 'Are you on your period? It's a common put-down many of us have heard, often used to undermine women if we dare to express anger or upset, trivialising our feelings. So entrenched is the phrase in our collective vocabulary, that women are even asked this by mental health professionals when they're at their most vulnerable. Alarming new data from the charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) reveals one in five women have been asked if they're on their period while in crisis at a mental health facility. It begs the question: if the answer had been 'yes', would they have been treated differently – and not taken seriously? Almost a firth (19%) of young women aged between 18-34 surveyed have felt either dismissed or 'invisible' and now, CALM is launching a new national campaign to address the rising rates of suicide in young women under 25. According to recent ONS data, the statistics are climbing – one woman under the age of 25 dies by suicide every two days – and CALM's research shows how often women are being dismissed. Stereotypes around women can affect whether someone wants to speak up – and how they're received if they do. Almost a quarter have not discussed mental health issues with someone for fear of being seen as 'attention seeking', and a third worry they will be seen as dramatic or too emotional. Among those who have spoken up, 27% were told it could be down to hormones and a third were asked if they were 'overthinking things'. Simon Gunning, CALM CEO, said: '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. 'We must take immediate action and strive to overcome the stigma that hinders women from receiving the recognition they deserve during time){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
‘Are you on your period?
It’s a common put-down many of us have heard, often used to undermine women if we dare to express anger or upset, trivialising our feelings.
So entrenched is the phrase in our collective vocabulary, that women are even asked this by mental health professionals when they’re at their most vulnerable.
Alarming new data from the charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) reveals one in five women have been asked if they’re on their period while in crisis at a mental health facility.