Are You Okay?

Sorry for the gap in posting. All my assessments started piling up and I didn't really have much time for anything except uni, work, and occasionally sleep.
But I wanted to make the time to write this post.

Today is RUOK Day, and it encourages people to connect with their family, friends and colleagues to ask how they're going, and make sure that they're okay. It's important that we ask this question because sometimes it isn't easy to tell people that you're not doing so great. Whether it be because you don't want to be a burden on someone, or you feel like your problems can't be solved by anyone but yourself, it's important that we ask each other this question, because we have a habit of internalising our problems. And something small can manifest itself into something big. Or we might not be able to see our way out of a problem on our own.

1 in 5 Australians will experience depression in their life time. 4% of us will experience a major depressive illness each year. 64 000 Australians try to take their life each year, with the highest rate of attempts being men aged 15-24. It's important that those around you know that they're able to talk to someone, and by simply asking how someone is going you could save their life.

I've seen a lot of people talk about how stupid an idea it is, and that it isn't something that should only be asked one day out of the year. If you haven't lived through or had someone close to you suffer from depression, or attempted suicide, it's easy to trivialise the situation, and saying things like 'people just need to get over it' or 'harden the fuck up' tend to make the situation worse than it already was. But it is true, asking someone if they're okay isn't something that should be limited to one day of the year. Look out for your family and friends, if you notice a change in their demeanour ask how they're going.

And to you reading this, are you okay?

I hope that you're all well, and please, take the time to ask someone how they are doing.