boldsy, Dr Pallavi Joshi, Consultant Psychiatrist, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru shares how globally, women continue to face systemic health inequalities-whether in the form of maternal mortality in rural clinics, ignored symptoms in urban hospitals, or mental health issues drowned in shame and silence.

The Date That Carries A Collective Cry For Health Justice

First observed in 1987, International Women's Health Day is not a feel-good event or a branding exercise. It is rooted in the global movement for sexual and reproductive rights and emerged from the struggles of women's rights advocates who were tired of being sidelined in policy decisions.

The theme for 2025 is "In Solidarity We Resist: Our Fight, Our Right!", and it aims to break old patterns, elevate unheard voices and press for real, measurable change in women's health worldwide.

Why Women's Health Is More Than Reproduction

The world tends to reduce women's health to just pregnancy and childbirth. But the body of a woman is not limited to her womb. Biology, hormones, and neurological wiring make women susceptible to a unique set of conditions-ones that are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or missed altogether.

'Women have a hyperactive limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotions and memories. This biological setup predisposes them to anxiety and depression more than men. Add to this the hormonal turbulence of menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and menopause, and the emotional toll becomes harder to quantify. Conditions like PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) and postpartum depression aren't signs of weakness-they're deeply rooted physiological realities. Yet, many women are never even told these conditions exist, let alone offered compassionate treatment,' says Dr Joshi.

Mental Health: The Silence That Hurts the Most

There are countless things women endure daily that chip away at their mental health. These struggles are rarely spoken about, and when they are, they're often dismissed with a phrase like "you're just being emotional." In cultures where emotional resilience is expected-where women are told to hold it all together-admitting to anxiety or sadness is often viewed as shameful.

'Access to mental health care is hindered by several barriers. Cost is a major factor, especially in low- and middle-income households,' says Dr Joshi.

'Many women don't even recognize their symptoms as needing professional help, due to lack of awareness. And even when they seek help, the lack of gender-sensitive service providers often leaves them with advice that's clinical but not compassionate,' she adds.

More Than A Period: The Stigma That Never Ends

Menstruation still carries a veil of shame in many parts of the world. Girls miss school because of a lack of hygiene facilities. Women work through severe cramps because asking for a break would make them seem less professional. And menopause-an inevitable phase of aging-is rarely discussed with clarity. It's treated like an invisible event, even though it can trigger insomnia, anxiety, mood swings, and memory fog.

'This isn't just about comfort-it's about health. Conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, and PCOS are dismissed as "normal" period pain, causing years of silent suffering before diagnosis,' says Dr Joshi.

Reproductive Health: A Right, Not a Privilege

According to WHO, about 295,000 women die every year from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, most of which are preventable. The highest numbers are seen in low-resource settings where antenatal care, safe delivery options, and emergency services are not easily available.

In India, for instance, while maternal mortality rates have declined over the years, thousands of women still die because a hospital was too far, a doctor wasn't available, or a decision was delayed.

'Reproductive health includes access to contraception, safe abortions where legal, HPV vaccinations, and regular screenings for breast and cervical cancers. Denying this access isn't just a health issue-it's a violation of basic human rights,' says Dr Joshi.

Chronic Conditions: The Invisible Killers

Non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer now claim more female lives than infectious diseases or childbirth. The symptoms of these diseases often present differently in women than in men, and as a result, they're frequently overlooked. A woman experiencing a heart attack may not have chest pain-she may feel shortness of breath, nausea, or back pain. These are often mistaken for anxiety or indigestion.

Medical research has historically prioritized the male body. Clinical trials have largely excluded women, and treatment guidelines were drafted based on male physiology. That outdated system continues to fail women every day.

The Burden of Gender Roles

'Beyond biology, it's society that inflicts some of the deepest wounds. Traditional gender roles place the responsibility of caregiving squarely on women's shoulders-whether for children, aging parents, or ill family members. This unpaid labor is physically exhausting and emotionally draining,' says Dr Joshi.

Workplace inequality adds to the burden. Women still face wage gaps, harassment, and limited representation in decision-making roles. When health issues arise, they often push through the pain to meet expectations, internalizing stress instead of expressing it.

Dr Joshi's Advice to Women

• Small Steps, Big HealingTalk
• Silence is not strength
• Mindfulness is medicine
• Rest isn't a luxury-it's fuel
• Know your cycle and listen to your body
• Find sisterhood: peer support can transform pain into power

Why May 28 Cannot Be Just Another Day

International Women's Health Day is not about token gestures. It's a powerful reminder that the world still fails millions of women who suffer silently, often in the very households and hospitals meant to care for them. It's a chance for communities to reexamine their priorities, for governments to revisit their budgets, and for individuals to speak openly about what health really means.

Let this be the year when women are finally heard-not just on May 28, but every day after. Let it be the year we realize that healthy women build healthy homes, healthy economies, and healthy futures.

(This story is part of the 'Period Positive' campaign of Boldsky and aims to break menstrual taboos, promote menstrual health awareness, and foster open conversations around periods with dignity and pride.)