In honor of International Women's Day, on March 8th, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with two mental health warriors:
Jamie Gray Hyder, you may recognize her for the role as Lieutenant Nora Salter in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare or her role as Detective Katriona Tamin in Law & Order SVU.
Elise Banks, as Miss Texas she went on to win 2015's Miss international with her platform "Healthy Mind – Successful Life", traveling all over the world to discuss mental health.
Video Title: Gender & Mental Health: NAMI Ambassadors Discuss Challenges and Support for Women on International Women’s Day
Summary:
Women feeling guilt and the struggles in taking time for mental health care:
- Women face guilt for taking time for therapy while juggling multiple responsibilities, roles and unbalanced expectations.
- The struggle to overcome idealized versions and social media pressure is particularly challenging for young people.
Personal journey led to career in mental health with NAMI:
- Saw emotional toll of Alzheimer's on family, sparked interest in mental health
- Overcame struggles of rejection, learned not to personalize it
Failures and rejections can lead to growth and success:
- Embracing failures and learning from them can make us stronger and more resilient.
- Using setbacks as motivation to achieve future success is a powerful mindset.
Prioritize self-care and recognizing achievements for better mental health:
- Women face societal pressures and expectations that affect their mental well-being
- The emphasis on appearance can overshadow the other valuable contributions made
Positive examples and showing the layers of the journey is important:
- Heralding the achievements of women who are willing to be open about their struggles.
- Encouraging open conversations and seeking support from someone trustworthy
- You don't have to suffer alone; help is available.
- It's important to actively listen and meet people where they are in their journey.
- It's okay to seek help even if you're not in crisis
Navigating peer pressure, self-trust, and boundaries
- Navigating the impact of peer pressure and social media on young women.
- Importance of building a relationship with oneself, trusting and recognizing the need to prioritize mental well-being over people-pleasing.
- Normalizing the conversation about rescheduling with friends
- Establishing and respecting personal boundaries, and knowing one's energy limits
Recognizing and embracing self-worth:
- Struggles can lead to personal growth and confidence
- Understanding and valuing what makes you unique
Encouragement to survivors of trauma:
- Survivors should understand that the trauma happened to them, not because of them.
- Advocacy for self-worth and grounding oneself in personal identity.
Change is inevitable; endure the present moment as progress:
- Recognize that even feeling better before is progress.
- In times of darkness, hold on, the next page is coming.
Validation and sharing experiences are vital for mental health.
- It's important to know that others have gone through similar experiences and emotions, and it's okay to seek help.
- Recognizing that YOU ARE NOT ALONE in your struggles.