Mind launches new website to help women with mental health problems
Women with mental health problems are not exercising because of bad experiences with PE at school, putting them at greater risk of poor physical and mental health, according to the charity Mind.
More than half of women (57%) do not participate in sport because they were not good at PE at school, while nearly half (43%) feel it is too competitive.
In response, Mind has launched a new motivational website to help women with mental health problems choose a sport which is suitable for them, enabling them to take the first step and get active to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
Women with mental health problems are more likely to have physical health problems such as diabetes and heart disease so being active can be really important for looking after their physical health.
Mind’s new website is part of the charity’s physical activity project, Get Set to Go, supported by Sport England and the National Lottery.
The new site asks people to select reasons stopping them from exercising, and provides practical tips and real life stories to inspire people take the first step, and reap the benefits of an active lifestyle.
Twenty-two year old Louise from London was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder in her second year of university. She started running with help from Couch to 5k after her GP encouraged her to try exercise and has found that running helps her to manage her mental health.
Louise said:
“I’ve found that running has made a real difference to how I cope with my anxiety. I was very unwell last July after I finished university but running makes me feel in control of the monsters in my brain. As well as giving me more energy and increasing my fitness, being active has made me appreciate my body.
“Running was a battle with my mind, more than my body, which is true for runners with or without mental health problems. But I’m glad that I pushed through the negative thoughts telling me to stop running as I'm so much more positive now. And fitter!”
Women currently exercise less often than men but want to do more physical activity, so Mind is calling on women to use the charity’s new website to help them break down the common barriers – including feeling worried about taking part by themselves and fear of crowded spaces – which stop them from getting started.
Hayley Jarvis, Community Programmes Manager (Sport) at Mind, said:
“We know that having a mental health problem can make getting active more difficult. The thought of joining a running group when you have bipolar disorder, depression or OCD can stop you in your tracks – but a mental health problem doesn’t have to prevent anybody from getting active.
“Our new website is full of practical tips and inspirational real life stories which can help people take the first step, and reap the benefits of an active lifestyle.
“Being active can be an enjoyable, fun and social way of looking after your physical and mental health. Lots of people tell us it is a great way to socialise and make new friends – and there is a huge number of activities people can do if they struggle with social situations or new faces.”
