In the realm of mental health, the trite advice is always to "reach out to someone."
Here, I refer to people who are not suffering, but that they should reach out to a friend whom they think is.
I have been reached out to before by friends and even family. They were wondering if I was okay.
Was I? No, not really.
Was it a delightful surprise that they reached out? Sure, I guess.
Overall, was it a good thing?
No. It was not.
Perhaps it's just the cynical asshole in me speaking, but paying lip service in mental health seems so hypocritical and effectively useless.
It's like some attractive influencer filming themselves giving to the homeless.
- I don't see a point in you wanting to reach out that one time only, especially if it's just to make yourself think you're doing something good.
- What's the point if you're just going to fuck off and not appear again?
- Yes. You'll fuck off, like most people in a modern society would because you're just as busy as everyone.
- You'll hence have a sense of justification which effectively allows you to not care without any guilt for the one suffering.
- Is it not about them in the first place?
- Paying lip service only potentially makes sufferers suffer even more as they get angry and sad for they only see the hypocrisy.
I think mental health is a sensitive thing.
If you want to help, then at least try your best to stay.
Try to show up more.
And definitely try to take action on what you said you would.