I know it’s been a minute. Life got loud, I got quiet. But I’m back.
And since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, I couldn’t stay away. You’ve probably seen the usual posts — “Check on your friends,” “Be kind,” “Therapy is cool now.”
All important. All true. But can we talk about something real for a second?
Because while it’s beautiful to see mental health finally being talked about, I’ve also noticed something that sits uncomfortably in my spirit.
We’re starting to glamourise mental health.
And no, I don’t mean healing or seeking help — that’s growth. I’m talking about how mental health is being packaged for public consumption.
It’s becoming an aesthetic. A soft filter. A curated struggle. A trendy caption.
Suddenly everyone has “high-functioning anxiety” because they overthink.
“ADHD” because they lose focus sometimes.
“Depression” because they had a sad weekend.
And look — I’m not here to gatekeep pain. Struggles look different for everyone.
But there’s a difference between relating to a symptom and living with a diagnosis.
It’s not the same thing.
This is what happens when mental health becomes a trend instead of a truth.
Social media has made it fashionable to say you're anxious or healing.
People wear trauma like it’s an accessory, romanticise breakdowns, and cherry-pick the palatable parts of mental illness — but they go silent when the dark, messy, inconvenient parts show up.
Where is the energy when someone talks about self-harm?
Or suicidal thoughts?
Or the shame of not being able to get out of bed for days?
Where is the support when someone’s pain isn’t poetic?
Let’s be honest —
Most people only want to witness healing when it’s beautiful.
They want “go to therapy,” but not “I’m barely surviving.”
They’ll clap for “I set boundaries,” but roll their eyes at “I relapsed again.”
That’s not awareness. That’s selective empathy.
That’s performing care, not practising it.
So this May, I’m calling it out — with love, but with truth:
Mental health isn’t a vibe. It’s a reality.
It doesn’t always look good in a reel.
Sometimes it looks like silence. Disassociation. Rage. Withdrawal. Tears with no explanation.
And it’s okay to talk about the healing, but don’t erase the hurting.
It’s okay to seek help, but don’t mock the ones whose pain looks different.
It’s okay to share your journey, but don’t fake a diagnosis for attention.
Let’s not turn something sacred into something shallow.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, I hope we do more than just repost quotes.
I hope we sit with the uncomfortable.
That we hold space for the friend who cancels plans without a reason.
That we stop shaming people for breaking down “too loudly.”
That we stop deciding which parts of someone’s mental health journey deserve compassion.
Because mental health is not a social media aesthetic.
It’s not a neat story with soft music playing in the background.
It’s messy. Painful. Ongoing. And real.
Let’s keep it honest. Let’s keep it human.
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