Coastrek Ambassador Georgie Mollison has experienced chronic depression since she was just 14. She wasn’t officially diagnosed until her late teens at a time when mental health was rarely spoken about.
Because of the stigma surrounding mental health, many people didn’t know how to react or help when someone they loved was experiencing depression or anxiety. Georgie says people would literally put their hands up and walk away, not knowing what to say or do.
Thankfully, we’ve come a long way with education, resources and support for mental health. Now in her 40s, Georgie has a better understanding of what helps to manage her mental health.
Georgie shares her four main strategies – and how Coastrek has become an important part of her lifestyle:
Get out in Nature
I’ve loved being in nature for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, I loved climbing trees and bushwalking through the National Parks around Adelaide, where I grew up. I even turned my passion for the outdoors into a career and now work as a wildlife ecologist, so I get to connect with the environment every day.
Exercising outdoors has done wonders for my mental wellbeing – there is something extra special about moving in nature - it keeps me glowing!
Keep moving
I’m a qualified personal trainer, so exercise is a huge part of everyday life. But I’m not just about burpess and pushups,– I love a hardcore hike in the wilderness and recommend including this sort of activity in your routine whenever you can.
As a mum of two young kids with special needs, I know how hard it can be to prioritise exercise and my own health and wellbeing. But I know it’s a must to keep myself on track.
I think as women, we’re very good at looking after everyone else first. And I had to learn the hard way that if I’m not looking after myself, my body and my mental health, I can’t look after anyone else.
Sometimes it’s the small, opportunistic things that make all the difference. The quick walk around the block because you’ve got a gap between meetings, or the extra set of stairs. Often when I’m really busy, they’re the things I get the most joy from.
Connecting with Friends
Friendship plays a huge part in my mental health strategy . I have a small circle of friends who I trust and can open up to and I surround myself with people who make me sparkle.
You need to be able to talk. I’ve learnt to surround myself with quality rather than quantity. There are literally only a handful of friends I know I can trust and confide in when I’m struggling.
Be honest – with others and with yourself
If you’re lying to other people, about your mental health or about how you’re feeling, you’re actually lying to yourself a lot of the time. I came to the conclusion only five or six years ago that I was spending so much of my energy pretending I was fine. It’s fantastic to ask for help.
Remember that it’s okay to not be okay and to seek help quickly because support is available.
Help and support is available 24/7 through the Beyond Blue Support Service on 1300 22 4636 and Lifeline on 13 11 14.
