She was the one who got it done.
The dependable one. The go-to. The woman who juggled work, family, friendships, deadlines and everyone else’s needs except her own. And then one day, she was gone. The words people whisper always are the same: “But she seemed so strong ….”
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and it’s time to stop whispering. Suicide among women is rising. Professional women particularly are experiencing increasing rates of anxiety, depression and burnout, but often in silence. We’re praised for being capable, admired for pushing through, but when we start to crack under the pressure, there’s little room to say, “I’m not OK.”
Professional women particularly are experiencing increasing rates of anxiety, depression and burnout, but often in silence. We’re praised for being capable, admired for pushing through, but when we start to crack under the pressure, there’s little room to say, “I’m not OK.”
We’ve been conditioned to keep going, keep smiling and keep producing. And when life doesn’t feel manageable, when the stress, sadness or emptiness starts to settle in, we don’t always feel like we have permission to say it aloud.
Women over 30 are especially vulnerable because we’re often taught that this is the season of having it all together: a successful career, family, partnerships, community involvement, etc. But what happens when “having it all” feels more like drowning? We internalize the pain. We become high-functioning in our suffering. And we push down the dark thoughts — hoping they’ll go away.
If this sounds familiar, if you’ve been waking up exhausted, feeling numb or thinking maybe everyone would be better off without you, please know this: You are not alone, and you are not weak for feeling this way.
We must normalize rest, therapy, medication and saying, “I need help.” We must check on each other beyond small talk. We should make space for hard conversations. This isn’t just about emergency hotlines; it’s about the daily work of reminding one another that it’s OK not to be OK.
Suicide prevention starts with telling the truth about how we feel and refusing to carry the weight in silence. Your life matters outside of what you do for others. You don’t have to prove anything to be worthy of staying; you just have to stay. The world still needs you here.
If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.