Recently, I was saddened to learn that an old friend of mine had committed suicide. I hadn't spoken to him in years, but there was a time when we spent a lot of time together riding horses with other friends. After hearing this news, I started thinking. The way I remembered him was cracking jokes and having a passion for horses. I didn't remember him as depressed. Judging from his other friend's reminiscent Facebook posts, they didn't either.
This only goes to show that mental illness is not always evident in somebody's personality or actions. Mental illness usually hits behind closed doors and curtains. It hits in the middle of the night when no one else is around. It isn't always easy for your peers or family members to notice that you're struggling. In my own experience, it took me having a full out anxiety attack in front of my parent in order for them to realize that I needed their help. Thankfully, my family was accepting and let me start therapy. Others are not so lucky.
There has always been this stigma surrounding mental illness. Granted, we don't use electroshock therapy anymore and lock the mentally ill in asylums. But, most people still have a hard time understanding just exactly what mental illness entails. Some assume that going to therapy automatically means that you're super depressed or crazy. You can go to therapy when you're having a hard time at school, work, or you're just down. Some think that being depressed or having anxiety is something that you can think yourself out of if you try really hard. Lord knows, if it was that easy, no one would be anxious or depressed. It's not a choice. These disorders are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Not just a bad day, week, or month.
It's also not always easy for someone to reach out for help. So, if you ever notice that something is off about your friend, coworker, or a family member, don't be afraid to reach out. They might be waiting for someone to take their hand and help them. It's about time that we break the stigma and start helping our own people.
