As people traverse through life, they come across several crosses-each bearing a challenge and a discoverable lesson. But one aspect of their wellness is always set aside amid this whole chaos: mental health. For many, physical health takes precedence because the aftereffects are more often visible and thus easier to measure. When we experience pain physically, instinctively, we go to a doctor; when injured, we quickly tend to the wounds. But what about those wounds that are invisible-the battles that silently rage within? In some, mental health makes its presence known in blinding flashes, triggered by voices or stress or unexpected chaos, and then slowly recedes into manageable bouts. For others, it lingers quietly in the background, hidden and dismissed, until it grows into all-consuming silent disorder. These invisible battles are often ignored, as they have no physical symptoms, and thus leave many to suffer in isolation.

The stigma associated with mental illnesses is all-pervasive. Society has a repeated message to the sufferer: "Stay strong andpush through without fuss." This attitude fosters an environment full of silence and isolation, leaving many to fight through their pain alone.