Recently I watched a movie, called "A Girl like Her", the movie was about this girl who was left in a coma after trying to commit suicide. The movie, also shot like a documentary, followed her fellow peers during and after her attempt. During the course of the movie the crew tried to find out what had made Jessica, the main character, try to end her life. As it turns out, she was consistently bullied by someone who used to be her best friend. "A Girl like Her" is one of the small number of films that focus on what goes on in high school. Everyone could see that Jessica grew distant and was clearly upset about something, but no one but her best friend tried to do anything.

That movie broke my heart, watching what Jessica had to go though, what this girl did to her; no one should have to go though that. Parents and adults that interact with them every day, only see that they are stress out and not because there are something deeper bothering these kids. . With all the information out there about mental illnesses, no one has too; but all this information is mostly geared toward college kids and adults. Teenagers don't see that they do have a choice

.A couple of days later, I was on Facebook and I saw that someone I worked with, someone I knew, had ended his life.

Last summer I worked at a local summer camp as the head lifeguard; and one of the three people under me was a CIT, or counselor in training, named Raphah. He was typical teenage boy, careless, thinks he owns the world, etc. but he was a good kid. The kids absolutely adored him, and I knew that working with the kids brightened his day. I am not trying to glorified Raphah's and I friendship, because I will be the first to admit that he and I never got along; maybe it was because our personalities were to similar. Maybe it was simply because we didn't like each other, I will never know why, not because I don't want to know, but because a couple weeks ago he committed suicide. We may not have gotten along, but when i heard about his passing; it hit me hard.

Suicide, to many is a way to end their suffering and to many more it is a way of escape. Raphah was a junior in high school and the reason I mention that he was in high school is because Mental Illnesses aren't talked about there as much as it is anywhere else. Although these teenagers have information at a click a phone, they don't know that it's okay to feel like they feel. I don't know what made Raphah decide to end his life, what made him think that this was the only option, but I don't want others to feel like he did. College for some odd reason is completely different from high school when it comes to mental illnesses, High school is often the starting point and still they don't feel like they can talk to someone.

I want action to be done, I was these teenagers to feel like they don't have to hid their feelings, that they don't have to see suicide as the only option. Raphah is gone, he had his whole life ahead of him and now its dust. However, I don't want his death to be forgotten either, something needs to come out of his death. So, i'm asking everyone to talk to their parents, to voice their concerns, to teachers and adults to teach their kids that mental illnesses is nothing to be ashamed of. That you should make fun of someone just because they are struggle. I want schools every where to put something in place that allows these kids to come for help and no one will tease them for it. Maybe if something can be done them a kid just like Raphah can see that there are other ways to get help.

You aren't alone in your struggle.