When the first season of "13 Reasons Why" came out last year, the show sparked a lot of controversies, especially in the mental health community. What sparked even more controversy was that the show got renewed for a second season, which speculated the claim that Netflix was glamorizing suicide by continuing the show.

I will admit that at first, I was a part of that speculation – I had struggled with depression myself and shortly before the second season was released I had gotten a semi-colon tattoo as part of my recovery so the idea of a second season did not thrill me. However, after re-watching the first season and then going on to watch the second season, my thoughts on the show have completely shifted.

Yes, the show is incredibly graphic. Yes, the show depicts some really tough issues (suicide, sexual assault, abuse, bullying) and yes, the show did push the limits of what society deems appropriate when depicting mental health topics. But with everything being said and done, whether you loved or hated the show, "13 Reasons Why" opened up the door for conversations that have been put off for far too long. Furthermore, here's six important conversations that the "13 Reasons Why"series opened through its characters, that we need to continue talking about.

Warning: Spoiler Alerts

1. Hannah Baker: high functioning depression and suicide.

Hannah's symptoms didn't match the typical description of depression. At first, it was high functioning, until it wasn't and then everything unraveled very quickly, all at once. Hannah's depression was misdiagnosed by everyone as her just being a "moody teenager" and that only made her unravel quicker, ultimately leading to the creation of the tapes and her suicide. This opens the conversation that mental illness comes in all different forms, some harder to see than others, and encourages viewers to become more educated about them.

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2. Jessica Davis: sexual assault, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and recovery.

Hannah and Jessica were both victims of sexual assault and unfortunately, Hannah didn't survive hers. Jessica does survive and goes on to experience PTSD in season 2. One of the most heartbreaking incidents of her PTSD is when she's shopping for dresses and has a flashback to the assault. The show also depicts her going through recovery as she joins group therapy and then testifies against her rapist in court. There was a lot of controversy with this plot and depiction, especially because it includes a graphic rape scene, but to be fair, there was a warning that some viewers shouldn't watch it. For those who were able to watch this scene, I think this character opens up the conversation that it is 2018 and so many women are still falling victim to sexual assault, so what can we do to change this?

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3. Skye Miller: mental health recovery.

Skye Miller earns a bigger role in season 2 but quickly disappears due to a mental breakdown that leads to her being institutionalized. However, when she returns, she discloses to Clay that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, is now taking medication, and has the opportunity to start over. I feel that for a long time, society has had a negative outlook on medication and being hospitalized for mental illness. The show does an excellent job here depicting mental health recovery and normalizing getting help for these issues, which I think will encourage viewers to start the conversation that it's OK to ask for help.

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4. Clay Jensen: effects on mental health and trigger warnings.

While everyone is panicking over the tapes, Clay's main concern was that Hannah had been suffering all this time and so many people had overlooked it. Clay was left with so much guilt over her suicide and how it could have been prevented. Clay really takes the time to show viewers how little things had a big impact on Hannah because they were cruel by nature. This also ties into the second season having a warning before each episode to let viewers know that the events could be triggering. I hope this character opens up the conversation about how we need to be careful in the way we treat people – we don't know what they could be going through and kindness is more important than we realize.

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5. Bryce Walker: rape culture.

The show depicts Bryce as the definition of rape culture through his various assaults, his victim shaming, and lack of remorse. Although he is charged with felony sexual assault, Bryce is only sentenced to 3 months of probation. 3 months. Why does the number 3 sound familiar here...oh wait that's right, 3 months was the period of time that Brock Turner served for his conviction of felony assault. This opens a conversation about how even though the show is fictional, these horrible events are still happening in real life and in the 21st century – our society is still not taking them seriously enough. Rapists are still getting off easy and have zero remorse, furthering the existence of rape culture itself. As a viewer, you should feel outraged by this plot the show depicts and I hope you talk about it.

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6. Tyler Down: bullying, sexual assault in men, and gun violence.

Tyler is severely bullied throughout both seasons of the show. The second season ends with an incredibly violent physical assault and then he is sexually assaulted with a broom by his abuser, Montgomery. The scene is incredibly hard to watch, plus to make things worse, he is terrified to report the assault. This results in Tyler turning to gun violence, a problem our society knows all too well. This character opens a conversation about bullying and men facing sexual assault as well as gun violence, which unfortunately victims of abuse are turning to more. Although this scene was hard to watch, maybe it will bring some change that we need as we talk about these issues.

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