April 20 through 26 this year is Depression Awareness Week. I found out because I started following this Facebook page called Suicide Shatters, a group that seeks to raise awareness around mental illness and suicide. By following this page, I’ve actually learned a few things about depression and suicide that I’d never thought much about before, such as the fact that there’s still a large group of people out there who actually have either the nerve or complete lack of empathy to believe that mental illness is a big hoax, that people should be “left free” to address any “mental distress” that they may be experiencing.

I feel sorry for people who really believe this. It only reveals their lack of understanding of human experiences that are different than theirs. Empathy is a quality that most people don’t actively think about when they have to ask what they value in people. Unfortunately for me, every single day, it’s one of those qualities that is always top of mind given the experiences I’ve had. And because most people I seem to meet have little to no empathy that they outwardly and readily show, I guess it’s no wonder sometimes I feel so shut off from the rest of the world.