August 2023
Featured in this insight: Public health & wellbeing, Charity & not-for-profit
20% of young women have been called ‘dramatic’ when they have been seeking help for their mental health: A new survey by YouGov has found that 1 in 5 (20%) young women have been called ‘dramatic’ when seeking mental health help, with 27% being told their issues could be ‘hormonal’.
The survey was commissioned by the suicide prevention charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) and carried out by YouGov, polling over 2,000 women aged between 18–34 years.
The women were asked about their experiences of speaking up about their mental health problems, with almost a third of respondents (31%) saying they feared that they wouldn’t be taken seriously when seeking help and 22% fearing they would be seen as ‘attention seeking’.
The survey also found that a third of the women (33%) were asked if they were ‘overthinking things’ and one in five (20%) were asked if they were on their period. Additionally, 19% said they felt dismissed or invisible when they went to go and seek help for their mental health and 33% said they feared being seen as 'too emotional' or 'dramatic'.
Speaking about the results of the survey, CALM’s chief executive, Simon Gunning said this: “Our research shows that even when they do speak up, young women’s feelings and symptoms are frequently dismissed and ignored – often disregarded as over-emotional, hormonal or attention-seeking. These damaging preconceptions are leaving young women unheard and unsupported and lives are at risk like never before.”
View more of our sector specific insights: Public health & wellbeing, Charity & not-for-profit
