Breaking the Stigma: Why We Need to Talk About Mental Health

For a long time, mental health was something we didn’t talk about. It was something hidden, whispered about, misunderstood, or ignored altogether. And sometimes it still is. But silence doesn’t protect us. It isolates us. It keeps people suffering in the dark, believing they’re alone in their struggles. And I know this all too well—because this isn’t just a topic I’m passionate about. It’s my personal lived experience.

Having struggled with my own mental health over the years, battling anxiety, moments of depression, and the grief and loss that life brings, I have felt the weight of overwhelm that often comes with that. But it wasn’t until my own children began experiencing their own mental health challenges that I truly saw the depth of this issue.

My daughter has lived with depression and anxiety, since she was little (though I didn’t recognize it at the time). Watching her navigate the world with this invisible burden has taught me so much about the importance of support, patience, and understanding. It’s not always visible. It’s not always logical. But it’s always real.

My son then, also struggled with depression and social anxiety in his early teenage years. He carried pain that we couldn’t always see or fully understand. He was loved deeply, but he was also hurting deeply. Then in one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life, he died by suicide. This has forever changed my view of mental health and desire to start conversations.

There are no words to describe what it’s like to lose a child to suicide. It shatters your world and your soul. It changes you. But in the wreckage, I’ve found a mission: to speak up. To speak loudly and openly. To break the silence that surrounds mental health and suicide. No family should feel the weight of this grief in silence. No person should suffer alone because they’re afraid of what people might think if they speak their truth. There is too much hurt in this world to go through it alone.

Why Talking About Mental Health Matters

Talking about mental health:

• Reduces shame. When we speak openly about our mental health, we help others feel less alone.
• Promotes early intervention. Conversations can encourage someone to seek help before things spiral.
• Builds connection. Vulnerability opens the door to real support and understanding, sharing our stories encourages us to connect with eachother.
• Saves lives. Talking about suicide doesn’t cause it. Silence does.

I’m not a therapist. I’m not a mental health professional. I’m a mom. A woman. A human. Someone who knows what it feels like to carry pain and still try to show up every day. Someone who has watched people I love suffer and deeply feel it for myself. I am someone who has lost a piece of me in the most permanent way.

I’ve learned that starting the conversation matters more than saying the perfect thing. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to be willing to listen, to ask, and to care.

Let’s Normalize These Conversations

Let’s ask our friends how they’re really doing—and be ready to hear the truth.
Let’s check in on our strong friends too.
Let’s talk to our kids about emotions, stress, and sadness.
Let’s say the word “suicide” without fear or judgment.
Let’s share our stories so others know they can too.

This is just the beginning of the conversation I want to keep having—not just here, but in real life, around dinner tables, in schools, at work, and in communities. Together, we can build a world where mental health is treated with the same urgency, compassion, and care as physical health.

If you’re struggling, please know this:

You are not alone. You are worthy of support. And your story matters.