Mental Health Stigma and the Menopause
In 2022 we were delighted to receive funding from the NHSGCC Anti Stigma Fund to deliver Mental Health Stigma and the Menopause, a 6 month combined research and participatory arts project which investigated and documented the lived experiences of individuals who have suffered peri-menopause and menopause related mental health stigma.
From October 2022 we thoroughly researched the subject of perimenopausal and menopausal mental health via published literature, documentaries, online forums, events, talks, and personal meetings with health care practitioners, support group organisers, and individuals with lived experience. This was followed by the facilitation of an 8 week online drop-in participatory arts project in 2023, plus a number of one-off, in person workshops including with members of the Women’s Creative Company and MILK Café in Govanhill.
By the end of the online project the group created a manifesto to be shared with key figures and organisations for the improvement of peri-menopausal and menopausal mental health care. We also hosted a final exhibition and event in GOMA library as an opportunity to unite all participants and raise awareness of our project and the subject of peri-menopausal and menopausal mental health. You can view our publication below, containing creative work and direct quotes from the group, to further raise awareness.
Download our Booklet:
Let’s Normalise It! Stories & Discussions About Menopausal Mental Health
Quotes from Participants
“I was really grateful to be able to participate to tonight, I found it very helpful and inclusive.”
“For me, I’ve got a lot out of it, knowing you’re not the only person whose brain has melted. It’s been good, it’s been really good, I always feel much better after it, even if I’m tired. Just being able to talk to people who get it, who understand it . Just knowing there’s other people feeling it and it’s not just you, you’re not going crazy, is huge. Talking to people and listening to each other and getting a lot of identification, for me , certainly has helped, hugely. It’s just really good to know that menopause sucks and we’re not alone.”
“See when you talk to your people at your work, honestly, I feel so much better for me to be able to just say- It’s been crap, and for other people to say’ I know where you’re coming from.’ HUGE. To be able to get that empathy from people that I hardly know, on a screen, is HUGE. Huge for my mental health!”
“Thank you so much. I learned something from everyone here.”
“Thank you for emailing me every week and making me feel part of this. It’s really helped me feel less isolated.”
