It’s no secret that stress plays a huge role in our experience of modern life. We’ve all faced sleepless nights worrying about what tomorrow might bring. We all face the existential dread of the state of the world we live in. We’ve definitely all faced burnout under the constant pressures of keeping up and being successful. But what many of us don’t realize is the disparity in how these stresses are experienced across demographics.

Particularly for younger women, the stress of modern life is just the surface. These stresses are piled on top of the unique challenges women face, some of which their male counterparts often don’t even consider in their day-to-day lives. These burdens are often cultivated during their upbringing, where outdated societal constructs still mold the idea of what it means to be a woman. These elements of upbringing are, of course, very different for men, and as such, they are rarely even aware of things that women face later on in life.

Recent research reveals that women, particularly under age 35, consistently report higher stress levels and are more likely to feel that they lack enough emotional support. These women find themselves navigating a complex web of societal expectations, gender roles, and personal ambition, often underlined by various emotional labors that men rarely experience to the same extent.

Where Does the Additional Stress in Younger Women Come From?

Women are often expected to also carry the emotional weight of their family responsibilities, partners, and friends, creating additional stressors that often go unrecognized and unrewarded. Pair that with disparities in pay, opportunity, and representation, and you get a melting pot of stress affecting their mental, emotional, and physical well-being, leaving this generation of women in a constant struggle to just stay afloat.

How Emotional Labor Impacts Women’s Mental Health

Emotional labor, also called invisible labor, refers to the mental effort needed to manage stress and emotions. For many young women, the stress they face goes beyond deadlines, finances, and their own ambitions. They often also tend to the emotional needs of those around them. This could be checking in on struggling family members, managing relationships in their household, or providing emotional support to friends and partners.

Women have long been socialized to absorb the emotions of everyone around them, constantly managing their tone and presence to keep the peace and hold things together. Women are praised for being nurturing, kind, gentle, and mature for their age, but these qualities are never listed in job descriptions or rewarded in performance reviews. But this nurturing comes at a cost, even though it’s expected everywhere, from caregiving roles to relationships.

A recent survey highlights how deep the effects of emotional labor run in younger women, with up to 73% of women reporting that they constantly take on the stress of those around them. Yet the invisible nature of this emotional labor means it often goes unacknowledged by those receiving care and even by those giving it. Because it’s so woven into their identity, many women don’t even realize how much energy they pour into it, leaving them more susceptible to emotional exhaustion and anxiety, and often struggling to prioritize their own well-being.

Effects of Gender Roles and Societal Pressures on Women

While society has made great progress in equality, many young women still face a world shaped by traditional expectations. Women are encouraged to be independent, chase careers and education, and fulfill their dreams, while at the same time, they’re expected to be emotionally available, support others, and take on caregiving roles. The double standard would have them being ambitious, but not too much. They’re expected to be independent without neglecting their nurturing side, and to be confident without being assertive.

When actually examined, it’s clear that these expectations are much more than frustrating; they become extremely psychologically taxing. Many studies prove that women are much more likely than men to experience stress related to relationships and gender roles. This internal struggle highlights the unique challenge of breaking free from outdated roles while still being measured by them. Women are often left battling guilt and criticism for just trying to follow their own dreams.

While most women have grown up very aware of gender inequality, unfortunately, the playing field is still far from level. The reality of systemic disparity is still alive and well across many industries. Unequal pay, lack of leadership opportunities, and underrepresentation in roles they strive for serve as daily reminders that no matter how hard they work, they may not be met with the same reward or recognition as the men they work with.

How Social Media Contributes to Female Anxiety

As if emotional labor, gender roles, and societal expectations weren’t enough, younger women also need to navigate an endless digital landscape that never rests, providing constant comparison. Social media is a double-edged sword where many find a source of self-expression and community while facing a relentless feed of perfectly curated, performative womanhood with impossible standards.

Social media apps like TikTok and Instagram flood timelines with women in thriving careers, passive income generators, travel adventures, and over-the-top apartments, while maintaining flawless skin, perfect morning routines, and fairytale relationships. While we know this is all fantasy and we know that the average person’s life is nothing like this, it’s hard to distinguish when you’re scrolling in your most vulnerable form. The pressures of keeping up a balanced appearance of a successful and serene life create a uniquely modern form of stress.

This is especially true for younger women who grow up in an online age, where many have never known a form of adulthood without the influence of likes, followers, and social value. This external validation pushes their idea of value beyond how they see themselves to include how they think they are perceived by others. This feedback loop often intensifies feelings of inadequacy and the belief that everyone else is doing better than they are.

Trending movements like soft girls or tradwives further complicate the concepts of womanhood and femininity for younger women. While these movements can be empowering for some, they largely reinforce outdated gender ideals under the guise of choice. Many of these influencers frame femininity as something passive and palatable. They subtly encourage women to lean into the idea of softness as a form of self-care, where they promote docility and meekness as ways to embrace rest and peace. They also promote retreating into domestication and fulfilling traditional roles as the antidote to burnout, when in reality, the root problem lies in the unsustainable expectations placed on women.

What Is the Double Burden Phenomenon for Women?

In theory, society has progressed a lot, opening doors for women to pursue careers, education, and independence. But in practice, these opportunities don’t come without a catch. This is particularly evident in family dynamics.

Women are still expected to take on the lion’s share of domestic responsibilities, and they are still expected to show up emotionally whenever needed. Sociologists refer to this as the Double Burden or the Second Shift, meaning the pressure women face to perform in their careers and personal ambitions, while still showing up as the default caregiver in their home life.

This double burden often starts early for women. During their school years, they’re expected to produce good grades, take on extracurricular sporting activities, and maintain friendships while often needing to help care for siblings or aging family members. This is also often extended to managing household duties like cooking, cleaning, and siblings’ homework. It’s no wonder so many are experiencing burnout before they even leave for college.

As they enter adulthood, the rates of burnout before hitting 30 years old skyrocket. Even in households or relationships where equality is supposedly valued, research shows that women still tend to take on more of the mental load. They still end up with the invisible labor of planning meals, remembering birthdays, and generally keeping life organized.

In isolation, these tasks may not seem like a big deal, but they add up quickly, affecting various aspects of women’s health. Women spend most of their time switched on, resulting in a generation of women essentially doing two full-time jobs with little to no rest in between, while only receiving compensation for one of them. And because this second domestic job is so normalized by society, it’s rarely even acknowledged.

The Double Burden presents a feeling of chronic stress involving constant disappointment, dismissed emotional struggles, and unappreciated effort that chips away at women’s mental resilience and contributes to various mental health challenges like anxiety and depression, and even physical health issues over time.

The Reality of Burnout in Young Women

While the rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout continue to rise, women’s stress levels continue to be higher than men’s in many reports. Younger women are particularly likely to lack adequate support from their peers, family, and partners. Many women are left feeling overwhelmed, unsupported, and unsure of where to turn for help.

These additional stressors that women face create the perfect storm for various mental health issues among younger women. When stress becomes chronic, it can disrupt sleep, impair memory, and even weaken the immune system. Over time, these symptoms can lead to much more serious conditions like clinical depression or anxiety disorders.

Practical Coping Strategies for Women Facing Overwhelm

While the challenges women face are very real, and their stress is an ongoing problem, it doesn’t need to be inevitable. There are ways for women to manage their stress, and there is help available. When women are empowered and receive the support they deserve, they can truly thrive. The following strategies offer a practical guide to minimizing the impact of life’s stress factors.

✅ Disconnect from comparison culture: Limit your exposure to social media when you notice it triggering feelings of inadequacy and overwhelm. Try to curate your feed for healthy entertainment with accounts that empower women instead of picking them apart.

✅ Focus on what you can control: When you feel overwhelmed by working toward big picture goals, try to set up smaller, more achievable checkpoints in your daily routine to build momentum and anchor your emotions in the present.

✅ Find ways to practice emotional release: Your stress builds more than emotional tension, and often manifests as physical issues. You can release this tension through physical movement like stretching or exercise. Even letting your emotions out through crying, laughing, or screaming into a pillow works wonders. And it’s very healthy, not dramatic.

✅ Practice intentional self-care: Make time for things that you enjoy and find activities that refill your emotional tank. Whether it’s reading, walking, journaling, meditating, or simply resting without guilt. Self-care isn’t indulgent, it’s necessary for all facets of your wellbeing.

✅ Learn to prioritize your own needs: As the old saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. You need to recognize when you’re overextending yourself and give yourself permission to put your own needs first, especially when stress is high.

✅ Set and protect healthy boundaries: Setting boundaries isn’t rude or confrontational. Boundaries serve as guidelines for respectful, sustainable relationships. It’s okay to say no, to ask for space, or to limit your availability without explanation.

✅ Consider therapy or counseling: A licensed therapist can offer tools to manage anxiety, reduce emotional overload, and unpack deeper stress patterns. You don’t have to navigate it all alone.

✅ Join a support group: Peer-based support groups create a safe space to share struggles, gain perspective, and feel less isolated. These can be in-person or online groups where you can share in insights from others who experience similar issues. You generally also benefit from the experience of counselors and facilitators who run the groups.

✅ Create or join safe community spaces: Connect with others who get it. Whether it’s a local women’s circle, a trusted friend group, or an online community, supportive environments help ease emotional strain and give you a sense of belonging.

Compassionate Mental Health Care for Women with Psyclarity Health

The unfortunate truth is that many younger women are carrying more than they should have to. From caring for loved ones, managing personal ambition, and fulfilling societal expectations, it’s easy to see why so many women feel that they’re spread too thin.

At Psyclarity Health, we understand that no one’s struggle looks the same. Our programs are built around the individual and their unique needs, tailored to meet each person where they are, not where society expects them to be. We believe in creating safe, affirming spaces where women feel seen and heard, where they can find healing without shame, judgment, or outdated assumptions.

Whether you’re navigating anxiety, burnout, depression, or the quiet weight of emotional exhaustion, our team of compassionate professionals is here to help you find clarity, balance, and real relief. Your experiences are valid. Your needs matter. And support is within reach.

If you or someone you love is feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of life, know that you’re not alone. Reach out to Psyclarity Health today to explore how we can walk with you on the path to lasting mental wellness.