STRUGGLES: Words of wisdom

What happened to Mr. Troy Schueller is a tragedy and he will be sorely missed by not only his family, but also his students and this community. His impact will be everlasting. My only hope is that our children can learn from this.

I hope they can learn that it is OK to be who you are and that there is no shame in having mental health struggles. We all know a person or two who has the same issues — it might even be us.

We, as a community, need to band together and encourage each other and our children to talk openly and freely — WE ARE THE CHANGE. It starts with us; no one should suffer in silence.

As a woman who struggles with depression and anxiety, I didn’t want to be so open about my mental illness because I was ASHAMED and AFRAID it would ruin others’ perception of me. Then, in 2009, someone very close to me committed suicide. My family and I had no idea he was struggling the way he was, and it was at that moment I realized that I could help change this negativity. I started speaking out while encouraging others to do the same. I have found that since being so open about my struggles and providing a support system for others who struggle, it has helped me in even my most trying of times.

Let us be the change; we owe it to ourselves, our children and the future.

RONNIE DAVISSON

Coeur d’Alene