You've probably heard the news that Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain are dead. That they both died from depression, more specifically suicide.
Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses are real. They don't discriminate and they don't only affect the victim but those around them as well. I feel like our society has placed a certain stigma on mental health. That we need to show that everything in our lives is okay and that nothing wrong ever happens to us.
Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain seemed to live the perfect lives, at least on paper. But they were battling with something larger, something that was strong enough to overpower them.
I know that it's hard for someone with a mental illness to talk about it. I know that it's beyond complication and explanation. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain, and there's still a lot to discover in the fields of psychiatry and neuroscience. But I feel that this world would be better with more clarification and communication.
When someone has the flu they're okay with telling their friends: "Sorry I can't meet up because I have the flu." And it's pretty similar when anyone has any other physical illness. But when has anyone answered "Sorry I can't meet up because I'm feeling down."? If not ever, then very very rarely.
We are now in the 21st century, where freedom of speech is (or should) be respected and taken seriously.
It's time to de-stigmatize mental illness.
It's time to stop judging and start talking about mental health.
It's time to love and support those suffering from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, you name it.
And finally, it's time for society to stop judging and start comprehending.
Mental Health Matters.