Suicide is not a weakness.

A common misconception among people who are not affected by mental illnesses is that it's all in their head. As if schizophrenia is made up, anxiety is just "being nervous," and depression is getting down in the dumps. Among those types of disorders, there are more than 200 others that have been classified. Unknown to many, dementia is classified as a mental illness. Dementia is, in some ways. similar to Alzheimer's (also classified as a mental disorder) in the sense that it is most common in the elderly and causes memory loss along with other problems that can get in the way of day-to-day activities.

When people say that mental disorders are made up, it's painful. They think you can be cured, and you can, but it isn't as easy as "cheering up" or taking some pills. It is a lot more than that. It's waking up and not wanting to get out of bed. It's avoiding social interactions because the thought of people being around you makes you want to vomit. It's having to move your elderly mother into you home and take care of her because she can't remember who anyone is, or what day it is. There have been cases of people out there with schizophrenia who try to claw their ear drums out because they constantly hear voices. These illnesses have to be medically diagnosed by someone who spent at least eight years obtaining a PhD to become a master at the medicine they practice. There is no joke that comes along with mental illnesses. No joke can be justified, not a "kill yourself" or a "oh she's crazy, she must be bipolar."

Suicide is a serious topic, and should be spoken about in only that way. There are many reasons a person could decide to take their own life, whether it be because the thoughts accompanied depression or another disorder (depression being the most common), they felt so unsafe they would rather commit than live (relates to being stalked) or even overdosing on drugs (commonly seen with addiction; another mental illness). In any case, it is not a weakness. It is a heartbreaking thing when you really think about it. Breaking it down for you, a lot of people don't decide to commit suicide overnight. It isn't something you just do. A doctor doesn't just decide to chop off your infected leg, they try their hardest to save your limb. Like any big decision there is a lot of thinking and considering. When a person takes their own life, it means they have struggled for a long amount of time. A lot of the time they felt they had to do it alone, even if people say they're there to help. People who deal with a mental illness are strong. Sometimes, unfortunately, they break. Not because they were weak, but they had been strong for so long that the weight just comes crashing down.

A tree can only hold its own for so long before it snaps, and collapses.

There is no real reason someone decides to take their life, it depends on their situation and what they've been through. It is in no way the answer to solving your problems. If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, please reach out to a loved one. Suicide hotlines are there for you if you feel like you can't talk to people you know. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is open 24 hours at 1-800-273-8255 and is completely confidential.