In 2020, the pandemic shut everything down. Shops, schools, and travel were halted. Although many have moved on, that time caused a lot of stress for people.
Parents had to juggle work and kids, and many were anxious about jobs and ill family members.
The Heart of the Study: Worry and Anxiety
Researchers at University Hospital Würzburg looked at how people’s concerns about jobs and loved ones impacted their mental health.
The main finding? Anxiety was at the core. But here’s the twist: men and women felt it differently.
- Men: More anxious when worried about their jobs.
- Women: More anxious when concerned for family and friends.
Moreover, women felt better when supported by their loved ones. This wasn’t the case for men.
Grit Hein, a professor, and her colleague Martin Weiß led this study. They pointed out that past studies looked at how support and worries affected mental health.
But they didn’t look at the differences between men and women. The team studied data from around 2,900 people, aged 34 to 85. These participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their feelings during the pandemic.
To make sense of the data, the team used a method called network analysis. It shows how different things connect to each other. For example, how work stress might be linked to mental health.
Traditional Roles Play a Part
The results weren’t surprising to the researchers. The patterns matched what society often expects:
- Men: Traditionally tied to work. So, job worries caused them stress.
- Women: Often seen as family-focused. They felt stress when they thought they weren’t there enough for their family. But they felt better when they had support from loved ones.
Still, the team warns that these findings might be specific to the pandemic. It’s unclear if they apply in other situations.
Conclusion
The key takeaway? Men and women handle stress differently. So, when helping people with their mental health, it’s important to think about these differences. This can make therapy and support more effective for everyone.
If you care about depression, please read studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
For more information about mental health, please see recent studies that ultra-processed foods may make you feel depressed, and extra-virgin olive oil could reduce depression symptoms.
The study was published in Scientific Reports.
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