The silent battles

Mental health is something everyone talks about, but very few truly understand. We live in a generation where emotions have almost lost their value. Whether someone is laughing or crying, it feels like nobody really cares any more. We scroll past people’s pain, pretend to be okay, and call it “moving on”. But deep inside, everyone is breaking a little, silently.

Many people lose their lives because of mental health struggles, and it breaks my heart. I often wonder why it happens. Speaking from my own experience, when I was very young, I once felt so lost. I didn’t understand what I was feeling back then. It was pain, fear, and silence all mixed together. Looking back now, I realise it came from trauma and the feeling that no one truly understood me.

Yes, parents are there for us, but sometimes there is a generation gap that makes it hard for them to understand what mental health really means to us. They worry, they love us, but they often don’t see the invisible battles we fight inside. Still, I don’t blame them. When they were young, life was simpler. They didn’t have to deal with the kind of pressure we face today: the competition, the comparisons, the social media pressure, the constant rush to achieve something. Now it feels like we are all running in a race that never ends.

The reason I’m saying all this is because I truly believe change has to start with us. Deep down, we all just want a simple, peaceful life, not a constant race of proving who’s better. But the truth is, when you are doing well, everyone wants to be around you. People notice your success, your confidence, your highs. But when you are at your lowest, barely holding yourself together, no one comes. That’s when you realise how fragile human connections can be, how easily people disappear when you stop shining.

When it comes to mental health issues in colleges, it’s everywhere, yet no one really talks about it. One day you might see someone smiling, and the next day they look lost or quiet. And still, nobody asks if they are okay. Even if people notice, they often stay silent. Maybe they don’t know what to say, or maybe they think it’s not their place. But that silence hurts. I genuinely believe that if we focus more on mental health, especially among students, suicide rates will drop. Good mental health isn’t just about being happy; it’s about feeling supported, seen, and safe to speak without judgment.

The traumas people carry from their past are real, and they deserve to be spoken about, not hidden. It’s important to give space for that conversation instead of calling someone too sensitive or saying they are overreacting. You can never understand the depth of someone’s pain unless you have lived their story. And if you have not, you have no right to judge how they feel or how they cope. Sometimes, all a person needs is for someone to simply listen, without advice, without comparison, just listen.

So, be kind. You never know what someone is silently going through. A single kind word, a small act of understanding, can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Let’s try to protect and save mental health, not just our own, but of everyone around us. Because the world doesn’t need more perfection; it needs more compassion.

ashwiniishu48@gmail.com