In Episode 76, Sunny Bahuguna sits down with Anne-Sophie Martin.

From her roots in Montreal to her experience in New York at a top management consultancy and her time at Stanford, Anne-Sophie's story is one of resilience, introspection, and growth.

Anne-Sophie's upbringing was filled with family warmth and a love for dance and sports. Her transition to New York brought success but also challenges, navigating anxiety and mental health stigma. This often manifests differently for different people, but for her, it was characterised by hair loss, facial swelling, and fluctuations in her appetite. She eventually made the difficult decision to take medical leave—a choice met with curiosity and misunderstanding from her peers. But it was through this process that she found a growing interest in mental health.

Last year, she penned a piece on Medium titled "The 20% that may make you lose your mind." It recounted a moment at a wedding where she crossed paths with a Stanford alum who graduated over a decade ago. After sharing her well-rehearsed spiel about her own experience being "incredible" and filled with personal growth, the alum shared the contrary: "Stanford was the two hardest, most stressful years of my life."

This candid admission caught her off guard and prompted deep reflection. We delve deeper into the story and Anne-Sophie's experience at Stanford—the mixture of highs and lows—and her efforts to shed light on the often-overlooked struggles that challenge students' mental health, starting with her own story. This is the unspoken 20%.

Now, after graduating from Stanford, Anne-Sophie shares insights into the chapter ahead—what self-care looks like, how writing has become a meditative experience, and what lies ahead for her.

Hope you enjoy the listen as much as I enjoyed speaking with her. Available wherever you get your episodes. 💙

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-sophie-martin-b6ab8884/

Medium Article: https://medium.com/non-disclosure/the-20-that-may-make-you-lose-your-mind-2555cd43a8bd

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There are some sensitive topics we touch on regarding mental health so if there are any triggers for you please know there is support and there will be plenty of links in access below.

LifeLine (Australia) - Ph: 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Banksia Project - https://thebanksiaproject.org.au/

Mr. Perfect - https://mrperfect.org.au/

NHS (UK) - Urgent mental health support https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline

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As always, Bottled Up is a passion project to help provide a voice to those many men who are going through the peaks and troughs of life. We are not trained professionals and if you're worried about someone close to you and their mental wellbeing, it's important to get professional advice.

Start a conversation with them and let them know that they're not alone and that there are many support resources out there - including friends, family, school chaplains and plenty more!

If you're feeling distressed or overwhelmed, Beyond Blue has a number of trained mental health professionals available 24/7 on 1800 512 348.

For immediate support, call Lifeline on 13 11 44 and in an emergency, always dial 000.

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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com