Just last week, I stumbled upon the story of Dani Bates, and since then, I have been reading and listening to what she has to say in regard to mental health. Dani and her two young girls lost their husband and father, Denny, to suicide. Now, Dani is making it her mission to be open and honest about mental health, showing just how devastating suicide can really be, and I think that we should all follow suit.

One of Dani's most important messages is that you are not alone in your struggle, and you are loved. She shows the reality of suicide to those that are left to deal with the pain of loss, which has helped others to realize the pain that they may cause others if they were to leave them behind. Dani realizes the impact that her story can have on those who battle with mental illness on a daily basis, so she is not afraid to be open about it.

If we all followed in Dani's footsteps by being honest about the impacts of mental illnesses and suicide, we could help a lot of people. Talking about these things may be hard and uncomfortable, but those conversations are ones that we need to be having. Speaking up about the reality of mental health illnesses can help others to realize that they are not alone and that things will get better.

It should not be a topic that we push to the side. Many people struggle with mental illness every single day, and suicide is continuing to have an effect on people all around the world. If being honest about mental illness and suicide can help just one person, we should be doing all that we can to help them, even if it means making ourselves a little bit uncomfortable.