A Serious Message about Mental Health

[Blythe Young]

Hi all, 

I'm so sorry to be sending this to you all especially during such a joyous time for our Chapter, but I selfishly could not let this go unrecognized. Here is a link to an article about Madison Holleran, a 19 year old track star at UPenn who tragically took her own life last week. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/kate-van-buskirk/madison-holleran-suicide_b_4646600.html

This story, like so many others that we encounter too frequently, is heartbreaking. Many of her friends and family said that they were shocked by how quickly her mental affliction manifested and eventually claimed her life. Looking at the pictures of this bright beautiful girl made me think of all of you. It is devastating to think that there are young men and women among us at UVA that could be struggling as Madison did. 

Please be gentle with yourself during this stressful time at school, and be a friend to those who need it. Seek help if necessary, and encourage others to do the same. While I may not be the best resource, I am always available to talk about these issues (seriously, always available because I do nothing).

Again, I apologize for the somber nature of this message. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

All my love,

B

[Annie Crabill]

Madison went to my high school and we overlapped one year. Naturally, her death has shocked my community, and I first learned about it through a local paper's website. But now it's on the Daily Mail, NY Post, and HuffPost. I think the story has garnered national attention because it doesn't match our expectations. She was popular, beautiful, an incredible high school and college athlete. Virtually every article mentions the photo of a Philadelphia sunset she posted on Instagram an hour before she died. How could someone with "so much going for her," someone who maintained a "normal" appearance, who posted about how excited she was to become an aunt and compete in a track meet and see her high school friends again...how could someone like that be secretly so unhappy?

I am not an expert on mental illness, but I know that a lot of times depression doesn't make sense. You don't have to have a traumatic experience to trigger depression. You don't have to have to have concrete reasons to feel sad, or super anxious, or in a funk. 

Madison's family, in trying to find some peace and create something positive out of this tragedy, has spoken out about de-stigmatizing therapy. I don't want to boil Madison's death down to a simple take-away, but the message her parents are trying to get out is a good one: It's ok to not feel ok. I agree with Blythe - there are certainly Madisons at UVa, a place where it's often hard to admit not feeling ok. A conversation or two can change everything.

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