By Arvinder Kaur Sodhi
Maybe this looks familiar. The alarm goes off, but your body feels too heavy to move. The phone is in your hand before your eyes are fully open, and hours slip away in an endless scroll. The shower feels impossible. Dishes pile up. Plans get canceled again. Meals are skipped, or eaten without noticing. A fog of loss lingers, even if you can’t name exactly what was lost.
If you recognize yourself in these words, you are not alone. These are the quiet battles so many in our community are fighting right now. They don’t always look dramatic from the outside, but inside they can feel unbearable.
“I thought I was the only one,” one neighbor shared. “Not really the only one, but it feels that way. Sometimes I pretend I’m fine when friends ask. Other times I wait for the friend who never asks. And when no one sees your pain, it adds to the pain.”
September is Suicide Prevention Month. It is a time to bring these hidden truths into the open. Struggling to get out of bed, feeling detached, canceling again, even wishing you could disappear...these are not signs of laziness or failure. They are signs of pain. And pain does not mean you are broken. It means you are human.
The silence around mental health often keeps people stuck. Many of us smile in public and collapse in private. We post updates online while quietly wondering if anyone would notice if we were gone. That silence is heavy, but it can be broken; by asking for help, by checking in on each other, by speaking honestly about what hurts.
If you have been carrying these quiet battles, know this: even the smallest step matters. Brushing your teeth. Drinking water. Stepping outside for five minutes. Sending one text that says, “I’m not okay today.” Every small act is proof that you are still here, still holding on.
And if you are waiting for someone to notice, let this article be your sign: we see you. Your life matters. Your presence is needed. You are not behind. You are breathing. That is enough for today.
Help is always within reach. The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 is here to walk with you.
In Sikh tradition, even when it doesn't look so bright, we take a deep breath in and release and we say Shukar Hai: we give thanks for this day. Today, we give thanks for you.
If you or someone you love is struggling, please remember: you do not have to carry it alone.
