Today when I opened my phone to check social media I discovered that it’s World Suicide Prevention Day. There’s an abundance of inspirational tweets and messages encouraging people to reach out to their friends because you never know who needs your friendship and support. Often times you don’t know when someone is feeling suicidal and the act of reaching out and letting them know someone cares can make the world of a difference to the person going through a tough time.
This got me thinking about mental health and the stigma and misconceptions that often accompany mental illness. Happy people that don’t encounter or battle depression often think that all it takes is telling oneself to be positive and let go of the negativity and Boom! all is well and resolved. As someone that does not have mental illness I can tell you that most days it’s relatively easy to do. But when someone deals with mental illness it’s not that simple, you can’t just will yourself to be happy. I’m not a psychiatrist and I’m not formally educated in mental health but I do think it’s important to be aware that it is a real illness and it’s important to be mindful of that fact. One of the most important things we can do for those in our lives is to express sympathy for their situation and offer our emotional support, especially when they may need it the most.
Take a look on social media today and save a few messages that you find impactful. Try to be mindful of these suggestions every day, not just today. <3
Social media short-link: http://wp.me/p4F2Uk-mCN
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