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Miss Universe Australia Olivia Rogers backs mental health initiative

TO her Instagram followers, Olivia Rogers’ life might look perfect. But the current Miss Universe Australia has had her battles with anxiety and depression.

Winner Olivia Rogers with her Miss Universe Australia competitors. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis
Winner Olivia Rogers with her Miss Universe Australia competitors. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

TO her Instagram followers, Olivia Rogers’ life might look perfect. However, like three million other Australians, the current Miss Universe Australia has suffered from anxiety and depression and it’s her mission to help those in a similar position.

“It was awful. You feel so alone,” Rogers, 25, told Confidential of the depression and anxiety she experienced during her teenage years.

“A lot of models go through similar experiences but we don’t like to talk about it.

Miss Universe Olivia Rogers is in a bike race to raise funds for Beyond Blue. Picture: Nicki Connolly
Miss Universe Olivia Rogers is in a bike race to raise funds for Beyond Blue. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“We just post this highlight reel on Instagram, so then all these young girls think, ‘why am I feeling alone, and why am I feeling down? If I had a life like theirs I wouldn’t feel that way.’

“It’s good to show things aren’t perfect.”

Rogers, who was crowned in July, said her mental health issues were exacerbated by the competitive and often unhealthy nature of the modelling industry.

Adelaide-born Rogers moved to Sydney to pursue modelling six years ago, but was told to succeed she would have to lose weight.

Olivia Rogers’ dog Mooshie has his own Instagram page. Picture: @malamutemoosh
Olivia Rogers’ dog Mooshie has his own Instagram page. Picture: @malamutemoosh

Feeling the pressure, she exercised and dieted. When her weight dropped to 49kg she was forced to take time out from the industry.

Now, with the help of family and a psychologist, Rogers is mentally and physically healthier. She says it was her honesty about her mental health that helped win her the Miss Universe title.

“My message is to be yourself, because that’s been the moral of my story.”

South Australian-born Olivia Rogers has been crowned Miss Universe Australia

Rogers will compete for the title of Miss Universe in America in November, but before that she’s riding more than 845km from Mount Gambier to Gawler in South Australia to raise money for Beyond Blue.

“I want to raise as much money as I can and get a conversation going. The more we speak out about mental health issues, the more we help things,” she said.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/miss-universe-australia-olivia-rogers-backs-mental-health-initiative/news-story/b2354c96f9d4d5b8ad502b50402fee8b