Beyond ‘I’m Fine’: Navigating the Invisible Weight of Women’s Anxiety and Depression

“I’m fine” can be one of the most convincing ways to hide that something is wrong. For many women, anxiety and depression can remain invisible behind careers, relationships, family responsibilities, and the expectation to simply keep going. In this episode, host Gabe Howard talks with psychiatrist Dr. Helen Blair Simpson, Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Director of the Center for OCD and Related Disorders, and an ADAA member expert, about why women experience anxiety and depression at higher rates than men and why so many continue to suffer in silence. Dr. Simpson explains why the difference cannot be reduced to hormones or biology alone. Biological changes across the life span, including pregnancy, postpartum periods, and menopause, interact with psychological and social factors in ways researchers are still working to understand. But how do you know when ordinary stress, sadness, or worry crosses the line into a mental health condition? Dr. Simpson explains why persistence, recurrence, distress, and impairment matter — and why effective treatments are available. Listeners will learn: how stigma keeps women from seeking help why mental health treatment isn’t an instant fix why asking for help is a sign of strength how self-assessments can identify mental health concerns Sometimes “I’m fine” means everything is fine. Sometimes it means, “I don’t know how to ask for help.” This conversation explores the difference. Listen now! Educational funding for this episode has been provided by Lancôme. To learn more about the "I'm Fine" campaign, please visit ImFine.com. “I would never want someone to take away all my sad feelings. That's what makes you feel love and loss. . .” ~H. Blair Simpson, MD, PhD Our guest, Helen Blair Simpson, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical College (CUIMC). A physician-scientist whose research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) since 1999 as well as by foundations and philanthropy, Dr. Simpson uses clinical trials to identify the best treatments for anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), collaborates with neuroscientists to elucidate how the brain produces anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions, and partners with implementation scientists to increase access across New York State to evidence-based care. A past advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) on the classification of anxiety disorders and OCD, co-author of the American Psychiatric Association’s Practice Guidelines for OCD, and Past President of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), Dr. Simpson currently serves as Associate Editor of JAMA Psychiatry. Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. Gabe is also the host of the "Inside Bipolar" podcast with Dr. Nicole Washington. Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com. To learn more about the "I'm Fine" campaign, please visit ImFine.com.