When you get hurt physically, everyone around you can see it. It’s out there. There’s a cast, a scratch, a scar, some clue to your pain that is out for the world to see and feel for you. When you’re hurting on the inside, it’s your pain alone. No one else knows except for you how hard it was to get out of bed or to make it to class, care about your grades, or care about anything in general.

There’s a stigma against mental health issues in today’s society and it needs to end. People are afraid to share how they feel in response to the dishonor feeling this way brings your self worth. In addition, it’s easy to self medicate when there are resources like alcohol and other drugs accessible without much difficulty, but this is not a solution. It is important to realize that there are people who care about you and your wellbeing no matter what.

College is hard, and many challenges you face you feel as if you are on your own but you’re not. There is significant pressure to perform in a variety of areas as a student, academically, socially, etc, and this pressure can be hard to deal with, especially in these years of your life. You don’t want to be a burden to anyone. You don’t want to worry other people. You don’t want to be selfish. No one understands what you’re feeling. But this is not true.

Recently a study conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness show that on college campuses that one in four students have a diagnosable mental illness. Mental health is a sensitive and complicated issue which can include depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or even addiction.

There are many other lives connected to yours, and many who understand exactly what you’re going through and who want to help you. If you have felt overwhelmed or anxious, depressed, or have struggled with feeling isolated on a crowded campus of people who seem like they have everything together... take a step back. Talk to someone about how you feel. There is no one who is too busy to make sure that you’re okay.

You are not alone in this world and you can make it out of whatever you’re fighting through.