A new report showing high levels of depression (52%), anxiety (44%), body image issues (39%) and insomnia (30%) has prompted a call from public health advocates and researchers for more gender-targeted services to set a better standard of mental health care for Australian women.
Spanning four years of data gathered by Australia's only non-profit organisation solely dedicated to advancing women's mental health, the Liptember Foundation, the report titled 'Beyond the Surface: Investigating the Mental Health Realities for Australian Women in 2025' reveals low self-esteem (50%), financial pressures (45%), low self-worth (42%) and sleep deprivation (40%) are the leading triggers for these mental health problems in women aged 18 to 70.
Nielsen surveyed a nationally representative sample of over 7,000 Australian women in March 2025 to understand the gender-specific mental health issues currently faced by Australian women. This year's research study is a collaboration with the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, founded by The George Institute for Global Health to embed sex and gender considerations into medical education, research and policy.
The annual study, now in its fourth year, shows no reduction in the large numbers of women struggling with poor mental health - 1 in 2 Australian women continue to experience mental health issues in 2025, and almost 1 in 4 have a severe condition. In some areas, such as body image concern in young women, rates of distress are increasing alarmingly.
"Our latest report shows that across all ages and circumstances, poor mental health is severely limiting women's ability to participate fully in their lives. They are being stretched too thin, and the price is their mental health," said Katrina Locandro, Research Lead, Liptember Foundation.
"Women's mental health is not a niche issue – it needs to be a national priority. With no material change in the numbers - and rates creeping up in most areas – many women are being failed by a system that was never designed with their needs in mind," she said.
The Liptember Foundation is urging the Australian Government to improve women's mental health through gender-responsive care, improved training for healthcare professionals, more affordable support, and by integrating mental health into women's general health services.
"It's clear that mental health services need to be reshaped in real and practical ways to respond to women's needs, including physiological differences and variations across life stages. We are calling for practical, achievable reforms that will deliver better mental health outcomes for women," said Ms Locandro.
Clinical psychologist Professor Bronwyn Graham, Director of the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine at The George Institute, Professor of Psychology at UNSW Sydney, and mental health advisor to Liptember Foundation, is a co-author of the report.
"Much of women's burden, such as caring for others, juggling work and home duties, and struggling to meet impossible beauty standards, are invisible but they still have a significant impact on their psychological wellbeing," explained Prof Graham. "Women also often put themselves last, so when they finally do seek help, it's important they don't hit barriers that delay treatment or deter them from getting the support they need."
Despite increased awareness and public conversation around mental health, a significant number of women surveyed (43%) do not seek support, due to stigma, uncertainty about where to go, caring responsibilities, time constraints or out-of-pocket costs to see a psychologist.
"There is a dangerous assumption among decision makers that systems in place are working fine for women, when they're clearly not," said Prof Graham. "Both current services and future initiatives need to consider mental health through a gendered lens – incorporating women's biology, including the critical role of hormones, as well as internalised conditioning and societal expectations placed on women today.
"The Liptember Foundation's research findings are deeply concerning because it shows Australian women are putting up with poor quality of life. But they deserve better - and families, communities and the wider economy benefit when women are happy, healthy and productive."
Key policy recommendations
The Liptember Foundation is putting forward a suite of gender-responsive policy measures to the Australian Government to shift the dial on women's mental health. These include gender-targeted psychological support within health services such as endometriosis clinics; tailored mental health care provisions during puberty, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause; and building mental health considerations into all new policies and services created for women's sexual and reproductive health.
Additionally, the Foundation is asking for: more training, education and awareness for healthcare professionals by updating medical and allied health curricula and continuing professional development to include sex and gender-responsive approaches that integrate mental health with physical health; a new national mental health screening program for expectant mothers; and national clinical guidelines for menopause care including addressing anxiety and depression linked to perimenopause.
To increase affordability and accessibility to mental health support, the Foundation proposes: a fully bulk billed national telehealth service; restoration of 20 Medicare-funded mental health sessions per year; and standardised national guidelines for counsellors and peer workers to allow their inclusion in Medicare Benefits Schedule.
"We created The Liptember Foundation because we recognised there was no organisation solely focused on the big picture of women's mental health in Australia and to provide a voice for women living with poor mental health in policy discussions. Our annual research highlights key trends and patterns that can inform better policy and improve gender-targeted services on the ground," said Founder and CEO, Luke Morris. "Now is the time for the government to build on its recent work in women's physical health by integrating targeted, individualised mental health support, appropriately informed by and developed with the diverse women impacted, that will properly serve the real needs of Australian women today. We're looking forward to talking to Health Ministers about these pressing issues."
Key Facts:
'Beyond the Surface: Investigating the Mental Health Realities for Australian Women in 2025':
· 1 in 2 Australian women continue to experience mental health issues in 2025, with almost 1 in 4 struggling with a severe issue - a persistent rate since 2022
· Women with female-specific physical health conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis are experiencing significantly higher levels of psychological distress than those with non-female specific health or no physical health conditions
· More than 1 in 3 (37%) women experiencing menopause or perimenopause are suffering with perimenopausal depression or anxiety in 2025
· Over 1 in 7 (14%) women with mental health issues report having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
· There are stark increases in the prevalence of body image issues (64% in 2025 vs 48% in 2024) and suicide/self-harm (25% in 2025 vs 16% in 2024) in girls aged 14-19
· 24% of Indigenous women experiencing mental health issues are reporting PTSD; a higher rate than non-Indigenous women with mental health issues 18%
The Top 5 most prevalent mental health issues among Australian women surveyed in 2025:
1. Depression (52%)
2. Anxiety and generalised anxiety disorders (GAD) (44%)
3. Body image issues (39%)
4. Insomnia or other sleep-wake disorders (30%)
5. Illness anxiety disorder (or health anxiety) (20%)
Top 5 triggers underlying women's mental health issues in 2025:
1. Low self-esteem or confidence – 50%
2. Financial stress/pressures – 45%
3. Low self-worth – 42%
4. Sleep deprivation or sleep disturbance – 40%
5. Pressure from by being too hard on own self - 40%
Top 3 barriers to accessing help:
· 37% of women believe they could manage their mental health on their own
· 36% (more than 1 in 3) couldn't afford help or considered it too costly
· 35% of women didn't consider their mental health issues as serious enough to warrant seeking support
Women seeking mental health support can speak with their GP or contact services including: Lifeline ph 13 11 14 / text 0477 13 11 14; 13YARN (139276) (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people); Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 (24/7); Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636; Butterfly National Helpline 1800 33 4673
About us:
The Liptember Foundation
The Liptember Foundation is Australia's leading organisation dedicated to advancing women's mental health. Aimed at addressing the unique and often overlooked mental health challenges faced by women and girls, the Liptember Foundation advocates for the critical need for a gendered approach to research, policy, and mental health care. Through year-round advocacy, funding of targeted research, and development of evidence-based educational programs and resources, the Liptember Foundation collaborates with government, industry, and community to drive meaningful change in how women's mental health is understood and treated across the country. Visit: www.liptemberfoundation.org.au
The George Institute for Global Health
The George Institute for Global Health is an independent medical research institute aiming to improve the health of millions of people worldwide by generating effective, evidence-based and affordable solutions to the world's biggest health challenges. Established in Sydney, with major centres in China, India and the UK, it has projects in more than 45 countries and affiliations with world-class universities. In 2018, The George Institute was ranked the number one independent research institute in Australia by Times Higher Education.
Visit: www.georgeinstitute.org or LinkedIn The George Institute for Global Health
The Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine is an initiative of The George Institute for Global Health, the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW Sydney, and Deakin University, with support from collaborative partners the Victorian Department of Health, and the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI).
