Anna Power

Mental health

Sunday 20th Jun

Hi guys,

 

I am standing up to join the Team Black Dog to turn ground-breaking research into lifesaving action.

 

Having suffered from mental health issues since I was a teenager, I'd like to help raise awareness about the importance of being kind and checking in on people, especially in these weirdest of times. Anxiety and depression are arguably becoming more accepted within society, but other mental health issues such as bi-polar disorder, suicide and ADHD in young women are less so. Stigma surrounding mental health conditions can still attract judgmental attitudes and misunderstanding, when it comes to different ways of seeing, questions of medication or seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist. I want to support my friends and fellow students to start talking frankly about their day-to-day struggles and to share strategies for dealing with them. Mental health challenges are not always formally diagnosed medical conditions. Everyone experiences highs and lows, but I think an important conversation needs to be had about how we deal and talk about these issues; and how to seek the right help at the right time.

 

Part of my challenge this July will be giving up alcohol and eating super healthily for a month. Alcohol fuels anxiety and depression and it’s important to recognise that whilst social drinking and going out is great and fun when you’re young, the impact that alcohol has on one’s mental health can be extremely negative. That’s why this July I’m giving up the booze, while getting ready to gear up to my half marathon and raising awareness about mental health.

 

The Black Dog Institute’s mission is to enable mentally healthier lives through innovations in science, medicine, education, public policy and knowledge translation. It is a cause that I am proud to support.

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