Welcome to Mental Health Awareness Month!
This month is dedicated to raising awareness on mental health concerns and breaking stigmas surrounding mental health. This topic is especially important to discuss in the community of women with bleeding disorders. Women are often diagnosed later in life, after years of living with symptoms. Stigmas surrounding periods means young girls often have to suppress talking about their heavy menstrual cycles, which can result in feelings of isolation. When they do receive a diagnosis, it is often after rounds of self-advocacy with healthcare providers because women didn’t feel heard or validated. These experiences can take a heavy mental toll on you! To learn more about how women with bleeding disorders are affected by mental health, check out this Wednesday Webinar led by Dr. Angela Weyand.
This month, I want to encourage us all to have more candid conversations on mental health and help create safe spaces for others to share their mental health concerns openly and free of judgement. Don’t know how to get started? NHF recently launched a Mental Health webpage full of resources and avenues for support. This page has information on how to be better informed about mental health topics and who to reach out to for help. You’ll also find a downloadable page of Crisis Links that direct you to the appropriate telephone numbers and websites if you are facing a mental health emergency.
Please use these resources to prioritize your mental health this month and share the message with others. Everyone deserves to feel supported through their mental health journey, and I hope these resources can help provide that support.
