Women's rugby player Anahera Mohi (left) with Tania-Rose Raharuhi who played a key role in helping her overcome her battle with depression. Photo / Supplied
Women's rugby player Anahera Mohi (left) with Tania-Rose Raharuhi who played a key role in helping her overcome her battle with depression. Photo / Supplied
Two years ago, Anahera Mohi struggled to look at herself in the mirror.
She was depressed, in a toxic relationship and hating the person she had let herself become.
These days, that is hard to believe. She is one of the stars in the Bay of Plenty Volcanix squad andrarely seen without a smile.
Some days are still harder than others but she has learned how to seek positivity, always looking to uplift others and, most importantly, herself.
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and Mohi wants to share her story with others, letting them know it's okay to not be okay. That it is okay to ask for help.
"I was in an abusive relationship and I kind of lost myself, spiritually as well as with my sport - I've always been into sports. For a long time, I didn't know I had the power to walk away from words and [was] not feeling positive about myself.
"At one point I couldn't even look in the mirror, I just wasn't okay with who I was looking at."
Anahera Mohi makes a run for Rangiuru against Rangataua last year. Photo / File
Eventually, she found the strength to get out of the relationship.
Having previously played for the Volcanix, she had lost her love for the game. In 2017, she watched the Bay of Plenty women play for promotion to the Premiership. It was the actions of one of the players that day which helped her turn things around.
"That was a week after the break-up and this was one of the big turning points for me. Tania-Rose [Raharuhi] and I had both played in the past but had never really met properly. She asked me why I wasn't playing and I told her I wasn't in a good place - I was unfit, unhealthy and just not there.
"She took her Volcanix hoodie off her back and said 'you have this hoodie and bring it back next year when you make the team'. I was brought to tears and to me, I thought she doesn't know me but she has that belief in me so from that point on I started training. Not for anything, just for myself and because I knew I could."
Mohi was playing club rugby for Rangiuru as a prop, getting about 20 minutes per game. Such was her transformation that the next year she was playing 80 minutes a week on the wing and earned her place back in the Volcanix.
"It's funny, we get our new kit but on game day I only ever wear the hoodie that Tania gave me because it was such a pivotal point in my life."
People do care so when you open yourself up and start talking about it you realise people are willing to help.
As part of her journey to happiness, she started writing herself positive letters and taking the time every morning to look at herself in the mirror and say "you're beautiful, you're strong and you can achieve anything".
"I started to bring my tribe back around me, my people, and that was really empowering because I was surrounded with people who cared about me and wanted to lift me up. I thought 'if people are willing to lift me up, I have to be able to lift myself up as well'."
Now she wants to do all she can to ensure people are talking about how they feel.
"It's getting better but I think people are ashamed to talk about their mental health - even educating people, when you ask someone if they had a good day, you expect them to say yes. Nobody is educating themselves on what to say if someone says no.
"After a few months, I started to open up and talk to people, tell them I'm not okay. I have people who I can go to and say I'm not having a good day. People do care so when you open yourself up and start talking about it you realise people are willing to help."
Where to get help:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
Or if you need to talk to someone else: • LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7) • SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 • NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7) • KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757
