According to the American Psychiatric Association, "Each year, 1 in 5 women in the United States has a mental health problem such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or an eating disorder." And there are many other challenges women can face with their mental health and emotional wellness.
For example, the Office on Women's Health shares, "Women are more than twice as likely as men to get an anxiety disorder in their lifetime." In addition, women may face challenges with their hormones, reproductive mental health, and being victims of abuse.
So, if you feel like you are struggling right now, you're not alone. And sometimes, we can all benefit from some encouragement, inspiration, and even a gentle nudge in a helpful direction.
Thankfully, we can learn from the experiences and stories of others. Their tips and encouragement can help keep you motivated, provide wisdom to help you navigate your situation, and positively shift your thinking.
However, we want to note that while simple internet searches can provide helpful tips and words of encouragement at times, it is not a replacement for finding help from a licensed mental health professional. If you are struggling, we encourage you to reach out for help. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or others, please dial 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.
How to Use These Mental Health Quotes
Listed below are 50 quotes on different mental health topics for women. We encourage you to read through them if you need a little encouragement or motivation. Sometimes when we're struggling, it can help to see that others understand and have struggled and overcome similar challenges.
If any of the quotes connect with you, take a moment to write them down and put them in a place where you will see them throughout the day. For example, you could put a quote on your phone's lock screen, on a sticky note at your desk, or write one on the mirror with a dry-erase marker.
Keeping positive words of encouragement and motivation in front of you can help you to shift your thinking in a more positive direction.
You can also use these quotes to help encourage other women in your life. Share them through your social media. Text one to a friend who you know is going through something.
Empowering Quotes About Mental Health
1. “I take medication every day for mental illness and depression and don’t feel bad about it.” — Lady Gaga
2. “You don’t have to be positive all the time. It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared and anxious. Having feelings doesn’t make you a negative person. It makes you human.” — Lori Deschene
3. “Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” — Brené Brown
4. "Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." — Nido Qubein
5. “Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves” ― Henry David Thoreau
6. "I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." – Louisa May Alcott
7. "It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." — Aristotle
8. "Self-care is how you take your power back." — Lalah Delia
9. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress." — Frederick Douglas
10. “There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” — John Green
Inspirational Mental Health Quotes to Help You See You Are Not Alone
11. “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
12. “Being emotionally honest can save your life. Reaching out may be hard, but as soon as I did it, I was immediately covered in love.” — Lizzo
13. "Realize that you are not alone, that we are in this together, and most importantly, that there is hope.” — Deepika Padukone
14. “Don’t ever lose hope. Even when life seems bleak and hopeless, know that you are not alone.” ― Nancy Reagan
15. “I wish more people would talk about therapy. We girls, we’re taught to be almost too resilient, to be strong and sexy and cool and laid-back, the girl who’s down. We also need to feel allowed to fall apart.” — Selena Gomez
16. “Just be true to yourself. Listen to your heart. The rest will follow. Everyone has problems. You aren’t alone.” ― Samantha Tonge
17. “If you're going through a dark period, remember that you're not alone.” — Demi Lovato
18. "I found that with depression, one of the most important things you can realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it, you’re not going to be the last to go through it." — Dwayne Johnson
19. "Laughter, song, and dance create emotional and spiritual connection; they remind us of the one thing that truly matters when we are searching for comfort, celebration, inspiration, or healing: We are not alone." — Brené Brown
20. “I think this is what we all want to hear: that we are not alone in hitting the bottom, and that it is possible to come out of that place courageous, beautiful, and strong.” ― Anna White
Mental Health Quotes to Help Build Your Confidence
21. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." — Eleanor Roosevelt
22. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?” — Marianne Williamson
23. "I have confidence about my life that comes from standing tall on my own two feet." — Jane Fonda
24. “It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.” — Lillian Hellman
25. “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” — Marie Curie
26. “It takes a lot for you to find your confidence, but you shouldn’t let someone else be the person to find it for you.” — Justine Skye
27. “Sometimes, if you fake confidence long enough, you’re going to be confident.” — Elle King
28. "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." — John Wooden
29. "If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started." — Cicero
30. "I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it." — Maya Angelou
Mental Health and Therapy Quotes
31. “What I love about therapy is that they’ll tell you what your blind spots are. Although that’s uncomfortable and painful, it gives you something to work with.” — Pink
32. “I think it’s really important to take the stigma away from mental health… My brain and my heart are really important to me. I don’t know why I wouldn’t seek help to have those things be as healthy as my teeth?” — Kerry Washington
33. “Things not to say to someone with mental illness: Ignore it. Forget about it. Fight it. You are better than this. You are overthinking.” — Nitya Prakash
34. "Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful parts of us." — David Richo
35. "In therapy, I see myself in the mirror differently." — Ricky Williams
36. "I'm on a constant path of self-discovery and change. I'm trying to become a better person, a nicer person. I love therapy – it's brilliant." — Julia Sawalha
37. “Being able to be your true self is one of the strongest components of good mental health.” — Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy
38. "The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination." — Carl Rogers
39. "I believe that a different therapy must be constructed for each patient because each has a unique story." — Irvin D. Yalom
40. “Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you, doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.” — Lisa Olivera
Mental Health Quotes to Show Women You Are Enough
41. “One small crack does not mean that you are broken; it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.” — Linda Poindexter
42. "Women have to take the time to focus on our mental health — take time for self, for the spiritual, without feeling guilty or selfish. The world will see you the way you see you, and treat you the way you treat yourself." — Beyoncé
43. “On those days when life feels overwhelming, remember that you are worthwhile, you are needed, and you are enough exactly as you are.” — Sarah Hartley
44. "‘Positive vibes only’ isn’t a thing. Humans have a wide range of emotions, and that’s OK." — Molly Bahr
45. "Respect yourself, love yourself, because there has never been a person like you, and there never will be again." — Osho
46. "We are enough without all the things we buy to make us much more than we are or need to be. We are simple and complex and rare as is." — Sabrina Ward Harrison
47. "You are enough. You are so enough, it is unbelievable how enough you are." — Sierra Boggess
48. "You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." — Buddha
49. "Just be you, be beautiful and be comfortable in your own skin." — Helen Edwards
50. "Believing in our hearts that who we are is enough is the key to a more satisfying and balanced life." — Ellen Sue Stern
Find the support you're looking for
You may have stumbled upon this article simply because you were looking for a little motivation before continuing your day. But, if you found this article because you are looking for support and don't know where to turn, we would love to help.
The NEST Clinic is a team of mental health providers in Stillwater, Minnesota, ready to meet you right where you are. Many of our therapists specialize in women's mental health, including reproductive and perinatal mental health. We also have a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner on staff to provide options for medication management, birth control needs, perimenopause, menopause, and hormone consultations.
Please know that you are not alone, and help is available. You don't have to fix yourself up to a certain point before seeking help from a therapist. And you also don't have to reach a certain low or face a difficult life circumstance before reaching out for help.
Our team is ready to meet you right where you are in life. So get started by contacting us today.