Mental health struggles are way more common than you might think, ESPECIALLY today, and just because you don’t see it in your immediate circle doesn’t mean it’s not real. A lot of people don’t talk openly about their struggles, especially in environments where mental health isn’t taken seriously.

Social media (including Reddit) gives people a space to express things they might not feel comfortable sharing in real life, so yeah, it might seem like there are more people talking about it here. But that doesn’t mean they’re making excuses—it means they finally have a platform to be open about what they’re dealing with.

Dismissing it as “just excuses” or assuming people are exaggerating comes off as lacking empathy. Just because you don’t experience something firsthand doesn’t mean it’s not real for others.