Islamic preachers everywhere are seen propagating that:

According to the WHO Report, depression is found to be approximately 1.5 times more common in women than in men, and it is at its most alarming level in Western countries. One reason for this is that women face a double burden: career and family responsibilities, while their supportive family system has collapsed.

Our Response:

The uncomfortable truth is that Muslim women in Islamic countries experience even higher levels of depression, despite not carrying any so-called “double burden.” Many of them are confined within their homes in the name of Islamic modesty and honor (ghayrah), yet their confinement and dependence have not made them happier or more mentally stable.

Dear Readers!

The very first thing to remember is that this world is not perfect, because there is no 100% perfect Allah (God) present in the heavens who could have made this world perfect for humans. Therefore, whatever system is created in this world, whether religious or non-religious, it will inevitably have some challenges and flaws.

The modern Western lifestyle, which often requires people to work both outside and inside the home, may presents difficulties for some that can contribute to stress and depression.

However, for many, work outside the home is a welcome change of daily routine and a source of meaning and happiness.

Conversely, for human psychology, it is not work, but stagnation which is the true enemy. Keeping someone locked inside a house for 24 hours in the name of “protection” or “modesty” deprives them of meaning, autonomy, and growth. This monotony itself becomes a breeding ground for depression.

Furthermore, this social stress is not exclusive to women. Western men are increasingly expected to handle external careers while also taking on greater responsibilities within the home. Therefore, the "social" challenges that cause depression are shared by both Western women and men.

However, the factors that may cause additional depression in women than in men are not social reasons; rather, they stem from "nature" and are "biological" reasons.

1. Menstrual Cycle

  • During the monthly cycle, there are rapid changes in hormones like Estrogen and Progesterone.

  • These fluctuations affect the brain's Serotonin system, which controls mood.

  • This is why many women suffer from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) or, in more severe cases, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), which causes depression-like symptoms.

Research Reference:

2. Pregnancy

During pregnancy, hormonal, physical, and psychological changes occur simultaneously. Many women suffer from “antenatal depression” (depression during pregnancy). The reasons for this include:

  • Physical stress and hormonal changes

  • Sleep disruption

  • Worry about the future

  • Physical weakness or pain

Research Reference:

3. Postpartum Period

Postpartum Depression immediately after childbirth is a well-known problem. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of women experience depression after giving birth. The reasons for this include:

  • Hormonal changes (sudden drop in estrogen and progesterone)

  • Lack of sleep

  • Physical exhaustion

  • Social pressure and responsibility for childcare

Research Reference:

4. Menopause

During menopause, estrogen levels continuously decline, affecting the brain's neurotransmitters. These changes can cause depression, anxiety, sleep loss, and mood swings.

Research Reference:

Therefore, the rate of depression in women is 1.5 times higher than in men, but scientists agree that the major reasons for this difference are biological and hormonal, which are not due to the Western system but are from nature, and these same natural reasons are the major cause of depression in women even in Muslim countries (as we will see next).

But it is important to note one thing clearly:

The West is not perfect, yet it has at least recognized these biological realities and is trying to spread awareness about them. Western societies openly discuss women’s mental and physical struggles during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Men are increasingly encouraged to understand women’s biological fragility during these phases, to support them emotionally and practically. Some countries even provide paid menstrual leave and workplace flexibility, acknowledging that hormonal and physical stress can affect a woman’s performance and well-being.

This growing awareness shows that the West, despite its flaws, is making an honest effort to bridge the biological gap through empathy and understanding, something that remains largely ignored or silenced in traditional Muslim societies.

 

Depression in Islamic countries like Pakistan is much higher than in Western Countries

Let's now talk about the general rate of depression in Islamic countries, and particularly the rate of depression in women, which is often much higher than in the West. Especially in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, etc.

For example:

  • National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (2022)
    According to this survey, the weighted point prevalence of mental health problems in adults in Pakistan is approximately 31.6%. This means that nearly one in every three individuals is affected by some mental health condition. This number is many times higher compared to Western countries. medrxiv.org
    In the same survey, the rate of depressive disorder is reported to be approximately 17.8%. medrxiv.org

  • Depression in University Students
    The rate of depressive symptoms in university students in Pakistan is approximately 42.66%. PMC

  • Depression is a debilitating mood disorder, with a global prevalence estimated at approximately 4.4%. Estimates of its prevalence in Pakistan range between 22% to 60%, which is many times higher than the global rate. ncbi

 

The Rate of Depression in Pakistani Women Compared to Men is Far Higher Than in the West

The next issue is that in Pakistan, women do not face the double burden, and many women are confined to the house in the name of Islamic modesty and honor. Yet, despite this, the level of depression in Pakistani women compared to men is far higher than in Western societies.

Evidence:

  1. Karachi Community Survey
    A community-based study involving 2867 participants found that women were approximately 2.4 times more likely to have anxiety + depressive symptoms than men. PMC

  2. Gilgit-Baltistan Primary Health Study
    A study comparing depression and anxiety in both women and men found that both symptoms were two to three times more common in women. PMC

  3. Burden of mental disorders by gender (Global Burden of Disease Data for Pakistan, 1990–2019)
    According to this study, the disease burden (DALYs) of depressive disorder in women of reproductive age (15-49 years) is significantly higher than in men: 3.89% (95% CI: 2.73-5.29) in women compared to approximately 2.37% (95% CI: 1.62-3.25) in men. Cambridge University Press & Assessment

  4. Quetta Study
    A research study in Quetta city using the PHQ-9 Questionnaire found that approximately 63% of all participants had depressive symptoms, and 61% of them were women. journalajrimps.com

  5. Karachi Elderly Survey
    The rate of depression in elderly individuals in Karachi was found to be approximately 40.6%, with women accounting for about 50% while men accounted for 32%. Springer Medizin

Thus, it is true that when a woman has to work outside in the West, it is a challenge, and such challenges can cause depression.

However, this depression in Pakistani Muslim women is far higher compared to Western women. Firstly, depression is generally higher in Pakistan (in both men and women), and secondly, the rate in Pakistani women is two to three times higher compared to men (whereas in the West, this rate is 1.5 times compared to men).

 

When you take autonomy away from women in Islamic societies, it causes depression

Why is the gap in depression between Muslim women and men larger than in Western societies?

When women are forced to live under unnatural restrictions, such as being forbidden to speak freely with men in the name of modesty, being compelled to wear hijab, or being confined within the four walls of a house, their autonomy is taken away. When women cannot make decisions for themselves, the result is often deeper depression and emotional distress.

What are the psychological consequences of a social system where women’s movement, work, and interactions are severely restricted?

When people lose the ability to make their own decisions about daily life, movement, work, or social interactions, they experience a deep sense of powerlessness. This loss of control is a major risk factor for depression and anxiety. Psychologically, it resembles learned helplessness, where repeated experiences of having no control teach the mind to expect failure, even when the situation later changes.

  • A study comparing autonomy and mental health among German and Turkish women found that autonomy satisfaction strongly predicted better mental health in both groups. When autonomy was suppressed, depression and distress increased. PubMed

  • Another large-scale U.S. study found that lower state-level women’s status and autonomy—measured by factors such as women’s political and economic rights—were linked with higher depressive symptoms among individual women. ScienceDirect

  • A recent study among postdoctoral researchers in the U.S. showed that work-method autonomy and boundary control (control over when and where one works) were associated with better life balance. Those with higher autonomy reported fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. Frontiers

  • In workplaces, increasing autonomy is known to improve mental health. A UK-based study found that higher work autonomy is linked to better well-being. Interestingly, men and women benefit in different ways. Men and women in higher occupational positions showed stronger mental health gains from increased autonomy than women in lower occupational classes. SpringerLink

These examples do not deal directly with forced domestic confinement (like in Islamic societies), yet they demonstrate a universal psychological truth: autonomy is essential for mental health across all cultures and settings.

We also believe that women from strict religious Muslim families are among the most silenced victims. They are often not even allowed to take part in surveys or research, let alone speak openly about their emotional suffering. Behind the closed doors of such households, countless women carry the heavy burden of loneliness, fear, and depression, yet their pain remains invisible to the world. 

Simply don't let your women report depression / marital rape / domestic violence / dissatisfaction, and those problems will just magically go away!

Thus, these statistics we see are only the tip of the iceberg; the true suffering of these women is far deeper and hidden in silence.

Final Words:

Yes, Western women also face social pressures like workplace stress, work–family balance, (and even sexism as the western society is not 100% fault free), etc. These contribute to depression in both men and women. But:

  • In Western systems, many women retain some autonomy like ability to leave the home, choose education, work, interact freely.

  • The presence of structural support (laws, cultural norms, mental health awareness) mitigates the severity of those pressures.

  • The gap in depression rates between women and men in many Western studies is around 1.5×, not 2–3× (like in Islamic countries).

Thus, the greater disparity in many Muslim contexts cannot be fully explained by Western-style social challenges. The amplifying factor is the additional suppression of autonomy and agency, forcing women into dependency, isolation, and psychological stagnation.

What Muslim women have to face in the name of "Ghayrah and Modesty", that you can see in this tradition:

Sahih Muslim, 2236a:

... There was a young man amongst us who had been newly wedded. We went with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (to participate in the Battle) of Trench when a young man in the midday used to seek permission from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to return to his family. One day he sought permission from him and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (after granting him the permission) said to him: Carry your weapons with you for I fear the tribe of Quraiza (may harm you). The man carried the weapons and then came back and found his wife standing between the two doors. He bent towards her smitten by jealousy and made a dash towards her with a spear in order to stab her. She said: Keep your spear away and enter the house until you see that which has made me come out. He entered and found a big snake coiled on the bedding.

Please understand that this is a system that inevitably instils such intense jealousy in a person that they become paranoid, obsessive and insane. And, in their madness, they may immediately seek to kill their women merely for seeing them at the doorstep, in the name of Ghayrah.

This is the depression that women from strict Muslim families are still facing today.