Study Reveals Women’s Psychological Struggles Often Remain Hidden
December 8, 2025415 VuesTemps de lecture: 3 minutes
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Psychological disorders are no longer solely associated with the violent male archetype perpetuated by cinema for decades. A recent study from the University of Brussels indicates that women may experience deeper psychological distress, often masked by a composed facade and subtle behaviors that can mislead those around them.
For years, portrayals of male psychological disturbances have dominated film, from characters like "Patrick Bateman" in American Psycho to "The Joker" in The Dark Knight, where mental illness is depicted through violence, chaos, and impulsivity. However, the study reveals that women suffer from a different, more complex type of psychological disorder that is less visible.
A Silent Struggle Behind a Calm Exterior
The research, which involved 492 participants, found that women exhibiting traits of the "dark triad"—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychological disorders—often experience two profound psychological states:
1. Emotional Blindness: Difficulty or inability to understand or express one's own emotions.
2. Anhedonia: A near-total loss of pleasure and motivation, even in simple daily activities.
Interestingly, this relationship between psychological traits and emotional factors was not as pronounced in men, suggesting a need to reassess diagnostic methods for psychological disorders across genders.
Three Reasons for Gender Differences
The researchers propose three main hypotheses to explain the disparity in psychological expression between men and women:
1. Biological Factors: Higher testosterone levels in men may lead them to externalize their issues through aggressive and risk-taking behaviors, while women often internalize their pain, resulting in silent suffering.
2. Social and Cultural Influences: Women are often socialized to suppress pain and direct it inward, whereas men are permitted to express it through anger or violence, reinforcing the differences in how psychological distress appears externally.
3. Historical Trauma: The study indicates that many women with high psychological traits have experienced early painful events, leading to chronic emotional instability and persistent difficulties in emotional regulation.
A Non-Violent Yet More Insidious Disorder
Unlike men who may resort to direct physical violence, women, according to the study, tend to employ more subtle, long-lasting tactics such as emotional manipulation, relational control, indirect abuse, and rumor-spreading, exploiting stereotypes that portray them as calm and weak.
This poses a significant risk; many women suffer in silence for years without a proper diagnosis simply because their symptoms do not align with the traditional "cinematic" model of psychological disorders.
Implications for Future Diagnosis and Treatment
These findings represent not just a fleeting scientific discovery, but could mark a pivotal moment in understanding women's mental health. They highlight the shortcomings of traditional diagnostic tools and advocate for the development of more precise approaches that consider emotional and physiological differences between genders.
The study reveals that psychological disorders are not a one-size-fits-all issue but a complex mosaic of biological, psychological, and social factors. Understanding this complexity may be key to identifying millions of cases that have gone unnoticed simply because they "appeared normal."
For years, portrayals of male psychological disturbances have dominated film, from characters like "Patrick Bateman" in American Psycho to "The Joker" in The Dark Knight, where mental illness is depicted through violence, chaos, and impulsivity. However, the study reveals that women suffer from a different, more complex type of psychological disorder that is less visible.
A Silent Struggle Behind a Calm Exterior
The research, which involved 492 participants, found that women exhibiting traits of the "dark triad"—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychological disorders—often experience two profound psychological states:
1. Emotional Blindness: Difficulty or inability to understand or express one's own emotions.
2. Anhedonia: A near-total loss of pleasure and motivation, even in simple daily activities.
Interestingly, this relationship between psychological traits and emotional factors was not as pronounced in men, suggesting a need to reassess diagnostic methods for psychological disorders across genders.
Three Reasons for Gender Differences
The researchers propose three main hypotheses to explain the disparity in psychological expression between men and women:
1. Biological Factors: Higher testosterone levels in men may lead them to externalize their issues through aggressive and risk-taking behaviors, while women often internalize their pain, resulting in silent suffering.
2. Social and Cultural Influences: Women are often socialized to suppress pain and direct it inward, whereas men are permitted to express it through anger or violence, reinforcing the differences in how psychological distress appears externally.
3. Historical Trauma: The study indicates that many women with high psychological traits have experienced early painful events, leading to chronic emotional instability and persistent difficulties in emotional regulation.
A Non-Violent Yet More Insidious Disorder
Unlike men who may resort to direct physical violence, women, according to the study, tend to employ more subtle, long-lasting tactics such as emotional manipulation, relational control, indirect abuse, and rumor-spreading, exploiting stereotypes that portray them as calm and weak.
This poses a significant risk; many women suffer in silence for years without a proper diagnosis simply because their symptoms do not align with the traditional "cinematic" model of psychological disorders.
Implications for Future Diagnosis and Treatment
These findings represent not just a fleeting scientific discovery, but could mark a pivotal moment in understanding women's mental health. They highlight the shortcomings of traditional diagnostic tools and advocate for the development of more precise approaches that consider emotional and physiological differences between genders.
The study reveals that psychological disorders are not a one-size-fits-all issue but a complex mosaic of biological, psychological, and social factors. Understanding this complexity may be key to identifying millions of cases that have gone unnoticed simply because they "appeared normal."
