My friends are complete oddballs. With them, there is no in between. They are either extremely loud and expressive or very quiet and timid. But they all share similar struggles. Many of them deal with anxiety, depression, insomnia or all three.
More than half of my friends struggle with mental illnesses. And some have even attempted suicide.
I often see them come to school looking tired as if they haven't slept in days-- for some that's actually true.
My friend once mentioned that I happened to text her in the middle of a suicide attempt. I had said to her, "you're my best friend." It was a random text I sent, but if it wasn't for it, she said later, she wouldn't be here.
It’s often the people closest to us who are having hidden struggles. You may not realize it, but a few simple, kind words or check in can be a good start for a person to get the help they need.
It turns out that just being a friend, can make a difference in a person's life. Now I'm inspired to be more proactive to tell people how much they mean to me.