Report reveals one in two Australian women facing mental health issues

A new report has revealed one in two Australian women continue to experience mental health issues in 2026, with almost one in four struggling with severe mental health issues: a persistent rate since 2022. The key findings from the Women’s Mental Health Australia’s recent report ‘Beyond the Surface 2026: Investigating the Mental Health Realities for Australian Women’ indicate that living with physical health conditions are associated with poorer mental health, but the greatest psychological impact is experienced by women living with female-specific physical health conditions. Among women with endometriosis, 48 per cent reported depression and 47 per cent reported anxiety or generalised anxiety disorder. Among women with PMOS, 47 per cent reported depression and 39 per cent reported anxiety or generalised anxiety disorder. According to the report, these rates of depression and anxiety are between 1.6 and 2.2 times higher compared to women without these conditions. The findings are based on a nationally representative research study comprising of 9000 Australian women aged 18 and over, conducted across all states and regions in April 2026. Local psychologist Neil Barassi said mental health among Australian women has been on a worrying decline in recent years. “In 2026, statistics show that one in four women will face severe mental health symptoms, often alongside physical conditions that worsen their wellbeing, especially for those with female specific health issues,” he said. “Women with endometriosis, for example, report depression and anxiety at nearly twice the rate of those without the condition. “These challenges involve a mix of emotional, cognitive, and physical struggles that can affect daily life and long term quality of living. “Factors like financial stress, low self esteem, sleep problems, body image concerns, and worries about aging also play a big role.” The disparity also extended to suicide and self-harm rates, reported by 10 per cent of women with PMOS and 13 per cent of women with endometriosis, compared with four per cent of women across the full sample. Women’s Mental Health Australia Chief Operating Officer Katrina Locandro said the findings highlighted the gaps in the current approach to women’s health. “Women’s physical and mental health issues are not experienced independently, so our health system needs to adapt instead of maintaining the status quo,” she said. “Women deserve integrated models of care, where mental health assessment and psychological support become a standardised component of women's health services, including endometriosis, pelvic pain, menopause, fertility and pelvic floor care.” As a psychologist, Mr Barassi said he often hears clients say they don’t think their symptoms are serious enough to seek help, which is a troubling trend. “It’s well known that men are often stereotyped as not seeking professional support, but it’s less commonly acknowledged that many women also don’t seek the appropriate help even when it’s available to them,” he said. “This issue needs more attention, as life’s complexities can affect everyone’s mental health, and the statistics for women in this regard are a serious concern that should be addressed more effectively. “For anyone struggling with mental or physical health issues, I recommend starting with their GP, who can then guide them through the proper referral process to address their health concerns.” While the rates of help-seeking increased in 2026, one in three women are still not seeking help for their mental health issues. The reasons range from believing they could self-manage (32 per cent) to financial cost (31 per cent) to not considering their mental health issues serious enough to warrant support (29 per cent). Stigma and access also remained obstacles, with 19 per cent feeling embarrassed or ashamed, 16 per cent fearing judgement, 14 per cent finding services difficult to access and 13 per cent facing excessive wait times. The organisation said the prevalence and severity of mental health issues among Australian women have remained broadly unchanged since Women’s Mental Health Australia began measuring these outcomes in 2022. The Beyond the Surface 2026 report is available at www.womensmentalhealthaustralia.org.au. If this article has raised any issues for you, or if you are concerned about someone you know, please know that you are not alone and there is support available. If you are in an emergency situation or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, contact emergency services on 000. Other support services include Lifeline – 13 13 14 or lifeline.org.au, Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au, Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 or www.beyondblue.org.au, headspace for young people aged 12- 25 - 1300 332 022 or headspace.org.au.

Report reveals one in two Australian women facing mental health issues

Wangaratta Chronicle, Wednesday, 23 September, 2026

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