Money Anxiety: Why Women’s Mental Health Suffers More in Financial Uncertainty

For many women, money anxiety is rarely driven by greed or ambition. Rather, it is an emotional response for stability and safety. It can manifest as a persistent or quiet apprehension that arises when reviewing the bank account balance. Thoughts such as “Will we be safe?” or “How can I protect those that depend on me?” are note uncommon.

The root emotion is often fear. It is the fear of letting those down that you are responsible and care for.

Money has never been just numbers on a screen. It is emotional. It represents security, freedom, stability, and sometimes love. When life feels financially uncertain, those meanings shake too, often resulting in big feelings that impact our daily lives.

//Women feel financial pressure more deeply

Women are often raised to carry everyone’s wellbeing in their hands. We plan, we anticipate, and we protect. We think about what the children need, what the household needs, and what our loved ones might need next. When money becomes unstable, it can feel like a profound threat to our ability as a caregiver, impacting our identity and sense of control.

Many women also face realities that make this anxiety sharper: career breaks for caregiving, the gender pay gap, or the constant pressure to “keep it together.” Even when things look fine from the outside, the emotional cost can be high.

For stay-at-home mothers, this anxiety can be even more complex. Many women in the UAE have limited or no independent finances and rely on what their partner provides. While this arrangement may work well for some families, for others it can create an undercurrent of fear and dependency. When access to money is controlled or monitored, it can leave women feeling powerless or invisible. The loss of financial autonomy often translates into emotional distress, eroding confidence and the feeling that you have control over your own life and choices.

It is not uncommon to see women on social media sharing experiences of having to “ask” for essentials or justify their spending. This can feel demeaning and isolating. Over time, this dynamic may lead to resentment, shame, or anxiety about one’s future security. In some instances, financial control can also cross into emotional control, especially when money becomes a way to dictate freedom or decisions within the household.

Recognizing these patterns is not about blame but about awareness. Every woman deserves to feel safe, respected, and informed in her financial life, regardless of whether she works outside the home or not.

For mothers, that anxiety can feel like an invisible load. It can show up as sleepless nights, irritability, guilt when spending on yourself, or a feeling of tightness in your chest when the topic of money comes up. It is not only about the bills. It is about feeling responsible for everyone’s safety and happiness.

A recent report from the London School of Economics found that women demonstrated significantly higher physiological stress markers such as elevated cortisol compared to men when discussing household finances.

// What money anxiety can look and feel like

It often starts quietly. You might notice your thoughts spiraling into “what if” scenarios that never end. What if something happens to my job? What if prices keep rising? What if I fail my family? All these fuel a cycle of anticipatory stress.

That constant mental loop can wear you down. It can cause tension or resentment with your partner, lead to overthinking every purchase, or make you want to avoid your finances altogether. Some women cope by over-controlling and tracking every detail, while others cope by not looking at their accounts at all. Both come from the same underlying fear of loss, inadequacy or instability.

// How to start easing the pressure

The first step is to remind yourself that you are not alone in feeling this way. Money anxiety is common, especially during uncertain times, and it does not mean you are failing. It means you care.

Try a few small shifts that can help:

1. Name what you feel. Saying “I feel anxious about money right now” gives your emotions a place to go. It makes them real and less overwhelming.

2. Separate facts from fear. Write down what is true and what is worrying. Seeing it on paper can quiet the noise in your head.

3. Create gentle structure. Set a short weekly check-in with yourself or your partner. Make a cup of tea, light a candle, and look at your finances together. The predictability helps you feel in control.

4. Take care of your body first. A racing mind often starts with a tense body. Breathe, stretch, walk, or pause before making money decisions. Calm first, decide later.

5. Reach out for help. You do not have to figure this out alone. Whether it is a therapist or financial advisor, guidance gives clarity and peace of mind.

// How therapy can help you breathe again

In therapy, the focus is not only on budgeting or problem-solving. It is on understanding what money represents for you. For many women, it connects to deeper stories about worth, independence, and redefining security.

A therapist can help you unpack those beliefs and explore where they came from. Together, you can learn how to manage the physical and emotional signs of anxiety so that financial uncertainty no longer controls your mood or relationships.

If you are the one who always holds everything together, it can feel uncomfortable to admit you are struggling. But getting support does not mean weakness. It means giving yourself the same care you give everyone else.

Financial ups and downs will always exist. But when you stop defining your peace of mind by your bank balance, you start to build a calmer, more grounded sense of security from within. Money becomes what it was meant to be: a resource, not a ruler.

// Yasmeen Ibrahim, Counselling Psychologist, Adult Specialist at Sage Clinics

You can find out more about Yasmeen Ibrahim and the team at Sage Clinics: here. For more information about the services Sage Clinics offers or to book an appointment please contact +971 4 575 5684, at appointments@sage-clinics.com or through the chat function in the bottom right corner of the website.