“You have cancer.”

The three words no one ever wants to hear. The three words that change the course of your life in seconds. The three words that make the world stop spinning for a moment.

Your life is now in danger. You have no control. You have a life-threatening illness. Now what?

You will do everything in your power to help yourself get better. You will get the chemotherapy for your cancer. You will pay to have the best doctor around. You will do whatever it takes to get you better. If you’re family, you will do anything possible to help your loved one get better. If you are diagnosed with cancer, the support system that forms around you is massive. People bring so much food to your home that you cannot possibly consume all of it. The amount of support and love and home warming baskets that are given to your family are innumerable. Surviving cancer is a group effort. You don’t go through cancer by yourself.

Now picture this.

“You are suicidal.”

The three words no one ever wants to hear. The three words that change the course of your life in seconds. The three words that make the world stop spinning for a moment.

Your life is now in danger. You have no control. You have a life-threatening illness. Now what?

You can only do so much to help yourself get better. You will get the therapy for your illness. You will try to pay you to have the best doctor around. You will do whatever it takes to get you better, but your head isn’t all the way there. Your heart is in it, but you are fighting the battle against yourself. You put on a smile, so maybe your loved ones won’t notice, but inside you are fighting a war just to get out of bed. If you are diagnosed with a mental illness, the support system isn’t there. People don’t see your pain, they don’t see your suffering, and so there isn’t the love and support. Surviving mental illness is an individual effort. You go through your thoughts alone.

But you shouldn’t.

That is why mental illness kills so many people.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, reach out. You are not alone. Reach out.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255