Women's mental health in primary care. Depression, anxiety, somatization, eating disorders, and substance abuse

• Published in: The Medical clinics of North America Vol. 82; no. 2; p. 359
• Main Authors: Frank, J B, Weihs, K, Minerva, E, Lieberman, D Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-03-1998
• Subjects: Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis; Anxiety Disorders - therapy; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - therapy; Feeding and Eating Disorders - diagnosis; Feeding and Eating Disorders - therapy; Female; Humans; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental Health; Primary Health Care - methods; Psychophysiologic Disorders - diagnosis; Psychophysiologic Disorders - therapy; Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Substance-Related Disorders - therapy; Women's Health
• ISSN: 0025-7125
• DOI: 10.1016/S0025-7125(05)70611-8

Primary care physicians can improve the care of women patients by applying new concepts of women's physiology and psychosocial development. New developmental models that emphasize the importance of relationships in women's self-concept and well-being have led to effective psychotherapies for depression, eating disorders, anxiety and substance abuse. Many of these therapies can be offered in brief formats suitable to primary care settings. New biological treatments including the use of estrogen, thyroid hormone and bright light for depression and refeeding to increase metabolic rate in eating disorders also promise to expand the range of mental health problems that generalist physicians can treat successfully.