"Awareness"

On National Mental Health Day I want to take a moment and speak a little more of my truth.

I can’t STAND the phrase suicide “prevention” and it literally makes me cringe.

I’m sure this shocks most of you, especially if you know even the tiniest amount of my story, but hear me out.

I feel like the word “prevention” implies that those with feelings of not having the strength or desire to stay drowning in their pain aren’t justified in their thoughts and feelings.

I feel like it implies that they are in the wrong and need to be corrected when what they really need MORE THAN ANYTHING, is love and acceptance.

They need to feel safe enough to be open and honest and have someone not try and negate their feelings or thoughts.

Can we call it awareness?!

Can we honor that people really, truly have these thoughts and feelings sometimes and instead of shaming them and making them feel inadequate because they have them, can we band together and learn how to support and EMPOWER them?!

This is how we maybe let them begin to see their own worth. Their purpose.

This, I believe, is how we actually make ripples of change.