“It’s All in Your Head”: The Dismissal of Women’s Symptoms

Many women have left doctor’s offices feeling unheard or brushed off. This isn’t just personal experience—it’s backed by research. Women are significantly more likely to have their symptoms dismissed as emotional or psychological, especially in cases of chronic or unexplained pain.

A study published in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics found that medical professionals often psychologize women’s symptoms, leading to missed or delayed diagnoses (Samulowitz et al., 2018). This kind of bias has serious consequences, particularly in emergency settings where every minute matters.

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The 8-Year Diagnosis: Living with Undiagnosed Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of women globally, yet it takes an average of 8 years to receive a proper diagnosis. Why such a long delay? Many women are told their symptoms—severe cramps, fatigue, nausea—are simply part of a “normal” period.

But they’re not. The real problem is systemic: medical training has long focused on male biology, leaving women’s health conditions under-researched and underdiagnosed (Criado Perez, 2019). As a result, millions of women live in pain without answers or adequate care.

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The Heart Attack That Goes Unnoticed

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Yet female patients often don’t receive the same care as men during cardiac emergencies. One reason? Their symptoms don’t always match the “classic” male profile.

Instead of sharp chest pain, women may experience shortness of breath, nausea, back pain, or fatigue. A study in Circulation showed that women are less likely to receive timely treatment and interventions like bypass surgery or angioplasty—even when presenting with the same heart attack indicators as men (Mehta et al., 2016).

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Medicine Built on Male Bodies

Historically, women were excluded from clinical trials due to concerns about hormonal cycles or potential pregnancy. The result? Decades of medical data based on male physiology.

This research gap continues today. A study in Pharmacy Practice emphasized how drug dosages and effects often aren’t tailored to women, despite known differences in metabolism and side effects (Liu & Dipietro Mager, 2016). One alarming example: the dosage of the sleep aid zolpidem (Ambien) had to be cut in half for women—after it was already widely prescribed.

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Where Do We Go from Here?

Fixing gender inequality in healthcare requires more than awareness—it demands action. This includes:

Training healthcare providers to recognize and counter gender bias.

Conducting inclusive research that centers women’s experiences.

Empowering patients to speak up and advocate for their health.

Most importantly, we need to stop normalizing women’s suffering as just “part of life.” Pain is not a personality trait. It’s a signal—and it deserves to be heard.

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References

Criado Perez, C. (2019). Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. Abrams Press.

Liu, K. A., & Dipietro Mager, N. A. (2016). Women’s involvement in clinical trials: Historical perspective and future implications. Pharmacy Practice, 14(1), 708. https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708

Mehta, L. S., Beckie, T. M., DeVon, H. A., Grines, C. L., Krumholz, H. M., Johnson, M. N., … & Wenger, N. K. (2016). Acute myocardial infarction in women: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 133(9), 916–947. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000351

Samulowitz, A., Gremyr, I., Eriksson, E., & Hensing, G. (2018). “Brave Men” and “Emotional Women”: A theory-guided literature review on gender bias in health care and gendered norms towards patients with chronic pain. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 46(2), 387–399. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073110518782947

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What You Don’t See: The Hidden Struggle of Mothers and Caregivers with Chronic Illness

Imagine waking up every day already exhausted, your body aching before your feet even hit the floor. Now add a toddler asking for breakfast, a school form that needs signing, a parent who needs care, or a full workday ahead of you. For many women living with chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia or lupus, this isn’t hypothetical. It’s reality. Daily. Relentlessly.

These women are caregivers. Mothers. Often the glue holding families together. And yet, they’re also silently managing bodies that betray them—through unpredictable pain, overwhelming fatigue, and an invisible weight that no one else can see.

The Myth of “You Don’t Look Sick”

One of the most damaging misconceptions about chronic illness is that if you don’t look sick, you must not be sick. But autoimmune diseases don’t come with visible bandages or casts. These women may smile through school drop-offs and show up to family functions, but what you don’t see is the energy crash that follows. You don’t see the hours spent lying down afterward, the medication regimen carefully followed just to function, or the mental gymnastics of pretending everything is “fine.”

Caregiver, Parent, Patient—And Still Expected to Do It All

There’s a cruel irony in being both a caregiver and someone who desperately needs care. Many women are supporting others emotionally, physically, and financially while managing symptoms that would sideline most people. And because they’re often the ones doing the nurturing, it’s easy for their own needs to be overlooked—by loved ones, employers, and even doctors.

When society expects women to be endlessly selfless, illness can feel like failure. Missed field trips. Canceled plans. Microwave dinners—again. These moments add up to guilt, and guilt feeds the quiet companion of chronic illness: depression.

This Is a Public Health Issue

This isn’t just a personal struggle—it’s a systemic one. Women with chronic illness are underdiagnosed, under-supported, and often dismissed. Their pain is minimized, their fatigue mistaken for laziness, their mental health struggles seen as weakness instead of the direct result of constant, unmanaged suffering.

What they need isn’t pity—it’s validation. Understanding. Access to care that takes both their physical and emotional needs seriously. Flexible work policies. Community support. A break.

What You Can Do

Start by believing women when they say they’re in pain. Offer help without waiting to be asked. Advocate for better chronic illness education in healthcare and more inclusive family leave policies. And most importantly, don’t expect a woman to carry the world on her shoulders when she’s already carrying pain in her bones.

To Every Woman Living This Life: You Matter

You are not invisible. You are not dramatic. You are not failing. You are fighting a battle every single day—and still showing up for the people who need you. That makes you strong beyond words.

And if all you did today was survive, that is more than enough.

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Resources for Support and Advocacy

• The National Fibromyalgia Association – Education, research, and community for those with fibromyalgia.
• Lupus Foundation of America – Resources, support groups, and advocacy for people living with lupus.
• Chronic Illness Alliance – Information and systemic advocacy for a wide range of chronic conditions.
• Mothers with Chronic Illness Community (Facebook Group) – A supportive online group for moms managing chronic health issues.
• Mental Health America – Mental health support, including information on chronic illness-related depression.
• Caregiver Action Network – Help for caregivers managing their own health while supporting others.