It’s been about a month since Amy Bleuel died by suicide. Many of you have heard of her and the nonprofit she started, Project Semicolon. For those of you who haven’t, Project Semicolon exists to show support for those with mental illness or other mental health issues.

The semicolon (;) means that an author or writer could have ended her sentence but chose not to. It continues, it goes on.

And so must we.

In recent years, as a direct result of Amy’s work with Project Semicolon, people have been getting semicolon tattoos to show their support for mental health issues or to remind themselves that they need to keep going. Their stories aren’t over yet.

SYMBOLISM

I have an appointment in five months for my next tattoo (why is there always such a loooong waiting list?!). Guess what I’m going to get? Yes, a semicolon. Also, a line of text that says “Everything she needs is already inside her,” and an image of some sort. I think. I may change the text – hell, I may come up with something completely different! – but it’s going to be something uplifting and comforting, like the other five I already have.

The next time you see a tattoo on someone, look and see if there’s a semicolon in there somewhere. Sometimes you have to look hard, because people get very creative and integrate them into larger tats.

And when you see that semicolon, say something to acknowledge that you understand and admire their courage to keep fighting. Something like, “I was just reading something about the Semicolon Project,” or “I’ve been thinking about getting one of those, too,” or just give them an understanding nod.

You just might make their day.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Spreading the word about mental illness is so very necessary. I’m sure you’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t know how to talk about it – what to say, when to say it, when to just listen. Part of the reason for that is because there is so much misinformation out there.

I’m a firm believer that we are more likely to be afraid of the things we don’t understand. The unknown. If everyone knew the facts about mental illness, rather than relying on inflated TV coverage of “mentally ill” gunmen or characters or rumors or whatever, don’t you think the world would be a much different place?

(Don’t get me wrong, I understand that many of the people who have committed workplace murders, school shootings, mall shootings, etc. have had a mental illness; my problem is with the way the law defines “incompetent” – it’s much too strict – as well as with the media’s portrayal of mentally ill folks. But that’s another rant for another day.)

If everyone knew the facts about mental illness, they would realize that yes, they must know someone with a mental illness. They just didn’t realize it before. The proof is in the pudding; the statistics bear out the truth.

In the U.S., it is reported that 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental illness in our lifetimes. Well, guess what? I am 1 in 4. You are 1 in 4. My wife is 1 in 4. One of my brothers is 1 in 4, a niece, an aunt, a grandfather-in-law.

We are all over the place. Mental illness does not discriminate. Period.

ANYWAY

When you open up to someone about your mental illness, you are making yourself vulnerable. Many people don’t know how to handle vulnerability. It makes them uncomfortable.

My suggestion? Talk anyway. Find someone, anyone, and share your experience with them. You will probably feel a little better and you might teach them something. Hell, you just might find out that they’re going through something similar!

The truth is we don’t know what anyone else is going through, what it’s like to be them, unless we ask and they choose to tell us.

Just know this: You are not alone.

You are never alone. Right now, someone in your life would love it if you gave them a call or sent them a text, or a tweet, or a letter for Pete’s sake, and let them in just a little bit.

I know I’m lucky. I have a wife who understands and is willing to listen whenever I need her to. I have several deeply personal relationships with people I would feel comfortable sharing my pain with.

Amy Bleuel opened up to the entire world. Yes, we lost her in the end, but she made such an impact on people. She is one reason it’s more acceptable to talk about mental health issues, and for that, we should all be grateful.

I only wish she could have continued to see the light through the darkness.