The Hard Truth About Women in STEM: Mental Health
May is mental health awareness month, and we must talk about it. I’ve learned this the hard way. In this month’s blog post, I’m here to advocate for a different and better way forward. A way that encourages us to de-stigmatize talking about mental health and to advocate for ourselves and others.
To begin this conversation, here’s a small piece of my own mental health journey.
In 2020, we all faced COVID, but for some of us, that wasn’t the only illness we were staring down. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August and had two lumpectomies in September and October, followed by 21 days of radiation. (I went to radiation every single business day of December of that year, including New Year's Eve - buh-bye 2020!.)
The new year brought a major transition of buying a home, packing up my life, and moving to a place where I didn’t know anyone and hadn’t established a support system. Running in the background was post-breast-cancer life, and a part of that was being on a medication designed to prevent the cancer from ever returning.
Throughout those two years and seeping into the next (2023), I was struggling emotionally.
I kept describing it to people as my emotions were really close to the surface, and I couldn’t regulate them the way I used to. I went through periods of really high highs or really low lows. I’d get weepy or angry at inopportune times and always felt like I was overreacting because it was totally new territory.
I chalked it up to having had cancer, being on meds for the first time in my life, the isolation of COVID-19, buying a new house, and moving into a new neighborhood, along with the usual stressors of life. It made sense to me that I'd be more emotional with all of those things going on. I started therapy, did regression hypnosis, and began eating better and exercising more—but nothing was working, and I was getting more and more frustrated and upset with myself.
Then, this past September of 2023, a good friend pulled me aside. I can’t even remember what we were talking about, but she ended up sharing that ever since I had cancer, I seemed angry.
It was hard to hear, and I probably started crying because I knew it to be true, but no one had articulated it. (Let me just pause here to say that this is exactly why we all need a coach, champion, or close friend who can help us see and articulate the things we can’t.)
Her comment made me realize that the change occurred after the cancer, and apart from circumstantial factors that would cause anyone to feel anger or sadness (COVID, cancer, moving), the other identifiable change was that I had gone on a medication and I wasn’t someone who had ever been on a prescription medication before.
I started doing some research on the medication and discovered that one of the biggest side effects was depression. When I went to my next oncology appointment, my oncologist confirmed this was true. Still, there were things that could be done, such as changing medications, adding in an antidepressant, or stopping the medication altogether.
What became apparent at that moment was that no one had ever expressed that depression was one of this drug’s main side effects. It wasn’t talked about, and I didn’t know to ask. Additionally, none of my oncology team or any medical professional who had been with me on the cancer journey had ever asked me about my mental health. Neither of these things is okay, and I intend to bring these to the attention of my surgeon the next time we meet since he’s the head of the breast cancer unit.
The good news is that once I went off the medication, I felt differently almost immediately. I had not realized how much I had been swimming in “pea soup” and how much of my energy had been spent digging myself out of that funk just to feel happy (which wasn’t often). I literally felt like a new person.
After consulting with my oncologist, I am back on a different medication to prevent the cancer, which doesn’t have that same side effect, thank goodness. I now know what to look for as a result of my experience with the first. I also know how to ask better questions, advocate for my needs, and reach out for support.
My part of changing the conversation around mental health is actually to have one. So here we go…
“Mental health in our society is declining. According to a 2020 report by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly 53 million U.S. Americans (21% of all adults) suffer from, or experience, some form of mental illness.” This mental health crisis in the U.S. disproportionately affects women (and girls).
With women’s rights being attacked and overturned across the world…with four out of five healthcare workers being women (making them essential to the frontline during the COVID era)…with women still taking on the majority of caretaking responsibilities for households, children, and aging parents…”This immense stress and overwhelm creates the perfect storm for a mental health crisis for women in our communities.”
Mental Health is Impacting Women in STEM Fields
Second, “many women in STEM work diligently every day in pursuit of success, sometimes at the expense of their own mental health and wellbeing.” Turns out that several studies conducted in the last couple of years have shown anxiety and depression are prevalent among women in STEM fields–both students majoring in these degrees or those already inside their careers. A 2018 article cited one study’s findings:
7.2% of women in life-physical-social sciences reported at least one bout of depression in the year the study was performed versus 2.3% of men
11.1% of women in engineering-architecture compared to 3.3% of men
10.4% of women in mathematics and computer science compared to 4.6% of men
It’s not hard to understand why women in STEM fields struggle with their mental health. I’m sure you can come up with half a dozen reasons this would be true without me saying another word. One study phrased it as “social patterns marked by gender inequality might produce psychological suffering.” My interpretation: women in STEM fields experience sexual harassment, family-work imbalance, gender stereotyping, salary gaps, and unconscious bias, all of which lead to women feeling low self-esteem and self-worth (among other things), which leads to worse things like anxiety or depression.
The Brain’s Response To All That Inequity Going On
You’re familiar with all of these challenges, I’m sure. But what’s actually going on in the brain? A less scientific way of explaining it is that those feelings of being unworthy and not belonging (which are brought on by all those b.s. social patterns causing psychological suffering) increase your fight or flight response and are also the perfect fuel for your imposter syndrome.
And, all those feelings of low self-worth and of not belonging cause stress. Let me get a little more neuro-nerdy on you. Stress alters the production of oligodendrocytes (a type of cell in the central nervous system) in the brain, which can lead to stress-related disorders such as anxiety. In simpler terms, the more stress, the more possibility of anxiety.
The function of anxiety is to protect you from danger. It’s an adaptive function for the brain meant to be helpful. So, the more you worry about not belonging, or not being good enough, or whathaveyou, the less likely you are to do the things that will help you excel. You can see how this becomes a ridiculously difficult cycle to break.
Women in STEM Fields Must Prioritize Their Mental Health
So please prioritize your mental health. As I said in my October 2023 blog post, you must incorporate self-care into your life so you don’t spontaneously combust. We need your brilliance.
That said, I do want to make clear I’m not minimizing or suggesting that clinical anxiety or depression can be simply “cured” by self-care alone. Nor is it entirely on the onus of the individual in these instances where systemic and cultural circumstances are aiding and abetting mental health issues. As NIHM states, “Such a concept of ‘bootstrapping’ oneself into better mental health places undue agency and blame on those who are suffering, without addressing the underlying social and cultural structures and causes.”
Advocate, seek support, and engage in activities that might help.
Yet, since we can’t entirely control the systems around us or shift them overnight, we can advocate for our mental health, seek the support we need, and engage in activities that some research suggests improve our mental well-being. Here’s a shortlist: therapy, meditation, reading, exercise, listening to music, going outside, throwing dishes against the wall (kidding/not kidding), and engaging and interacting with others.
Talk about your mental health to destigmatize the conversation.
Another huge piece to cracking this case is talking about mental health and making it a part of everyday conversation. For too long, we’ve stigmatized mental health as some hush-hush thing that we shouldn’t air out. This keeps people suffering silently and encourages them to keep up with the rat race rather than slow down and take care of themselves. As a culture, we prioritize accomplishment, achievement, productivity, and narrowly defined success (think big titles and big salaries) more than people’s general well-being and happiness. This is especially true in competitive male-dominated fields such as STEM.
We have the power to change the conversation by having the conversation. If we are having a brief moment of panic or anxiety, we can call (or text) a friend or colleague we know has our back. Too suffocated by the amount of work on your plate and feeling like you’re about to implode? Consider talking to your supervisor. (Hopefully, they read this blog post to know about effective communication to build trust.) Feeling like neither of those things is helpful, you’re all alone, and there’s no way out? Seek the support of a mental health therapist.
Recognize the power of addressing your mental health.
When you care for your mental health, you strengthen your mindfulness and resilience and learn to trust your inner voice—the one that tells you something’s up and needs your attention. The more resilient and self-trusting you are, the more powerful you become, not just professionally but personally.
Owning your mental health and honoring your needs is the most empowered act of self-love and inner strength. When you take care of yourself, you have more capacity to care for others. When you model how you care for yourself, others are permitted to do the same. When you acknowledge your needs, you make it okay for others to acknowledge theirs. Your acts of love and strength trickle down and impact your team. They also keep you steady on your feet to keep moving forward and reaching new heights.
Be a person who makes it safe for others.
Now, if you are in the percentage of folks who don’t feel afflicted by mental health challenges, be the person to start the conversation and make it a safe topic to bring up. Help those you see are struggling. If you’re an employer, part of executive leadership, or a team leader, create a safe space for your people to talk about their challenges and ask for your support.
We must take care of our people to take care of our businesses. Throw your whole damn heart at people. It’s just that simple, even if it doesn’t always feel that easy. And if we want women in STEM fields to remain in STEM fields, we need to know, understand, and empathize with what they’re going through and find ways to help correct the B.S. they face so they can shine more brilliantly than ever before.
Closing the Gender Gap as a Way to “Win the War”
Truthfully, the best thing we can all do for women in STEM fields is continue to work toward closing the gender gap for women entering and succeeding in male-dominated fields. This article said it best: "The more women succeed in STEM careers, the less pressure they will feel as the ‘only women’ in those fields. Less pressure could lead to less stress and, in the long run, to fewer mental health issues in women in STEM overall.”
Until we get there, however, let’s do what we can to take care of ourselves and each other the best we can. Your mental health matters always and in all things. We need that big, beautiful brain of yours. So, cherish it. Take care of it. The world needs it, and you at your best.
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Let’s infuse your authority with more trust in your inner voice, the one telling you what you need, and empower your leadership to new levels. Join me for my monthly Empowered Hour, where you’ll be a part of a beautiful think tank of other powerful women in leadership roles looking to cultivate more trust within themselves. You’re never alone, and help is never far away. I’ve got you.
