Why It Matters When Lady Gaga Shines Light on Mental Health

It was a no spoon day.

There was no silverware in the drawer.

I had spent nearly two days in bed.

My depression was severe and my thoughts had been dangerous and deadly.

In an attempt to feel something, as I have always responded to music, I turned on The Grammys and my heart fluttered for the first time in weeks. Lady GaGa and Bradley Cooper had won the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and she went onstage to accept.

In her acceptance — this light she is under, this moment for her to glow like the incredible woman she is — she turned the focus onto mental health.

She states: “I just wanna say I’m so proud to be part of a movie that addresses mental health issues. At lot of artists deal with that, and we gotta care for each other… If you see somebody that is hurting, don’t look away. If you’re hurting, even though it might be hard… find that bravery and tell somebody,”

To know I was in three day old sweats, I hadn’t showered and was suffering from suicidal ideation… and Lady GaGa, in a musical arena surrounded by so much talent and energy, had struggled with similar thoughts and actually addressed it, meant so much to someone like me.

We lost tens of thousands every single year who aren’t famous. They are men like my father; they are our neighbors, friends, acquaintances, family and co-workers. According to the CDC, In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans age 10 or older died by suicide. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death and is one of just three leading causes that are on the rise. How many people did we senselessly lose in 2017? In 2018? Whose light will dim too early in 2019?

Reach out! Save a life! GaGa’s followers are called Little Monsters and from this particular Little Monster, I want to say thank you for using your moment to possibly save a life.