Wellness

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time when communities around the world come together to recognize that mental health struggles are real, but help is always available. For young African Americans in Philadelphia and African youth living across the continent, knowing where to turn during tough times can save lives. No matter what you’re going through, you are not alone, and support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We often think of preventive health checks as something that belongs in a hospital setting, blood tests, X-rays, physical exams. But the truth is, our mental health deserves the same level of care and preemptive attention. Just like our bodies, our minds carry silent strains, small cracks, and hidden bruises that can deepen over time if left unnoticed.

It’s not always the yelling boss or impossible deadlines that do you in. Often, the real damage happens in hushed corners, through forced smiles in meetings, punch-clock exhaustion, and an unspoken tension you can’t shake. It’s the slow erosion of joy and safety, disguised as “just business as usual” and it leaves wounds that go beyond burnout.

A glimpse at the realities of life from a tired 20-something

Caregivers rarely ask for anything. They are the quiet ones, doing the school runs, checking in on aging parents, running errands, holding everyone together with threadbare strength. They are the ones people call in a crisis, and somehow, they always show up. But who shows up for them?