An interview with ChatGPT: The anxiety stressor in women is men

In the final minutes of what seemed like a perfectly normal weekly catch-up with the E&M team, I noticed myself mumbling noises without much sense. It might have been the day’s overload of work, lack of sleep, and way too much coffee. When the meeting ended, I felt overwhelmed for no apparent reason—just plain anxiety. That’s when I decided to do something I never imagined I’d do: have an interview with ChatGPT about anxiety.

In the beginning, I asked a simple question:

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural emotional response characterized by feelings of worry or fear. While it can be helpful in certain situations, excessive anxiety may lead to disorders like generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder. Symptoms include restlessness, irritability, and physical reactions like rapid heartbeat. Treatment options include therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes.

Do you happen to have data on how many people are affected worldwide?

Yes, anxiety disorders are quite common worldwide. Here are some key statistics:

• Prevalence: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 1 in 13 people globally suffers from anxiety. This translates to roughly 264 million people affected by anxiety disorders.
• Types of Disorders: Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder are among the most common types.
• Demographics: Anxiety disorders can affect anyone, but they often begin in childhood or adolescence and can persist into adulthood. Women are generally more likely to be diagnosed than men.

These numbers highlight the widespread impact of anxiety on global mental health.

That word—women—hit me. I was already familiar with the studies; I knew women are more affected by anxiety. But in that particular moment, it really hit home. At the time, I was reading two books: How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), and Burnout by Amelia Nagoski. I’ve always been drawn to books on mental health—where it comes from, how to approach it, how to help a friend in need—but these two struck a chord. Both address how women are expected to keep a clean house while balancing careers, facing body-shaming, caring for their children. How women are expected to have it all, balance it all and continue as if they’re not working double hours on the same shift. And Nagoski , writing “UGH” after every mention of the word “patriarchy” (which I loved). That’s why I decided to ask this question:

Why women though?

Women are more likely to be affected by anxiety disorders due to several interconnected factors. Biological differences, such as hormonal fluctuations related to menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, can influence mood and anxiety levels. Psychosocial stressors, including societal expectations and experiences of discrimination or violence, also play a significant role.

Additionally, women may cope with stress differently; they are more likely to ruminate on their worries, which can worsen anxiety. There’s also a tendency for women to seek help and report their symptoms more often than men, contributing to higher diagnosed rates. Furthermore, women are at a greater risk of experiencing certain traumas, such as sexual abuse, which can increase the likelihood of developing anxiety disorders later in life.

I see. You mention quite a lot of stressors. Do you have the capability to summarize it in one?

Certainly! The primary reason women are more likely to experience anxiety disorders is due to a combination of biological and psychosocial stressors, which include hormonal fluctuations and societal pressures that can lead to increased stress and anxiety.

At this point I was quite irritated, maybe because I already know the harsh truth taught by living around a lot of men who have misinterpreted the song “It’s a man’s man’s man’s  world”.

I meant in one word, one stressor.

Got it! If I had to summarize it into one stressor, I would say societal expectations.

There you go, ChatGPT. You are learning.

Social expectations. Like those of mothers to care for their newborn children but not to be tired. To be energized, fun and the person they were before. Regardless, of that they are now responsible for a new human life. As said by Nagoski”And it’s not limited to the inevitable insomnia-fest that is caring for a newborn, during which, of course, mothers in heterosexual couples are much more likely than fathers to interrupt their sleep to care for a child; this persists through the preschool years, regardless of which partner has a full-time job“,  in the chapter on how sleep is important to avoid burnout. Demonstrating that women are expected to do it all. Carry out an uneven burden of labor, while simultaneously taking care of herself, getting in enough sleep, fresh air and exercise. To be a superwoman or an inhumane girlboss who just has it all because at the end of the day she is a woman and a mother so what else would she do. 

And I continued:

That’s interesting. And who is at fault for that?

The prevalence of societal expectations as a stressor is a complex issue with no single “fault.” It stems from a combination of historical, cultural, and social factors.

Cultural norms and values, which often dictate gender roles and expectations, play a significant role. These norms can be perpetuated by various institutions, including family structures, education systems, media representations, and workplace dynamics.

Ultimately, it’s a collective responsibility involving society as a whole to challenge and change these expectations. By promoting gender equality, advocating for mental health awareness, and encouraging open discussions about stressors and coping mechanisms, we can work toward reducing the impact of societal expectations on mental health.

It’s a “collective responsibility”. I liked that. But God, I just wanted it to say it.

Let’s be friends for a moment. Why don’t you just say the name of the stressor?

Sure! The stressor is society.

Which part of the society has expectations towards women? In one simple word.

Culture. 

Sorry, I meant part as in people.

Got it! The part of society would be everyone.

Everyone. Right. While I certainly didn’t want to oversimplify the issue, it’s important to acknowledge that the interaction of power and gender extends beyond that.

But we are talking about women. You referred to women being more prone to anxiety. Which part of the society causes that?

Apologies for the misunderstanding! The part of society that often has expectations toward women is men. 

I ended it with a humorous note: 

There you go, Jameela Jamil would be proud.

Not only Jameela, but any woman who has come face-to-face with societal pressures, or in the words of Nagoski, “patriarchy (UGH)”. The societal pressures which have created conditions where a woman’s hour has to encompass everything. She has to be present, active, do all of the household labour and find time to be a friend, a wife and a hot bitch who is climbing the corporate ladder. She has to be Barbie, the woman who had it all and looked good doing it. But rather than acknowledging the unequal distribution of expectations that are so deeply rooted in our society, we resort to catching all arguments about whose fault the ever growing epidemic of anxiety is. Fighting over if women have the right to choose a bear over a man in the woods or not, rather than focusing on the systematic negative influence patriarchy has on us. Ugh. 

Disclaimer: 

The team of Europe and Me acknowledges the concerns regarding the high usage of water by chatGPT. After writing the article and editing it we were made aware of this issue by a third party and would like to emphasize we don’t encourage the unnecessary usage of AI for writing of articles, and Europe and Me will not be partaking in further interviews with AI in the future.