Mental Health Awareness Month: Supporting Women Through Every Stage of Life

May 26

Written By Comma

Mental health is a vital part of emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and it should never be overlooked.

Although mental health challenges can affect anyone, this Mental Health Awareness Month, we are taking time at Comma to recognize the unique mental health struggles women often face.

Why Women’s Mental Health Needs Special Attention

Mental health is shaped by both genetics and lived experiences, and many women experience societal pressures that can negatively affect their well-being. Expectations surrounding appearance, caregiving, motherhood, career success, and emotional labor can place overwhelming demands on women— yet their struggles are too often minimized or dismissed.

These factors may contribute to why women are nearly twice as likely as men to experience depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder during their lifetimes. In addition, women make up the majority of individuals affected by eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

Mental Health and Your Cycle

Hormones are another important factor that can influence women’s mental and emotional well-being.

During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels often contribute to a variety of premenstrual symptoms including changes in mood and emotional regulation. Many women experience symptoms such as increased anxiety, irritability, mood swings, and worsening feelings of depression during this time.

These emotional changes often occur alongside physical symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and headaches, and together are commonly referred to as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Most women who menstruate experience at least one symptom of PMS, and symptoms typically improve once menstruation begins.

PMDD — a Severe Form of PMS

However, some women experience severe anxiety, depression, and mood changes in addition to their PMS symptoms. This is known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and affects around 10% of people who menstruate. Like PMS, these symptoms also typically begin a week or two before your period and resolve a few days after your period—yet they are clinically distressing and worthy of medical care. PMDD can trigger profound depression and other symptoms that disrupt daily life and make everyday activities feel overwhelming or impossible.

If this resonates with you, please know you don’t have to navigate this alone. Reaching out to your doctor is a great first step. It’s not just feeling sad or anxious before your period; it is a serious, mental health condition that can be treated and navigated with care.

We know that understanding how your mood fluctuates during your cycle is an important step in feeling empowered in your body. That’s why in Sara™, we’ve made sure you’re able to log mental health symptoms as you wish. By logging your daily mood and symptoms, Sara can help you spot patterns and even offer guidance on seeking medical help when necessary.

Wellbeing During and Around Pregnancy

Beyond your cycle, there are multiple life changes that can affect your mental health. While pregnancy is often portrayed as a beautiful and profoundly meaningful time, it also brings immense physical, emotional, and mental change. It is important to recognize how shifts in hormones, lifestyle, identity, and appearance can affect overall wellbeing during this time.

Perinatal mental health disorders can occur before, during, or after pregnancy. Studies show that around 20% of women experience mood or anxiety disorders during pregnancy, yet because of the expectation that women should feel happy and grateful at all times, nearly 80% of these mental health concerns go unreported.

No one should feel ashamed for struggling during or after pregnancy. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness—it is a sign of strength, self-awareness, and care for both yourself and your baby. Every woman deserves compassion, support, and the reminder that she does not have to go through this journey alone.

When Hormonal Changes Develop into Something More Serious

It is also important to highlight the difference between the “baby blues” and postpartum depression. Baby blues are very common after pregnancy and involve mild feelings of sadness, irritability, or emotional overwhelm during the first 10 days after giving birth, often due to hormonal changes and adjustment to motherhood. Postpartum depression, however, lasts beyond two weeks after giving birth and includes moderate to severe symptoms that can interfere deeply with daily life and emotional wellbeing.

Understanding how mood can shift during and around pregnancy is crucial in helping women prepare for this life-changing transition and recognize when support may be needed. Mental health deserves just as much care and attention as physical health. This Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s continue creating spaces where women feel safe speaking openly about their experiences, seeking help without judgment, and supporting one another through every stage of life.

You Deserve Support

These statistics matter—but they do not define you, or any woman's capacity to heal, grow, and thrive. This May, we are encouraging open conversation around mental health and the development of supportive environments and communities. Check in on the women in your life. And if you're the one who needs checking in on right now, please know: we hear you, we see you, and asking for help is one of the bravest things you can do.