A recent YouGov survey, commissioned by suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), reveals that a significant proportion of young women seeking mental health support have faced discouraging responses, as one-fifth reported being labelled as ‘dramatic’.
Additionally, 27 per cent of those who opened up about their mental health struggles in the past five years were told that their problems may be related to hormones. The concerning increase in suicide rates among women under 25 in the United Kingdom (UK), with one suicide occurring every two days, has been partly attributed to societal stereotypes that often lead to the dismissal of their emotions and symptoms when seeking help, according to recent statistics from The Office of National Statistics (ONS).
CALM conducted a YouGov survey with over 2,000 women, focusing on their experiences when discussing mental health crises, such as panic attacks or manic depression. The results showed that many women felt their concerns were not taken seriously when they tried to seek help. Shockingly, a third of the respondents were asked if they were merely "overthinking things", and 20 per cent were asked if their emotional state was related to their menstrual cycle. The fear of being perceived as "attention-seeking" was also prevalent among 22 per cent of the women surveyed.
Various factors were identified as contributing to mental health crises in women aged 18-34, including body-image concerns, feelings of loneliness, relationship issues, financial worries and the detrimental impact of comparing themselves to others on social media.
In an effort to draw attention to the growing problem of female suicide in the UK, CALM collaborated with Fran Kirby, an England footballer, to create a short film illustrating how women can feel invisible when reaching out for help. The aim was to challenge stereotypes and increase awareness of the unique mental health challenges faced by young women.