Breaking the silence: Women speak openly about anxiety, depression and trauma

FOR generations, women have been taught to be the caregivers, the nurturers, and the silent strength behind their families and communities. While these roles are often embraced with love and grace, they sometimes come with an unspoken expectation: to suppress pain, hide struggles, and carry on regardless of emotional turmoil. But in today’s world, silence is no longer strength. Speaking openly about anxiety, depression, and trauma is a courageous and necessary act of healing — for oneself and for others.

With May being recognised as Mental Health Awareness Month, under the theme ‘Turn Awareness into Action’ women are being encouraged to speak openly about anxiety, depression and trauma.

But why do women stay silent?

“The silence around women’s mental health is often rooted in stigma and cultural conditioning,“ says mental health counsellor Angela Dacres. ”Many women fear being labelled as ‘weak’, ‘dramatic’, or ‘unstable’ if they express emotional pain. Others worry about being judged as unfit mothers, unreliable workers, or incapable leaders. In some communities, speaking out is discouraged entirely, and emotional suffering is viewed as something to endure quietly.“

But this silence can be harmful, Dacres said.

”Bottled-up emotions, untreated trauma, and hidden mental health struggles often lead to long-term consequences — including worsening anxiety, physical illness, strained relationships, and even suicidal thoughts. The very strength women are praised for can become a burden when it means carrying unspoken suffering.“

Camille’s conflict

Camille is a 28-year-old teacher at a private high school, who was sexually assaulted in her late teens by a close family friend. She never told anyone. Although she functions well at work, Camille avoids relationships and has panic attacks when touched unexpectedly. During a recent training course on sexual harassment at the school, she became overwhelmed and left the room.

“I feel ashamed 24/7, especially when I observe the innocence of the teenagers that I teach, and how they are privileged and allowed to live their lives unbothered by perverts,” she said. “Nowadays there are so many avenues for them to report without shame, that weren’t available to me. Sometimes I wonder if I’m overreacting, and I do fear being disbelieved or blamed if I speak out now, even though I see decades-old rape cases being prosecuted. I feel this way because the person who harmed me is respected in the church community.“

Dacres speaks about the power of speaking out — ”when a woman speaks openly about her trauma, she does more than unburden herself, she gives permission for others to do the same“.

”Camille has the choice to use her voice to create space for justice and advocacy,“ she said. ”Sharing stories like hers breaks the illusion that everyone else is ‘fine’, and allows others who may also be shy about seeking justice, to act.”

She said that women who speak out also increase awareness and education, especially in communities where the levels of abuse are high, or where coming forward and being an “informer” is taboo.

“Coming forward will challenge outdated norms and contribute to a culture that values exposing wrongs,” she said.

Jennai’s first baby

Jennai is a 31-year-old first-time mother with a healthy newborn daughter. On the outside, she appears to be managing well. On the inside, her thoughts are dark.

“The truth is, I’m struggling,“ she said. ”I’m constantly checking on the baby, I’m always panicking, and this means that I am neglecting my own needs and my own mental health.“

She said she panics at the thought of leaving her baby with anyone else, and often lies awake for hours worrying that she’s doing something wrong, and even if she really wants to be a mother.

“Everyone praises me as a mother who was ‘born for this’, but that’s so far from the truth,“ she said. ”And what that pressure means is that even if I ask for help now, people will think I’m not fit to parent, or that something is mentally off about me. And I don’t want that label.“

Said Dacres: ”Talking about mental health, especially as a new mom, is a form of self-care. It allows women to release guilt, acknowledge pain, and find support. Whether through professional therapy, trusted friends, support groups, or writing, speaking is a step toward healing. It transforms trauma from something that isolates into something that can unite and uplift.“

Moreover, she said, when mothers model emotional honesty, they teach the next generation — especially young girls, their own daughters — that vulnerability is not a flaw, but a strength.

Melissa, the strong one

Melissa is a 42-year-old single mother of three. She’s always been known as “the strong one” who keeps her family going despite hardships. When her mother passed as a teen, she gave up her dreams of college to raise her younger siblings. Then she got pregnant at 23, and continued the mothering cycle.

“Lately I have been feeling increasingly hopeless, tired, and disconnected,” she said. “I cry in the shower, skip meals, and I haven’t enjoyed anything in months. My children do notice that I’m more irritable and withdrawn, but I brush their concerns off.”

She said she feels guilty for feeling depressed, when she has other people depending on her. But, she said, she just wants to be free, and live a little.

”If I admit that I’m struggling I will look weak, and might even lose my children to my ex,“ she said.

Dacres said every woman deserves to live free of shame surrounding her mental health.

“Anxiety, depression, and trauma are not signs of failure — they are human experiences,” she said.

”I’d encourage anyone struggling, that speaking out is not just about surviving; it’s about reclaiming joy, purpose, and connection,“ she said.