A few days ago I came across an article about “tWitch,” who was a dancer and DJ on the Ellen show. He committed suicide leaving behind his wife and children. I was flabbergasted at the negative comments but even more surprised at how many likes they had. People replied back to defend his condition, and were bombarded with dislikes. I couldn’t wrap my head around the whole situation, but then I realized I was once them.

This got me thinking on how we can educate society. Maybe it should start at school. Schools teach us about sex education. We learn how to stay safe and what not to do. Why can we not learn about mental illness? I would say learning about mental illness is just as important as sex education. I’ve walked around the hallways of my school, and have seen students’ scars on their arms and legs. At first I wasn’t aware of what it was, but then I overheard a student talking about harming oneself. Other students talk about suicide; some are more open than others. Are they doing it for attention or not? Regardless, if schools educated us on mental illnesses, maybe people suffering from it would be able to handle it better. No, I am not talking about adding a suicide number on the back of our IDs or on the walls of our hallways. I mean, educate us, as well as teachers, on what it is, how to deal with it, and how to be more accepting towards people that suffer from it. It just might create a butterfly effect, and although it might not fix the situation, maybe it will help save lives. Our school implemented a calming room for students. Even though it is a great idea, it discourages students from using it. This is what usually happens when one needs to use a calming room. First, you ask the teachers to use it. Then the teacher asks why. By the time the conversation is over, everyone knows your life story, your anxiety feels worse, and the whole class knows you have “issues.” Not the ideal situation. If teachers and students were provided with mental awareness, I feel they could better understand people with this condition, and help them feel semi-normal.

Unless you have gone through it, you will never understand what it is like to feel the pain and suffering one goes through. Your mind makes you believe that the world is better off without you. At that moment, you just want the pain to go away. So no “tWitch” wasn’t selfish; he had a mental illness.

Forever and Always, Anxieteen ;