This past weekend held a very important day that deserves an immense amount of recognition. September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day. Suicide has come to be a topic with a strange stigma and essence to it. People seem to not want to talk about until it happens, for which at that point it’s too late for some. It’s seemingly formed to be a taboo subject that is avoided by those unfamiliar with the situation. Open conversation about suicide and mental illness needs to become a necessity. World Suicide Prevention Week is just one step in forming this bigger picture. Comfortability with the topic and recognition of the mental illness and situational circumstances revolving suicide is key to helping the millions of people who are struggling right now.

It’s unbelievable that we live in a world where most people don’t take mental illness or suicidal tendencies seriously until the person is already gone. Why is it that any form of mental illness is the only sickness where people blame the one who is suffering? Last time I checked, nobody ever asks someone with a cold, “Well, why can’t you just decide to get better?” You would never dream of telling someone with a broken leg to just walk on it and eventually you’ll be fine, but it’s seemingly easier to tell someone with depression to just act happy and eventually you’ll feel better. This cloud of falsehood surrounding mental illness as being invalid is one of the first faults of society that leads to a higher rate of suicide. To say that there isn’t a suicide issue in our society is irrational and ill-informed. The Do Something Campaign found that suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds and the second for 24 to 35-year-olds. So many people are being lost to a disease that is 100 percent manageable. Once mental illness is universally accepted as an actually unavoidable health issue, the platform to get help will open wider. Too many are lost to suicide before they even get the chance to seek help and find a safe peace of mind.

The most important aspect of recognizing World Suicide Prevention Day is acknowledging that you’re not alone. This day brings together people who have struggled and gives them an outlet to connect with others who understand what they’re going through. It’s a network of strength amongst those who have difficulty finding it on their own. It’s a message that it’s okay not to be okay, but it’s important to understand that things get better. Life doesn’t necessarily get easier, but you get stronger with time and experience. Choosing to keep living when every fiber of your being doesn’t want to, is one of the strongest decisions a person can make.

By the time this article is published, this day will have passed, but its message shouldn’t. Whether it be those who choose to keep living or those who have lost the battle, recognition and support should be expressed universally. The discussion of suicide and mental health needs to be opened. There is no better revelation than knowing it’s OK to express your issues without people passing judgement. It’s not shameful to feel these things and there are so many other people going through the same thing as you.

Those suffering aren’t always obvious about it, so be there for everyone. Make sure the people you love know that they are never alone. Live your life in a way that makes others comfortable enough to be their true selves around you. Be the type of person who passes no judgement and is open to everyone, regardless of their baggage. It’s hard to understand the suffering others go through regardless if you’ve experienced similar issues or not, but it is necessary to stop sweeping mental illness under the rug. It’s real and it affects millions of people. Let’s start talking.

In a world of cliché’s, I have come to find that one will always stand true. It gets better. Don’t make a permanent decision on temporary feelings. Life will surprise you with people and moments that will validate that you are here for a reason.

To find out more information about suicide prevention networks, here a few well known organizations here to help:

To Write Love on Her Arms

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

International Association for Suicide Prevention (ISAP)