10/09/2026
Two women. Two generations. Two very different stories.
At 42, I was burnt out, exhausted, wired but tired and trying to power through.
For a long time, I put it down to work, raising two young children and simply having too much on my plate.
But I knew something wasnât right.
I kept asking questions. I advocated for myself. And eventually, thorough testing revealed significant hormonal imbalances, thyroid issues and what was described to me at the time as adrenal fatigue.
I was able to get answers and take action. My mumâs story was very different.
She struggled at a time when conversations around womenâs hormones and mental health looked very different to the ones we are beginning to have today. She wasnât listened to in the way she deserved to be, and sadly, she ultimately took her own life.
I will never know whether different support or greater understanding would have changed her story.
But I do know this:
People deserve to be heard when they say they donât feel like themselves.
Mental health is complex. Hormones are only one part of that picture, and they are never an explanation for every struggle. But changes in our physical health can affect how we feel mentally too, and that is why I will always encourage people to ask questions, seek support and keep advocating for themselves.
On World Su***de Prevention Day, please check in on the people around you.
And if you are the person struggling, you do not have to carry it quietly. đ
If youâre in the UK and need someone to talk to, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123.
