January 25th is, for myself personally, the least lonely day of the year. It’s when I’m most reminded that I’m not alone, and that other people deal with and support what I’ve been going through for the past 11 years. While a pretty astounding number of people publicly show on this day that they’re willing to listen, it’s ultimately up to those struggling to speak out about their health and seek help in order to completely eradicate the stigma surrounding mental health.

The biggest issue that I had when keeping my story internalized was thinking that my depression would be projected on my friends and that I would feel as though I were a burden to them; as if talking about mental illness would transfer my issues to my confidant. Discussions with your friend about back pains you’re experiencing  aren’t going to make your friend unable to get out of bed the following day, just like how discussing your mental health with a colleague won’t make him/her depressed to the point where he can’t move the following morning. The inconvenient truth regarding mental health is that those who are struggling, as difficult as it may be, are ultimately the individuals most empowered to make a difference in this particular area of our society. Mental health has never been more understood in the history of mankind, and it’s up to those who are suffering or who have suffered to normalize the conversation. Whether it’s asking your friend how she’s been feeling around midterms or talking about your own struggles with your family doctor, meaningful conversation is the first step towards progression.

Of course it’s easy to oversimplify an incredibly complex topic such as “why people feel as though they can’t openly discuss their mental illness”, and I understand why it’s difficult to talk about because I’ve been there. The first step is always the most difficult to take, but following that first step, each step gets progressively easier and mental wellness becomes so much more achievable. I’ve been blessed enough to see direct positive results of my blog in other people’s lives and it has enabled me to help others take that mountainous first step. If anyone out there reading this feels that they need help taking the first step towards achieving their own mental wellness, I’ve always taken pride in making myself available in providing confidential discussion or helping individuals find services that are available to them for getting themselves back on track, and if you feel like you need anything that I can provide, I’m more than willing to do so at any time of day.

Volleyball has always been one of the most important aspects of my life since I started playing 8 years ago, and I’ve learned so much about myself and have gained the confidence through volleyball to talk about my struggles. One of the aspects of team sports that I’m most thankful for is the knowledge I gain every day from my teammates and coaches, whether it’s regarding how to lead, how to interact with each individual differently, or learning the value of hard work. It’s probably been my own most overlooked aspect of my athletic career, and as I grow older and more mature, it’s absolutely gone from an accent in the background to a major contributor to a bigger picture. At one point in my first semester, our team suffered a very disappointing loss in a situation where we expected to win fairly easily. In the locker room following this loss, while tensions were high and future expectations had dipped, our coach said a couple words that stuck with me til now and will probably stick with me for a long while following this post:

“It feels like you guys have given up. If you feel ready to give up on our season after one tough loss, are you going to give up just as easy on your families one day, your wives, your children, just because things don’t go exactly as you had planned? Volleyball is here to serve as a medium for teaching you valuable life skills, and if you’re ready to give up now, you may be just as quick to give up on those who mean the most to you.”

-Nathan Groenveld

It’s made me think about how if I had felt ready to give up on my teammates, my brothers, and my coaching staff, what if things regarding my  mental health had gotten more tough than they had been? I’d probably be just as ready to give up on myself, my blog, my community initiatives, everything else that I had going for me.

Bell Let’s Talk day has helped me put into perspective the variety of blessings that I have in my life: my loving family, caring friends, a platform to extend my help to others, and a fantastic sport that I can use to express myself. I extend a personal invitation to anyone who feels alone or feels that they have no one to talk to. I will always be here to listen, and do anything for you that you require of me, with total grace and confidentiality.

While it’s awesome that we feel we can talk about mental health issues on January 25th of every year, I want us to feel comfortable discussing our own mental health and be willing to help others for the other 364 days that 2017 will bring us. Also, let’s use the hashtag #BellLetsTalk as much as humanly possible, and let’s make a difference.

Let’s talk,

Garrett Suderman

sudermangblog@gmail.com