Know Your Audience

Walking around campus every day I hear many conversations going on in passing. Along with that I am part of the Dance Team, so I hear a lot of side conversations during that time as well. I usually don’t pay much attention to anything anyone is saying; after all it is none of my business unless someone is talking to me. But there are certain phrases that I hear far too often that should not be said. Things like, “I hate my life,” and “I want to kill myself” are phrases that I hear people saying all the time. While I understand most people are just kidding around and don’t mean it, that is actually the problem with it. Feeling like you actually hate your life or that you actually are considering committing suicide are VERY serious topics. They shouldn’t be made so casual that we can joke about it. I know that sometimes I will accidentally say things along those lines, but I always catch myself and try to immediately correct myself on it. I am trying to get myself out of this habit. People need to realize that there are people who are sitting next to you in the cafeteria and walking by you on campus who are actually feeling this way. 

You might not even be able to tell that someone has depression or anxiety. Coming from personal experience I know that most people would have never known that I suffer from depression unless I told them directly. While with some people it can be very obvious that something is wrong, some people are much better at hiding it. When it comes down to it, if you’re suffering from depression or any other mental illness you tend to try to hide it from everyone you know as much as possible. And even once someone starts to get better, or at least better than they were, it is still difficult to talk about it or why they have it.

It can be very offensive to someone to hear others joking about what they’re actually through. I know that I get really offended when I hear others say things like “I want to kill myself” when they are joking around. Sometimes I get a little bit too defensive about it, but I can’t help it. Hearing someone joke about wanting to end their life when you have actually attempted to is one of the most irritating and angering things. It is completely offensive and the sad part is that the other person may not ever know that they have offended someone in such a great way.

I know that not everybody who suffers with depression may agree, but there are so many people who don’t speak up and who do find it offensive. Just remember to keep in mind who your audience is, and if you’re ever unsure – DON’T SAY IT.