In recognition of Women’s History Month in March, here’s a gender-specific look at mental illness.

According to the federal government’s Office on Women’s Health, many women are in a bad place psychologically:

Women suffer twice as often as men by most forms of depression and anxiety disorders, and nine times as often by eating disorders.

Some of that is biological. For example, men don’t experience the physiological changes that may contribute to postpartum depression, although some new fathers get the blues just like new mothers.

But some of it is likely social and cultural. Poor body image shows up in eating disorders (including some disturbing new ones). Sexual assault, abuse and harassment (in military as well as civilian life) and domestic violence are other huge problems that cause serious emotional pain.

However, women are making strides when it comes to the mental-health field. Female social workers and nurses have provided care for generations, and they’ve been joined by more women going to medical and graduate school and pursuing careers as psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors and therapists. According to the American Psychiatric Association,

Data from the National Survey of Psychiatric Practice indicate that the percentage of psychiatrists who are women rose sharply from 14.5% in 1982 to 25.0% in 1996.

(Of course, there are some great women blogging about mental health, too — Therese Borchard at Beyond Blue just had her 1,000th post!)

As more women get proper training and treatment, I hope they will be better off — as will the men and children in their lives.