A Call to Take Us Seriously

Kyleigh Leist

Marketing Director

May is a pivotal month—Mental Health Awareness Month and Women’s Health Month are both here, and for me, it’s a time to reflect on how women’s health—mentally and physically—has often been dismissed, overlooked, or just not taken seriously.

As someone who is open about my battle with major depressive disorder, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and health issues that have been pushed aside by doctors, I know firsthand what it feels like when you're not heard. Too many times, women’s pain is minimized, and the message is clear: our struggles don’t matter as much. But it’s time to change that. We deserve to be taken seriously—our health matters.

It Isn't “It’s All In Our Head”

For years, I’ve heard people tell me that my mental health struggles are “just stress” or “hormones.” I’ve been told, “It’s all in your head,” more times than I care to admit. But here’s the truth: mental health isn’t a simple “fix.” It’s complex, hard to explain to the ones who don't get it, and it's real.

As women, we're often told that our pain—whether it’s physical or emotional—isn’t as serious as it feels. It’s minimized to something “normal,” or just a part of being a woman. That’s not just frustrating—it’s harmful. Our experiences are valid, and no one should tell us that it’s all in our heads just because they don’t understand or want to address it.

“Too Emotional” – Why This Label Needs to End

And then there’s the constant label we’re slapped with: “too emotional.” How many times have you been called “too dramatic” or “overreacting” when trying to express how you feel? I’ve heard it more times than I care to admit, and it’s incredibly frustrating. It’s a label that makes us feel like our emotions aren’t valid, that we need to hold back, hide what’s really going on inside, and suppress the feelings that are just as real as anyone else’s.

We’ve all been there—having our emotions brushed off, being told to “calm down” when we’re simply trying to make sense of the chaos in our heads. Women are constantly told we’re too much when, in reality, we’re not asking for permission to feel. We’re asking to be heard.

Our Problems Aren’t “Normal”—We Deserve to Be Heard

When it comes to physical health, women often face a similar struggle. I can’t even count how many times I’ve had doctors brush off my symptoms or tell me that what I’m experiencing isn’t serious. If it’s not “hormonal,” it’s often treated as “nothing to worry about.”

But I’m here to say: our health issues are not “normal,” and they’re not something to be shrugged off. Conditions are often dismissed or misdiagnosed, leaving us to suffer in silence. It’s time for women’s health to get the attention it deserves—because it’s real, and it’s serious. JUST. LISTEN. TO. US.

When Your Mind and Body Are Both Ignored: The Cycle of Dismissal

The reality is, mental and physical health are deeply connected. When one suffers, the other feels it too. For me, chronic stress and anxiety often show up physically—whether through pain, fatigue, or sleep issues. But because both mental and physical health issues are often brushed aside, we end up in a cycle of dismissal that only worsens our condition.

When our concerns are ignored, it leaves us feeling unheard and invisible. We need to break that cycle, starting with how we listen to and support each other as women.

Take Us Seriously—End of Story

It’s time to stop dismissing women’s struggles—whether mental or physical. We’re not “too emotional,” and our pain isn’t “all in our heads.” We deserve to be heard, respected, and treated with the care we need.

This Women’s Health Month, let’s start a new conversation. One where we listen to women’s health concerns with the seriousness they deserve. Let’s stop brushing them off. Let’s start taking action.

As someone who has learned the hard way to advocate for myself, I want to remind you—if you’re struggling, you are not alone. Your health matters. You deserve care. You deserve support. And most importantly, you deserve to be heard.

Let’s make this Women’s Health Month a reminder that we are the change we need.

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