Lady Gaga Shares Her Heart to Raise Mental Health Awareness

Today is World Mental Health Day and Lady Gaga is using her platform to shed light on Mental Health Awareness. In an op-ed written for The Guardian, the singer actress along with the Director General for the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, encouraged governments and key people in different industries to “put mental health at the top of their agendas.”

Lady Gaga has always been open about her own struggles on mental health and PTSD also shares that while suicide has unfortunately taken the lives of popular figures such as Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, it has also taken “sons, daughters, friends, colleagues, valued members of families and communities” and this is the reason why it is critical to cure the stigma surrounding mental health.”

The article notes, “Suicide is the most extreme and visible symptom of the larger mental health emergency we are so far failing to adequately address. Stigma, fear, and lack of understanding compound the suffering of those affected and prevent the bold action that is so desperately needed and so long overdue.”

It soon shares very important numbers about the world’s mental health condition, “One in four of us will have to deal with a mental health condition at some point in our lives, and if we’re not directly affected, someone we care for is likely to be. Our young people are particularly vulnerable, with suicide being the second leading cause of death globally among 15-29 year olds and half of all mental illness beginning by the age of 14.”

She goes on to share the importance of curing the stigma on mental health and what we all need to do collectively to prioritize mental wellness, “The time has come for us all, collectively, to tackle the causes and symptoms of mental illness, and provide care for those who suffer from it. You don’t have to be an international artist or the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) to make an impact.”

To know more, you can read her inspiring article here and maybe be inspired to make a difference today.