Mental Health & Simone Biles

I’ve been trying to find the right words to articulate how I am feeling right now. 

This is a huge step in history and lesson to us all. 

There’s always more than meets the eye. 

Mental Health is just as important as Physical Health.

“It takes courage to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol”

Brenè Brown
Shame researcher

Simone’s bravery is something I cannot commend more; reminding us that no matter the fame, no matter the wins, no matter the money… the race. the gender. the background. no matter… anything; mental health doesn’t discriminate and taking care of yourself always comes first.

We cannot poor from an empty vessel and we cannot continue to commend exhaustion as a status symbol.   

It is frightening the amount of people I have seen criticizing her about all of this. If you don’t agree with Simone’s decision, you don’t agree with me fundamentally as a human being. I’ve lost too many people to suicide and I refuse to ever not speak up when it relates to mental health.

Until you experience the battle of your own mind, you will not truly understand. But even if you don’t understand, you can still choose support. Choose sympathy. Choose sharing. Choose LOVE. 

LAUREN HANSEN

“…I refuse to ever not speak up when it relates to mental health.”