Stop the stigma against mental illness

You smile but inside you’re crying
You laugh but inside you’re hurting
You act all cheerful and jolly but inside you’re far from happy
You cannot show an upset face because you are supposed to be happy all the time
As you supposedly have everything that you want and need

You learn that there is no place in this world for sadness and depression
Because these are signs of weakness
So you learn to wear a mask everyday
Because who would like to see someone who looks sad?
You get chided when you look upset
Because you are supposed to be happy all the time

You find it so exhausting
To put on a tough and joyful facade all the time
Sometimes you wonder how long can you keep up with the act
On the outside, you are so lucky and have everything
But deep down inside , you feel so empty
However, you refuse to sink into the abysss
You keep on fighting , but you’re afraid that one day you’ll break down and can’t fight this daily battle anymore
You’ve no one to talk to, because nobody believes that someone as lucky as you should be depressed
You cry out to God, but all you get is silence
So you go on with life feeling like an empty shell

You hear the sad news of celebrities like Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain
And you realize that they also supposedly had everything going on for them
And yet they weren’t immune
So you pray that you wouldn’t end up like them as yet another statistic
Due to the lack of awareness of mental health worldwide

P.s Mental Health is as important as physical health. Stop the stigma against mental illness!