People
“It’s important to seek professional help”
On World Mental Health Day, Larissa Hodgson wants to set an example. The Customer Advisor at Swiss Post and current Bachelorette on Swiss TV tells her very personal story.
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“I only weighed 35 kilos – I could’ve died.” Larissa Hodgson works in the International Customer Service at Swiss Post and became famous as the Bachelorette on Swiss TV. The 29-year-old doesn’t mince her words when she talks about her illness. What began as bulimia at the age of 16 developed into anorexia and depression.
Take the signs seriously
She had to give up her tennis career and her commercial apprenticeship because the illness was dictating her daily routine. She was able to overcome this period of withdrawal, isolation, and relapses only with the support of her mother and specialists. “It’s very important to seek professional help,” she says, based on her own experience. Her own determination also played an important role in her recovery. “Although I often thought I’d never make it.”
And how’s she doing today? “Mental illness stays with you for the rest of your life. It’s not like a broken leg that heals completely.” She has difficult days. But the Bernese native with Canadian roots has learnt to live with her past and takes the first signs seriously. “I still have issues with my body image, but I know I don’t want to go down that route again.” If you have a physical illness, you get a lot of sympathy, but if you have a mental illness, you are unfortunately often met with rejection. “I want to change that. That’s why I speak openly about my story.”
Talk to each other
Her daughter, who is now three and a half years old, has also had a positive influence on her recovery. However, being a single mother and juggling an 80 percent job level is a challenge. “It’s really tough, I’m often at my limit,” says Larissa. “Swiss Post is very accommodating and enables me to work from home, for which I’m very grateful. If I’m not feeling well, I can tell my line manager and we’ll find a solution.” She can also take unpaid leave for TV shows such as the Bachelorette.
Larissa hopes for an end to the taboo around mental illness. She believes people should be able to discuss it openly. It should be perfectly okay to say: I’m not feeling well mentally today. “Nobody should feel ashamed to say that.”
Swiss Post is committed to the health of its employees and offers them support: persons affected by personal fears or concerns can, for example, contact the internal Social Counselling Service.