We need to start recognizing that people struggle. Mental Health is an illness, it is also a sickness. The definition of sickness and or illness is an impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism. But we don’t generalize depression alongside an illness. This needs to change. People diagnosed with cancer do not choose that path; it is an illness that they have to struggle with everyday. People diagnosed with depression also do not choose that path, it is an illness that they have to struggle with everyday. We need to start realizing that people with depression are sick. And depression is not to be taken lightly. 

The definition of depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. We need to start taking those with depression more seriously before it is too late. And we need to start seeing the warning signs. Most of the time, it is difficult for those who struggle with a mental illness, to open up about it or even to ask for help. They fear as though they have nobody to listen to them, or even the fact that people may make fun of them or accuse them of doing it for attention. Suicide is one of the leading causes of the death within the United States. It is found that one in five people will experience a mental illness, which increases one’s chance, or even thought to commit suicide. 

There is a major difference between having passive suicidal thoughts and or active suicidal thoughts. Passive suicidal ideation in adolescents involves thoughts of death or a desire to die without a specific plan or intent to act on these thoughts. Whereas active suicidal ideation in adolescents is characterized by having a specific plan or intent to take one’s own life. It goes beyond mere thoughts and involves a clear intention to carry out self-harm. Nearly 800,000 people die by suicide in the world each year, which is roughly one death every 40 seconds. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. That is 800,000 too many. We have to make a change. And that change can simply start with, “How are you doing?” or even, “I’ve been noticing a change in you, I want to make sure you know I am here to help/ listen.” Suicide should not be an option to anyone, when you or those around you start showing warning signs such as making a plan or researching ways to die, withdrawing from friends, saying goodbye, giving away important items, or making a will, taking dangerous risks such as driving extremely fast, displaying extreme mood swings, eating or sleeping more or less, and lastly, using drugs or alcohol more often. It is time to reach out to somebody, an adult, counselor, teacher, or principal. It’s better to risk one being mad at them than sitting at their grave wishing you could have done something more. Mental health is no joke. It’s more than just mental. It’s also physical and can affect every aspect of one's life.