💔 “I Was Smiling in Public but Breaking Inside” — Let’s Talk About Mental Health (Before It’s Too Late) 💭
A few years ago, I stumbled into a situation I never saw coming.
On the outside, I looked fine.
I went to work, laughed at jokes, even posted cute selfies on Instagram.
But inside? I was falling apart. Quietly. Invisibly.
I didn’t tell anyone because, well… I didn’t even know how to explain it.
And honestly, I thought it would just pass. Like a bad mood or a rainy day.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t.
It got heavier.
Harder to hide.
Until one night, I broke down in the bathroom at 3am, holding my breath so nobody would hear me cry.
-Let’s Be Real for a Minute
Mental health isn’t just about “crazy people.”
It’s not about padded rooms or dramatic meltdowns like in movies.
It’s about that mom who’s exhausted but feels like she’s failing.
That guy who cracks jokes but hasn’t felt okay in months.
That teenager who stares at the ceiling at 2am wondering if they matter.
In my experience, most people struggling don’t look like they’re struggling.
They’re high-functioning. Smiling. Showing up.
(And slowly falling apart on the inside.)
-“But What Do You Have to Be Depressed About?”
That’s what someone once said to me.
And I get it—on paper, I had it good.
But that’s the thing about mental health… it doesn’t care about your job title, your relationship status, or how many followers you have.
It sneaks in during the quiet moments.
When the messages stop.
When you're too tired to explain why you're tired.
When even brushing your teeth feels like a marathon.
-Here’s What I’ve Noticed Lately
We talk about mental health more than we used to—but not enough.
Not deeply. Not honestly.
We post awareness quotes once a year.
We say “Check on your friends.”
But do we really? Do we listen when someone says they’re not okay?
And what about ourselves?
When was the last time you checked in on you?
-The First Step Isn’t Therapy—It’s Truth
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You don’t have to be strong all the time.
You’re allowed to say, “I’m not okay.”
You’re allowed to take a break.
To cry.
To ask for help without feeling weak or dramatic or selfish.
Because real strength?
It’s not pretending to be fine.
It’s having the courage to be honest when you're not.
-I Might Be Wrong, But…
I think more people would survive their darkest days if we made it okay to talk about them.
Without shame.
Without fear.
Without judgment.
-So I’ll Leave You With This:
What if the next person who smiles at you is secretly begging someone to notice they’re hurting?
What if you are that person?
And what if, just by talking—openly, messily, honestly—we could save someone’s life?
Maybe even our own.
-🔁 Share this if you believe mental health deserves more than a hashtag.
🧠 Let’s start the conversation. No filters. No shame. Just real.
#MentalHealthAwareness | #ItsOkayNotToBeOkay | #YouAreNotAlone | #SpeakUpGhana | #LetThemTalk
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Meet the Author
Prince Manu
YouTuber, Graphics designer, blogger etc
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