Mental health has always been a subject of ridicule and, quite often, swept under the rug. One of the main reasons that mental health isn’t talked about as much as it should be is because people don’t always know how to talk about it. The fear of misinterpretation or dismissal is too great, and words begin to falter. Mental health is hard to express and describe because it’s very personal — everyone has a different experience of how mental illness manifests and portrays itself. While experience may differ, and the fear of derision is unwithering, many college campuses and social media platforms have been encouraging people, particularly youth, to speak up and share their own experiences with mental health. Through these conversations, we, as a community, can grow and learn to understand one another better. So, why should you care about mental health?
1. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and if that doesn’t scare you, I’m not sure what will.
2. It affects everyone.
While mental illness can be seemingly invisible to people on the surface, it can be incredibly detrimental to the individual. The effects of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and more have both mental and physical tolls.
3. You never know how people are going to react and that can be scary.
We all have different experiences with mental illness and that might explain varying reactions.
(Author's Note: Hyperbole and a Half is a great blog that accurately portrays the daily struggles of living with depression and/or social anxiety.)
4. Talking about mental health is empowering.
Through sharing stories, we educate others and encourage seeking help. The stigma surrounding mental health needs to be eradicated completely, and to do that, we have to help educate others, spread awareness, and share our experiences.
5. So that everyone knows they’re not alone.
Do you, or someone you know, need help? There are a number of confidential and safe hotlines you can call to discuss depression, stress, suicidal ideation, self-harm and more. No problem is too big or too small. Here are some resources that are available to you:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: The Lifeline Crisis phone and chat services are available 24/7. To chat with a specialist online, go to their website and start a new conversation. To speak with a specialist over the phone, call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).
Crisis Clinic: The Crisis Clinic phone service is also available 24/7 at 866-427-4747 (CRISIS).
If you're between the ages of 13 and 20, another great resource, phone and chat line is Teen Link. While this is not a 24 hour hotline, this service is run by trained and supervised teen volunteers between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Their chat line runs between 6:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., too. To speak with a trained teen volunteer, call 866-833-6546 (TEENLINK).
