5 Inspiring Women Who Advocate for Mental Health
Around 10 million American adults live with a mental health illness, and nearly 30% of women in the United States live with a mental health condition and are twice as likely to experience depression than men. However, there is still a stigma around discussing mental health.
It’s easy to feel alone if you struggle with mental health, but chances are that many people are living with the same thoughts, feelings and physical changes that you are experiencing.
When well-known people discuss their struggles, it helps ignite essential conversations and encourage others to seek help and share their experiences. These five inspiring women are moving hard conversations forward and making a difference in the country and the world.
michelle obama
After the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Former first lady Michelle Obama spoke out about her mental health struggles. She struggled with low-grade depression during the pandemic and the various struggles 2020 brought to the country. She encouraged Americans to feel their feelings without shame and to talk with each other about individual struggles. In 2021, Michelle spoke about how everyone has struggles and how it’s necessary to take care of yourself and others, and make mental health a normal part of conversation.
dr. joy harden bradford
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a licensed psychologist and creator of the podcast “Therapy for Black Girls,” which was named Best Health & Wellness Podcast in 2021. She aims to make mental health resources more accessible for Black women, who are often left out of these conversations. Studies have shown that less than 5% of mental health providers are Black, which can often deter women of color from seeking treatment. Dr. Joy is taking important strides to bridge the gap between Black women and the mental health information they may not have always been able to access.
simone biles
Gymnast Simone Biles got international attention after she experienced the “twisties” – a mental block that occurs mid-air – during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Filled with the pressure of being the “World’s Greatest Gymnast,” Simone dealt with a lot during the games, including the unexpected loss of a loved one. She opened up that she still struggles with anxiety around doing gymnastics and didn’t do some moves on tour because of it. Not only has she since become a mental health advocate but by doing so, she has raised awareness for a potentially deadly condition gymnasts face.
selena gomez
After canceling 55 tour performances in 2016, actress and singer Selena Gomez opened up about her mental health struggles with depression and anxiety. In a new documentary, she reveals she had an episode of psychosis in 2018. Filmed over six years, Selena explained that she wanted to release the documentary to encourage people to discuss their struggles. She has since revealed that she has bipolar disorder, which doctors identified as the cause for the psychosis and is receiving treatment.
jameela jamil
Jameela Jamil is an actress, model, radio host and writer who is a mental health activist. Jameela is a survivor of sexual assault and attempted suicide and speaks openly about her mental health struggles. In 2018, she founded the “I Weigh” community to promote weighing people by achievement, not the scale numbers platform focusing on inclusivity and social and mental health advocacy. Jameela aims to normalize conversations on hard topics and advocates changing social media policies on diet culture advertisements for minors.
advocating for mental health
Mental health is just as important as physical health, and these brave women are helping lead the movement to destigmatize discussions surrounding it.
Cora Gold is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. She has a passion for writing about ways to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life, especially for new moms.