"More women (47.6%) receive mental health services compared with men (34.8%). Women are twice as likely as men to develop major depressive disorder. Furthermore, 10%-15% of women experience depression during the perinatal period, which makes depression one of the most common complications of childbirth (Gaynes et al. 2005). These statistics illustrate that psychiatric disorders in women are common during the reproductive years and that the hormonal fluctuations associated with the reproductive life cycle contribute to the etiology of mental illness in women. Medical practitioners in all fields will encounter female patients with mental illness across the lifespan, particularly major depressive and anxiety disorders. Consequently, there is a great imperative for high-quality educational materials that increase the competency of providers. This outstanding work is divided into two parts. Part I provides a comprehensive overview of the reproductive life cycle and covers mental health concerns across the lifespan, including the relationship between gynecological and sexual health and mental health as well as infertility, the premenstrual period, and perimenopause. Part II is devoted to the perinatal period and offers a conceptual framework for a clinical approach to the pregnant and postpartum patient, followed by evidence-based reviews of the management of psychiatric disorders (by diagnostic category), as well as covering stress in pregnancy, infant mental health, and legal/forensic issues. Critical summaries of the epidemiology, risk factors, screening methods, and clinical features are presented. This book must be required reading for all faculty and trainees who will care for women"--

In Women in Psychiatry, 21 accomplished women psychiatrists in private practice, teaching institutions, hospitals, public health treatment programs, and leadership positions reveal both the challenges and rewards of being in a wide array of professional positions. The stories are heartfelt and personal as well as professional accounts of obstacles overcome and milestones achieved. In a field once completely dominated by men, nearly one-third of physicians who identified themselves as practicing psychiatry in the U.S. were women, and the diversity of their approaches to the practice of psychiatry is encouragingly illustrated in this book. Women in Psychiatry clearly demonstrates where an interest in science or medicine can lead when combined with determination, guidance, experience, mentoring, perseverance, and organizational support. The featured women represent diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, positions, career pathways, and accomplishments. All the authors share lessons learned and provide recommendations on what they found helpful in achieving their goals of personal and professional fulfillment. These chapters present many common themes among women professionals both within and outside of psychiatry, including handling pregnancy and motherhood while building a career, the potential strain between women and men in the field, and some of the income and leadership role inequities that still exist. Features and benefits of Women in Psychiatry include: Insights into career paths through descriptions of pivotal events and decisions that shaped their careers as scientists. Perspectives and advice on how to balance personal and professional responsibilities, both in training and in practice. Illustrations of the role played by cultural and linguistic background, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, subspecialty, place of employment, and work setting. The importance of mentorship throughout the process, first as a recipient and ultimately as a mentor to other women entering the field. Strategies these authors used to accomplish goals and the various styles of leadership that helped them reach those goals. The historical context for understanding that until recent decades, despite irrefutable evidence that women in the biomedical professions are capable, there were few in most fields with the exception of nursing, dental hygiene, and elementary science teaching. Women in Psychiatry is the ideal book for women who are considering a career in psychiatry or other areas of medicine. It is also a book for partners and spouses of women in medicine and psychiatry. It is an inspirational and educational document that women and men, whether in medicine or other, nonrelated careers, can value and appreciate through the recounting of personal and professional experiences that made a difference.

Women outnumber men as consumers of health care in the United States: they visit doctors more often, fill more prescriptions, undergo more surgeries, occupy more hospital beds, and spend more money on health care than men. Yet it wasn't until the past decade that active trials in gender-specific aspects of mental health began leading us to a better understanding of the psychiatric disorders to which women are vulnerable. Distilling the findings of this research into practical information about the assessment and management of psychiatric conditions specific to women, this Second Edition (updated from 1997) expands upon the biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that influence women's mental health, with particular emphasis on reproductive points in the female life cycle-and the ways in which these factors are integral to gender-sensitive case formulations, diagnoses, and treatment planning. Updates in the second edition include the latest findings about premenstrual dysphoric disorder, the use of psychiatric medications in pregnant and breast-feeding women, perinatal loss, surgical menopause, eating disorders, sexual trauma, seasonal affective disorder, sleep disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Complementing lengthier psychiatric references, this latest "Concise Guide" offers enduring value in a convenient pocket-size format with extensive tables and illustrations. Its wealth of practical information, highlighted by material from the authors' clinical experiences, makes it a must-read for psychiatrists, psychiatry residents, and medical students working in various treatment settings, from inpatient psychiatry units and outpatient clinics toconsultation-liaison services and private offices.

Some clients don't respond to a therapist's chosen treatment for a specific mental disorder. Could there be a physical disorder that is causing psychiatric symptoms? How can a therapist distinguish between similar psychiatric and physical disorders to arrive at the correct diagnosis, refer on, and/or suggest appropriate treatment? Preventing Misdiagnosis of Women gives the therapist the foundation for identifying those physiological disorders that may be at the root of the mental problems presented by women clients. Hyperthyroidism, for example, can result in depression and anxiety, and temporal lobe epilepsy can manifest itself with the same symptoms as bipolar disorder. This special guidebook sorts out potential mix-ups by providing detailed cases and illustrations, a quick reference table for checking symptoms, and a glossary. Making technical information clear and concise, the authors cover endocrinological--including thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and parathyroid systems--and brain seizure problems as well as other diseases--such as multiple sclerosis, mitral heart valve prolapse, and lupus erythematosus. They offer a basic overview of the systems and organs involved and focus on how particular malfunctions can result in serious behavioral problems. A guide to providing the best and most effective care to women clients, Preventing Misdiagnosis of Women presents important information about assessment and interfacing with medical professionals. All mental health and helping professionals will find this book invaluable, as will students in clinical/counseling psychology, health psychology, social work, and gender studies.

Contemporary Topics in Women’s Mental Health: Global Perspectives in a Changing Society considers both the mental health and psychiatric disorders of women in relation to global social change. The book addresses the current themes in psychiatric disorders among women: reproduction and mental health, service delivery and ethics, impact of violence, disasters and migration, women’s mental health promotion and social policy, and concludes each section with a commentary discussing important themes emerging from each chapter. Psychiatrists, sociologists and students of women’s studies will all benefit from this textbook. With a Foreword by Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London; Chair, Commission on Social Determinants of Health

'Women and Psychiatric Treatment' provides a comprehensive and practical guide to the treatment of female psychiatric patients. The authors consider the main variables which influence treatment, the therapies available, and give suggestions for the reform of training, research and service provision.

A comprehensive, up-to-date and evidence-based review of women's mental health, written by leading experts, for mental health clinicians.