Mental Health Challenges Faced by Pakistani Female Entrepreneurs: A Psychological Analysis

Abstract

Although the feminine psyche faces many challenges, women entrepreneurship in Pakistan is on the rise. Entrepreneurs face a range of mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and stress that are gender specific in nature, which pose far greater difficulties. For any conducive environment to exist for the women entrepreneurs, their mental health concerns must be understood. The goal of this study is to examine the phenomena of stress and coping mechanisms that operate within female entrepreneurs and the expectations society holds concerning their overall mental status. This was a mixed-methods project, which included qualitative interviews with 30 female entrepreneurs as well as quantitative surveys with 150 respondents from different regions of Pakistan. Finances, gender related issues and family responsibilities were some of the cohesive themes for mental health stressors that emerged from the analysis. Most of the participants’ responses pointed towards a scarcity of mental health resources and community support networks. Entrepreneurs are dealing with a mountain of anxiety, stress, feelings of isolation, and more importantly, a lack of funding which is crucial to improving societal support systems. The results of this study indicates that Pakistani female entrepreneurs are in dire need of specialized support and treatment for funding issues which is the primary root for cultural and gender expectations. In Pakistan, female entrepreneurs suffer from mental health problems which result from gendered specific stressors that underline the need for targeted interventions. These issues can be solved through policy intervention, mental health support, and facilitating work life balance, which will lead to the satisfaction and success of female entrepreneurs in Pakistan.