About Us
The M Word is a new initiative by Desperate Artwives.
Desperate Artwives is an organisation committed to create spaces and platforms for women artists who are also mothers/carers and for whoever identify as this.
During the 8 years Desperate Artwives has been in existence, it has become clear that there is a very definite connection between mental health and art or creative practice. According to the government’s statistics, maternal mental health problems affect between 10% - 20% of women during pregnancy and/or the first year after having given birth. (gov.uk Perinatal Mental Health). The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) say that around 10-15 in every 100 women are affected by depression and anxiety during pregnancy, with the same prevalence of women experiencing postnatal depression.
The need for more information, awareness and support is clearly necessary.
As recently stated by The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2017/oct/11/contribution-arts-make-health-wellbeing), research has shown that the impact creative practice has on mental health is outstanding with a 71% decrease in feelings of anxiety and a 73% fall in depression, 76% of participants said their wellbeing increased and 69% felt more socially included.
Creativity through participating in classes or workshops or through driving your own creative practice forwards is clearly an aid to overcoming mental health issues and this is what The M Word is set up to offer.
Desperate Artwives is an organisation committed to create spaces and platforms for women artists who are also mothers/carers and for whoever identify as this.
During the 8 years Desperate Artwives has been in existence, it has become clear that there is a very definite connection between mental health and art or creative practice. According to the government’s statistics, maternal mental health problems affect between 10% - 20% of women during pregnancy and/or the first year after having given birth. (gov.uk Perinatal Mental Health). The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) say that around 10-15 in every 100 women are affected by depression and anxiety during pregnancy, with the same prevalence of women experiencing postnatal depression.
The need for more information, awareness and support is clearly necessary.
As recently stated by The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2017/oct/11/contribution-arts-make-health-wellbeing), research has shown that the impact creative practice has on mental health is outstanding with a 71% decrease in feelings of anxiety and a 73% fall in depression, 76% of participants said their wellbeing increased and 69% felt more socially included.
Creativity through participating in classes or workshops or through driving your own creative practice forwards is clearly an aid to overcoming mental health issues and this is what The M Word is set up to offer.
Images from top left - Helen Sargeant, Katy Howe and Rachel Fallon. Below Amy Dignam.