When the Mind Grows Tired!

A few days ago, I had a long conversation with a friend who lives abroad. It had been months since we last talked, and from the first few minutes, I could tell something was different. Her usual cheerful tone was gone. There was a quiet heaviness in her voice.

She told me that life had been getting tougher lately. The cost of living kept rising, the workload never seemed to end, and she barely had time to rest - let alone socialize. “Sometimes,” she said softly, “it feels like I’m just surviving, not living.”

She explained how her whole life depended on the job she does — the bills, rent, food, everything. And being far from family made it even harder. There were days she’d come home to complete silence, exhausted but unable to sleep, her mind racing with worries about tomorrow.

Then she said something that took me aback.

“There were times I thought of ending it all… but then I remembered that I’m needed.”

Those words stayed with me long after our conversation ended. I’m needed. Such a simple phrase, yet it carries the weight of hope.

It made me think about how many people, right now, are quietly carrying invisible burdens. People who smile, show up to work, laugh in conversations - yet are fighting silent battles inside their own minds. It reminded me that we never truly know what someone is going through, even those who seem to “have it all together.”

When a person reaches the point of thinking about suicide, it’s rarely because they truly want to die. Often, it’s because they feel trapped - in pain, loneliness, or exhaustion - and they simply want the suffering to stop. They may feel unseen, unheard, or convinced that their existence doesn’t matter.

That’s why kindness matters more than we think. A simple message, a small check-in, or just listening - really listening - without judgment, can make a world of difference. Sometimes, all someone needs is to be reminded that they are not alone, that they are seen, that they matter.

This year’s World Mental Health Day, celebrated every October 10th, was a powerful reminder that mental health is not just a topic for one day. It’s something we must keep talking about, nurturing, and normalizing every day. Because mental health is as real and as important as physical health.

If you know someone who seems distant, tired, or withdrawn - reach out. You never know how much that small act could mean. And if you are the one struggling, please remember: your life has meaning. Even when it feels dark, there is light waiting beyond what you can see right now. You are needed, more than you can imagine.

 Your friend,

Denyse