Guest Column by Alexandra McCabe | Reaching for help

Like everyone at Penn, I have been incredibly saddened by the losses our community has faced, not just over the past few weeks but also over the whole of the last year. It obviously takes time to grieve the loss of friends, but it’s also important to take a message from their lives — to make sure they didn’t die in vain. I think that a vital message that we can take, at least from Madison Holleran’s case, is the importance of addressing mental health.

I have personally suffered from mental health issues while at Penn (though thankfully they did not manifest themselves in suicidal thoughts), so I know first-hand the unbelievable difference that therapy and medication can make. Believe me, it is not easy to go on the public record as having suffered from these issues, but if this column can inspire even just one person to seek help, then it is worth it.

For years, I put off seeking professional help for problems like stress and anxiety because of embarrassment or a belief that “I could handle it.” However, over time these took their toll and spun out of control.

When I first started to suffer from my disease, it was hard for me even to leave my dorm and go to class. Now, after almost two years of treatment and hard work, I am so proud of what I have accomplished. I won’t lie and say it’s been easy. Every single day I am plagued by the same thoughts I have always been, but what is different now is that I have learned how to manage and overcome them. My disease no longer runs my life. I am back in control.

In his interview with The New York Post, Mr. Holleran noted that Madison had begun therapy in December and, on the day of her death, he urged her to make an appointment to discuss medication with a therapist. I am so saddened that Madison lost her battle before she got a chance to work on her illness with the help of extended therapy and medicine.

My message to all of you is to please speak up if you’re having issues. The constant feeling like you’re alone inside your head and helpless is a very scary thing to deal with, but it’s important to know that you are certainly not alone and — with time and help — it will get better. Madison didn’t have the benefit of time. Please make sure that you do.

Finally, even to those who are not personally struggling with mental health issues, there is an enormous stigma attached to mental health issues, and it can make an already hard-to-battle problem even harder. The fear of being labeled “crazy” or “insane” prevents people from confronting their problems. It is important to remember that mental health issues are not the individual’s fault. They are illnesses. People with these diseases need support, not ridicule.

Alexandra McCabe is a College senior from Bronxville, N.Y. studying economics. You can email her at mccabea@sas.upenn.edu.

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