There are certain sets of emotions, experiences and elements of life that all human beings go through. This set of shared aspects is known as the human condition. It is this defined set of human aspects that unites humankind. Birth and death are examples of this, as well as emotions we all feel,  such as love, suffering and many more. 

A critical part of the human condition is the aspect of suffering or struggle. We all struggle at some point in our lives, experiencing feelings of depression, loneliness and hopelessness. This unifying struggle has shifted over the years, as people have changed the definition of struggle.  

Now, there is a different kind of struggle, that has silently plagued humanity for centuries. It has only recently come to light as a publicly acknowledged aspect of being human. The mental health crisis has been around for as long as humanity has existed, but it came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. People all over the world were united in their isolation, feelings of loneliness, and mental health challenges. It seemed that for once, everyone in the world experienced this same part of the human condition simultaneously.  

Somehow, even after that moment of collective unity, the mental health movement lost its momentum. Five years after the start of the pandemic, we seem to be back at square one for mental health advocacy and treatment. People turn to social media to avoid their problems. Therapists are so stigmatized that people turn to artificial intelligence for help.  

 We build rockets to send to space, create AI and design supercomputers that fit in our pockets. So how is it that we cannot de-stigmatize such a crucial part of being human? Are we so afraid to appear weak that we invalidate the struggles of others so we can seem strong? When you break a bone, it is acceptable to take some time off to rest and heal. Mental health struggles don’t show up on X-rays, and you don’t get a cast, so no one else can see what you’ve gone through. However, they both deserve a high level of treatment and care because if left untreated, there can be consequences. To ignore mental health is to downplay a critical aspect of being human. If we are ever to unite through our shared humanity, we must treat the invisible scars of the mind like their visible counterparts of the body.