It’s disgusting if one was to think about it too long. Today, in a high school, a student took her own life. It was not on the news other that that state’s news. It was a vague blurb in the evening pieces. A student took their own life and it’s not being discussed as a bigger issue. This student was 17. A junior who was going to graduate next year. There’s no open discussion as to why that student did this or what motivated them. The bigger issue is how a student was able to get on campus with a weapon and have no one notice. Yes, that’s a scary thought considering events such as Parkland. A good question, though, should be “why did she feel it necessary to take her own life at all?” It’s the question that, as far as online news sources are concerned, doesn’t matter. Things like this only solidify the ideal of no one cares if you’re pretty or dead and, in this instance, no one besides her family and friends seems to care. Mental illness is taking up more and more of our lives. It’s everywhere we look on social media. Did you know there could be up to 6 students in one class that suffer from mental illness? Did you also know that over 80% of students that suffer from mental illness don’t actually receive any form of treatment? It’s atrocious! No one wants to talk about the mental health issues plaguing preteens and adolescents because it’s written off as phases that these kids must go through in order to flourish in their adult years. That, or they are called into question as to what in their daily life causes them to have anxiety, stress, panic attacks, and depression. Because, we have it so good, right? We are not allowed to suffer from anything because our lives are perfect, right? You can have a good home, a good family, a good life and still suffer from a mental health issue. You know why? Because what’s good or bad in your life doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter in the first place and end up being the defining factor as to whether you’re allowed to feel anything other than gratitude for your life. You can feel stressed over a test or a situation amongst your friends. Anxiety can come easily to those who handle very stressful things poorly because they haven’t been taught coping mechanisms.

Depression is a real issue too for us, and people need to understand that our prolonged sadness does define us to some extent other than a phase. People have no idea what’s happening in your head and you shouldn’t have to attempt to explain it to them to have the affirmation you need to have a mental illness. It should make national news every time an adolescent or preteen commits suicide because it should invite the discussion of mental health and mental health awareness into communities, schools, and even your own living room. Being rich and famous shouldn’t make your suicide “tragic” while a normal person’s suicide is considered them wasting their life. There needs to be some discussion. Mental health is clearly an issue affecting massive numbers of people, especially adolescents, and it’s being treated as though it’s some kind of disease. It’s real, people. It’s real and it’s rampant and it’s taking people we love away from us without us even knowing why. Actually, if people treated this like a disease, maybe more time and effort would be invested in treating it. Finding out what causes it and how it affects everyone differently. Instead, we turn our noses up at it and look the other way.

If you feel utterly alone, because of anything, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255

If you are not comfortable on the phone and you live in the US, their Crisis Text Line is available simply text HOME to 741741

I hope discussions begin to open sooner than later. Stay safe. Stay strong. There are people who love and care about you and you wanna know something? A stranger on the internet is one of them. You are stronger, braver, less awkward, better, than you believe.