I believe the most important cause of the health breakdowns are beliefs. We believe what we learn culturally. Cultural myths that can be generalized across many cultures, and concern men and women.
According to Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Journal, women account for 70% of chronic pain sufferers. The young women who’ve been raised in traditional cultures with traditional, hierarchical family structures are raised by learning that self-sacrifice is not only a duty, but an expression of love. Those women believe that prioritizing themselves is selfish, they don’t hear the important messages their bodies are sending them. Whereas self-love doesn’t mean giving up our important identities as daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, etc. When we learn how to love ourselves, we can and will love others better.
In a 2009 peer-reviewed article for Sex Roles, researchers agreed, finding traditional families have more conflict. Carrying the weight of cultural and familial expectations can lead to illnesses, mental health problems, and feelings of powerlessness. I have a message for these women—the choice to put yourself first can be a choice between life and death.