Happy International Women’s Day!
Today is a day to celebrate women and we are highlighting women who are living in recovery with mental health conditions and choose to use their platforms to spread awareness.
1. Lady Gaga – PTSD
Marcel de Groot [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
"[I]f you see somebody that's hurting, don't look away. And if you're hurting, even though it might be hard, try to find that bravery within yourself to dive deep and go tell somebody and take them up in your head with you."
2. Michelle Williams – Depression
Michelle Williams keynoting MHA’s 2017 Annual Conference
“I had no plans of what I was going through being public BUT now that it is, I have a made an even BIGGER commitment to the mental health awareness area. So many people are suffering, hurting, hopeless, lost and don’t see a way out but there is.”
3. Letitia Wright – Depression
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
"There might be some of you here that's going through depression, that's going through a bad time, and you're putting on a smile on your face and nobody can see that. But you know it and God knows it, and I just want to encourage you and I just want to say that God loves you and just let your light shine."
4. Emma Stone – Anxiety
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
“It’s so normal, everyone experiences a version of anxiety or worry in their lives and maybe we go through it in a different or more intense way, or for longer periods of time, but there’s nothing wrong with you.”
5. Jameela Jamil – Eating Disorder
aitchisons from United States [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]
"Weighing is not an indication of health. It doesn't mean anything. It shouldn't be part of our narrative, it shouldn't be part of our conversation, [and] you definitely shouldn't be weighing children and then telling them what they weigh ... it just creates so much trauma."
6. Taraji P. Henson – Unspecified mental health condition
NASA/Aubrey Gemignani [Public domain]
“The misconception about celebrities (is) that we have it all together and we’re perfect, and we’re not. Our kids aren’t perfect, we’re suffering and struggling just like the regular person and money doesn’t help.”
7. Chamique Holdsclaw – Bipolar Disorder
Chamique Holdsclaw keynoting MHA’s 2016 Annual Conference
“It’s nothing special. I just know a lot of people suffer in silence, and I’ve got to step up. I’ve got to stand for something and take responsibility. I just know when I’m near, how it impacts people… People are touched or crying or share with me. That’s way better than doing the basketball stuff.”
8. Halsey – Bipolar disorder
Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]
“The thing about having bipolar disorder, for me, is that I’m really empathetic.”
9. Ruby Rose – Depression
Eva Rinaldi [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
“I don't want to ramble on, I'm just feeling reflective because I chose to fight and I thought it meant I'd be able to live. I didn’t think it meant I'd be able to live my dream. I didn’t think it would result in this extraordinary life I get to be a part of now. It just makes me wonder how many others are days, hours, seconds away from realising their worth, their potential. And once the dark cloud is lifted will be truly happy and free.”
Millions of women live with mental health conditions and these women are just the start of a growing movement to bring mental health into the limelight.
Do you have a woman in your life that inspires you to live mentally healthier?
My daily struggle
I understand what these women are feeling. I struggle daily with mental health issues. My mental health condition has taken over my 20's, 30's, 40's but I'm not allowing this disease to take over my 50's. I'm trying very hard to heal my inner self with healthier food choices, drinking plenty of water and I've even started drinking protein shakes in the morning to help with my mental state. I also incorporated running and walking daily for exercise. So far so good! Let's all speak out and help one another. Let's all get involved in trying to combat mental health. There are just too many human being committing suicide.