Unless you're living in the world of no social media, I'm sure you've heard of Chester Bennington's death by suicide. Every time there is a celebrity suicide, it's all over the news. People talk about it for a day and then move forward with their lives. But then there's people who can't shake it. Why? Suicide and mental Heath are touchy subjects. People don't want to bring in it up in fear of judgement or maybe glorifying it. This is a conversation that needs to happen. We need to talk. We need to destigmatize suicide (and mental health related illnesses). Maybe if there wasn't such a stigma, people wouldn't feel so ashamed admitting they want to take their own life or don't have a will to live anymore. The problem is, for those saying he had so much going for him or what about all his fans and those who loved him? You think he didn't think about them? Wrong. When a person is suicidal, they don't think about who loves them as much or cares about them or what could happen. There's a pain larger and stronger than anything else. There's a voice that can never be silenced. Or so it seems at the time. If we could start the conversation, maybe it would be easier to learn how to support someone feeling this way instead of changing the subject or staying quiet.
And even in treatment of mental illnesses, we need to destigmatize it. I'm not saying medication is right for everyone. I'm not saying it's easy to make the choice to begin medication or that it will fix everything all of a sudden. We need to stop thinking medication isn't an option. I may be lucky because when I went on medication for depression and anxiety, we got the right mix on the second try. Some people take longer to find the right mix. All I'm saying is, medication has helped me live a "normal" life. When I began medication 4 1/2 years ago, I literally told my college roommates, I'm taking happy pills. I made a joke because I didn't want it to be awkward or for them to not know what to say. Medication has helped me avoid the above. Medication has helped me get out of bed. Medication hasn't put me in a fog or made me feel not myself. My brain is wired differently. I'm not ashamed of that. Me taking my daily dose is like someone taking insulin.
Although this isn't easy for me to share with everyone or to bring up often, it's important for conversations like these to be started. It's important for people to know life can turn around. It's important for people to know it's perfectly fine to reach out for help. To start medication, to start therapy, to admit they don't have the will or strength in them to keep going, to continue to survive. It's important we don't let this conversation end tomorrow. It's important we continue to destigmatize mental health and not be afraid to bring up different topics and subjects in normal conversation, in television, in movies, in books. It's important to know you're not alone and you're not the only one.
Life can turn around and be a beautiful thing. Stick around to see it blossom and to learn to appreciate the waves.
Peace.love.happiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment