Gender-Sensitive Strategies: Addressing Systemic and Personal Challenges in Women’s Stress Management

Abstract

Women around the world encounter distinctive stressors shaped by a combination of biological, social, and cultural dynamics. This qualitative study delves into the multifaceted challenges that women face in managing stress, focusing on key issues such as caregiving responsibilities, workplace inequality, emotional labor, and restricted access to mental health resources. Through thematic analysis of recent literature and documented case studies, the research exposes how stress is experienced differently by women based on factors like age, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity, with particular attention to the influence of intersectionality. The findings reveal that women frequently carry invisible emotional burdens, intensified by prevailing societal expectations and persistent systemic barriers that limit access to appropriate care. To address these challenges, the study explores a spectrum of coping mechanisms employed by women, including individual strategies such as mindfulness and peer networking, as well as broader organizational and policy interventions like flexible work options and expanded community mental health initiatives. The research underscores the necessity for gender-sensitive approaches to stress management that account for both the internal and external forces affecting women’s mental health. Ultimately, these insights highlight the urgent need for comprehensive strategies spanning personal, organizational, and policy domains to alleviate the unseen pressures women bear and to foster resilience and well-being across diverse populations.