For a few weeks now this topic has been in my queue but I haven't exactly found the right words, or courage for that matter, to follow through with it. Recently my high school was struck with tragedy as a beautiful and talented young woman took her own life. My heart aches for her, her family and friends. With that, I decided that it was time to take a stand.

There are too many times in our lives where we judge others, we're being judged, and are simply misunderstood. I don't know if people understand that just "being happy" is a struggle for a lot millions of people-- it's not easy to just "suck it up" and put their problems behind them.

I'd like to say that I strongly believe mental illness is a topic that is widely overseen-- but I don't always think that anyone is to blame; I can tell you, most of the time, mental illness, is very well hidden.

According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, 1 in every 5 adults experience mental illness in a given year. So if you're on your phone right now, reading this as you sit in a room with some friends, or are by yourself and can think of five of your best friends... chances are that someone you know has either openly or internally dealt with some sort of mental illness.

Mental illness does not have a "look."

Mental Illness can be the best athlete at school, the one who everyone looks up to... She goes home and cries herself to sleep because she can't stand the thought of herself. It could be the Class President, you know, the one who has his life together and everyone is jealous of his Ivy League acceptance letters... He's scheduling counseling appointments around his long list of extracurricular activities. It's the "happy" girl at school, the one who is always smiling and is up for Homecoming Queen... She doesn't sleep at night because she is constantly awoken by the demons that overtake her thoughts.

Be a friend.

Mental illness does not have to reach the point of suicide. I hope and pray that everyone understands that there is ALWAYS someone to talk to, someone who understands your pain, and someone who loves you. So be that person yourself. Be a friend; be the person someone can trust and come to.

"Walk a mile in someone else's shoes."

The most accurate cliche I've ever heard. Be kind to one another. You have no idea the types of battles people are fighting.

According to SAVE.org (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education), there were 41,149 deaths by suicide in the United States in 2013. That's almost 113 deaths by suicide each day. So if simply being a good person isn't enough of a reason to become more conscious of this problem, the jaw-dropping statistics should be.

"Be kind to one another" -Ellen DeGeneres

SAMHSA's National Hotline

24/7, 365-day-a-year

1-800-622-HELP (4357)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

24 hours, 7 days a week

1-800-273-8255