In light of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're honoured to feature a heartfelt blog post by b, halfmoon ambassador and founder of SAOR Studio Nat Harrison. Nat's journey with anxiety began when she was 18, and through her story, she sheds light on the importance of mental health awareness and the unique struggles women face. Keep reading for Nat's personal tips and insights on managing mental well-being, fostering resilience, and building a supportive community.
"When I was 18 and starting university, I experienced serious anxiety that forced me to pull out of school temporarily. I felt lost, panicked, and terrified, not understanding what was going on with me. I was too embarrassed and afraid of judgment to speak up, so I kept everything bottled up and isolated myself.
Eventually, I gained the courage to ask my family for help, and that was the first step in a life-long journey of self-discovery and healing. It wasn't a quick fix, but I uncovered tools to help me deal with anxiety and face life's challenges more resiliently and gracefully.
In a world where women's mental health often gets brushed aside, it's so important to shed light on our unique struggles. Research from CAMH shows that women get diagnosed with mental health issues twice as often as men, but only 3% of funding goes towards studying women's mental health. Women also usually get diagnosed much later than men, partly because their symptoms present differently.
Understanding how our bodies and minds work together emphasizes why we need more research and support for women's mental health. With mental health symptoms like depression and anxiety so widespread, we need to address these issues openly and with empathy.
Sharing our struggles through vulnerability can build resilience and bring us together. When we speak up about what we're going through, we create a supportive community that can be very soothing and healing.
My book, 'Return To You,' aims to break down the stigma around women's mental health by sharing my journey and tools that helped me. By starting these conversations, I hope to empower women to seek help when they need it.
I encourage the women at SAOR Studio to share their own stories of strength and struggle. Collectively we acknowledge that we all face challenges – there's no need to hide what we're going through. By opening up, we can create a caring community where women support each other in their mental health journeys."
Just as nature has a way of healing, embracing our vulnerabilities and asking for help can lead to amazing personal growth. Let's come together as a group of strong women, supporting each other towards overall well-being. United, we can reshape how we talk about women's mental health and create a more inclusive and compassionate world.
