Olivia Munn shared her experience with depression and suicidal thoughts in this important Instagram post

Toria Sheffield
Updated
In the wake of losing both Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain this week to suicide, actress Olivia Munn has opened up about her own struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts.

The world has felt two tremendous losses this week: Both Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain lost their lives to suicide, reminding so many of us that mental health issues do not discriminate. Additionally, a July 7th CDC study reported that suicide rates have increased by 25% since 1999, highlighting the fact that the system is failing so very many who struggle.

In an attempt to make a difference, actress Olivia Munn just shared an extremely candid and personal Instagram post about her own experiences with depression and suicidal thoughts, reminding her followers that any feared awkwardness or embarrassment over reaching out for help is temporary, but “suicide is permanent.”

The X-Men actress concluded her comments by including a list of international suicide hotlines all over the world.

I have lived with anxiety and sporadic bouts of depression for most of my adult life. 10 years ago I tackled it, learned to fully understand it and haven’t felt the dark depths of depression in about a decade. But before that, thoughts of suicide crossed my mind more than a few times. For those who don’t understand depression, when someone is in that place it’s not because they want to die... it’s because the ongoing, relentless darkness is too painful to endure anymore. You don’t have to suffer from anxiety and depression to feel that low. Something very sad or traumatic can happen to you just once to bring about that feeling of despair. But please listen to me- from someone who is telling you that she’s been where you are- when I say that SUICIDE IS NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE. ???? Here is a list of the international suicide prevention numbers. Please don’t hesitate. A phone call could change everything. Even if you think you don’t want to get involved or don’t want your friend to be mad at you or if you’re the one suffering and don’t want to be talked out of it or feel insecure about asking for help. Those are temporary consequences. With suicide, there’s no do-overs. Please try every single option you can before making a choice that cannot be undone.

A post shared by Olivia Munn (@oliviamunn) on Jun 8, 2018 at 7:04am PDT

Even though we’ve made great strides towards mental health awareness in recent years, stigma and misconceptions around mental illness absolutely still exists. There are still factions who view mental health struggles as a sign of “weakness,” or something to be “powered through,” and others still who feel shame or embarrassment about something that is entirely not their fault.

We’re heartened to see public figures like Munn using their platform to break down the stigma, as well as remind people that mental illness has no face and can affect anyone, regardless of how seemingly “perfect” or “problem-free” their lives may appear from the outside.

Let’s use the events of this past week as a reminder to always be compassionate towards the experiences of others, and to always fight for access to mental health care whenever we have the opportunity in our local communities and voting booths.

If you or anyone you know is experience suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, day or night, at 1-800-273-8255.