How One Viral Tweet Shows Hope For Ending The Mental Health Stigma | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

How One Viral Tweet Shows Hope For Ending The Mental Health Stigma

Responses to Madalyn Parker's viral tweet requesting sick leave for her mental health actually support her fight for mental healthcare.

147
How One Viral Tweet Shows Hope For Ending The Mental Health Stigma
Hernan Sanchez // Unsplash

A woman's viral tweet is sweeping the net. Madalyn Parker, also known as @madalynrose, advocates the importance of ending the stigma of mental illness. Her voice is finally definitely being heard now that the world knows about her email exchange with her boss, wherein she requested time off to tend to her mental health.

When he accepted her request with open arms, thanking her for having the courage to talk to him, her tweet of the conversation spread like wildfire through Twitter and beyond.

Madalyn's tweet resonated with more than the millions of Americans who suffer from some sort of mental illness. People of all ages, whether or not they're suffering from depression or the like, found her tweet intriguing and inspiring.

Responses to Madalyn did not go unheard--she made a point to reach out to others either questioning the validity of a mental health sick day, or otherwise asking for advice.

Verified twitter user @AndrewCohenNY responded to her tweet:

What Madalyn said in her responseenlightened the masses that they are indeed different. She stated that, "Having them separate helps me reason about them. I took an entire month off to do partial hospitalization last summer and that was sick...leave. I still felt like I could use vacation time because I didn't use it and it's a separate concept."

For Madalyn, it is even more important to take personal days to simply recharge than it is to take time off for the sake of getting away.

Madalyn proves to be quite the warrior of a mental health advocate. She has been writing about her own trials and tribulations of depression as well as encouraging others to care for themselves as they read her articles and tweets.

After years of dedication to spreading knowledge on well-being, her "tweet heard 'round the world" has reached those that never thought twice about mental health. Even for those people to question the validity of a mental illness is progress, because it takes acknowledgment of the problem to come to a solution.

We want to deny it, but in my opinion, mental illness is so deeply rooted in America right now that we need people like Madalyn more than ever.

The ball is rolling towards greater public health measures for mental health. It starts with us raising our voices, saying that there is an issue and educating people to understand how important the issue truly is.

If you or a family member has mental illness, speak up. It's the only way to be heard, and the only way to be helped. It will be hard, but it will be worth it. And if you think you do not know someone suffering from mental illness, you may be surprised to find that there are people all around you, silently suffering but leading seemingly productive lives.

A mental illness is a problem that is often unseen by the public, unless it gets out of control. Educate yourself on different conditions, and get to know someone.

You'll soon see that there's much more to them than a label. Encourage them and empower them to be the artists, public speakers, CEOs, or otherwise human beings that they are meant to be.

@madalynrose, you are definitely onto something great.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

190852
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

15237
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

458113
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

26762
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments