Silent Struggles | Moody Melon Magazine

The Silence Between the Cracks: What Are We Still Missing About Suicide?

Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
Sep 2

Suicide awareness is not just about recognizing the signs—it's about creating a culture where people feel safe enough to be seen, heard, and helped. Increasing suicide awareness means challenging silence, breaking stigma, and reminding others that their lives have value even when they can’t see it themselves.

The Silence Between the Cracks: What Are We Still Missing About Suicide?

It’s easy to spot a broken arm. A fever. A bleeding wound. But emotional pain doesn’t show up on an X-ray.

Every year, millions struggle silently with suicidal thoughts—many of them never saying a word, even to those closest to them. While awareness campaigns, crisis hotlines, and school programs have increased over the years, the numbers remain sobering: over 700,000 people die by suicide globally each year, according to the World Health Organization. And for every death, there are countless others who attempt or contemplate it.

So what are we still missing?

Click to Learn About Breaking Through the Cloud: How to Find Your Way When Suicidal Thoughts Take Over

The Myths That Keep Us Quiet

One of the most dangerous beliefs is that talking about suicide puts the idea into someone's head. The truth? Talking about it—openly, calmly, and without judgment—can save a life. Research shows that when we ask people directly if they’re thinking about suicide, we open the door for connection, not destruction.

Another myth? That only people with diagnosed mental illness are at risk. In reality, suicide can affect anyone—those with chronic depression, yes, but also people facing acute grief, shame, relationship breakdowns, or financial ruin. Sometimes, it’s not a long battle with depression that leads to suicide—it’s a single overwhelming moment when hope disappears.

The Illusion of “Fine”

People who are suicidal often learn to wear the mask well. They go to work. They take care of their families. They say they’re “fine.”

But suicide is not about wanting to die—it’s often about not wanting to live with the pain. Many just want the suffering to end, not life itself. If we can be brave enough to ask the deeper questions—"How are you, really?"—we may begin to catch more of the signs before it’s too late.

How We Show Up Matters

You don’t have to be a therapist to make a difference. Sometimes, being a consistent, nonjudgmental presence is the most powerful thing you can offer. Show up. Check in. Listen. And take people seriously—even if their pain doesn’t look like your version of it.

Don’t say, “You have so much to live for.” Say, “You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Don’t try to fix it. Try to understand it.

And if you're the one struggling: You are not weak. You are not a burden. You are not alone.

Click to Learn About The Silent Distance: How to Support Your Surviving Parent Through Grief When They Push You Away

Hope Isn’t Just a Word—It’s a Lifeline

Suicide prevention isn’t just about crisis moments. It’s about building a culture where people feel safe being vulnerable. Where emotional pain is treated with the same urgency as physical pain. Where we check in with people before they reach the edge.

Because here's the truth: suicide isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s hidden in the quiet withdrawal, the missed texts, the smiles that don’t reach the eyes.

So we must ask:

How many people are suffering in silence right now—because we haven’t made it safe for them to speak?

💬 Ready to start your own healing journey?

Book a session with one of our compassionate therapists at Moody Melon Counseling. We’re here when you’re ready. 🍉

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Strings Attached: What Learning an Instrument Can Teach Your Brain About Healing

Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
Jun 28

Learning an instrument can teach your brain about healing by rewiring neural pathways and offering a safe outlet for emotional expression. Even simple, consistent practice on an instrument can teach your brain about healing, focus, and resilience in ways that words sometimes can't.

Strings Attached: What Learning an Instrument Can Teach Your Brain About Healing

You don’t need to be a musician to use music as medicine.

Have you ever found yourself staring at a piano, guitar, or drum set and thinking, “I wish I knew how to play”? Maybe it felt like a missed childhood opportunity, or maybe life just got in the way. What if that urge wasn't just about learning a new skill—but about healing something deeper?

Turns out, picking up an instrument later in life isn’t just possible—it might be one of the best things you can do for your brain and your emotional well-being. From rewiring thought patterns to processing intense emotions without words, music can reach parts of us that talking sometimes can't.

The Brain on Music

When you learn an instrument, you're not just memorizing notes or finger positions—you’re engaging in a full-body mental workout. Neuroscientific studies show that music activates both hemispheres of the brain and increases communication between regions that are typically used for memory, motor control, emotional regulation, and language. It’s a rare activity that stimulates so many parts of your brain at once. This stimulation helps build new neural connections—particularly useful for those healing from trauma, depression, or anxiety, where certain pathways may be underused or overloaded. The result? Greater emotional stability, better memory, and stronger focus.

Mood Management Through Music

For many people, the idea of mood regulation feels abstract. But music gives it structure. Regular practice—even for 10–15 minutes a day—offers a powerful sense of routine, and the act of making even small progress with an instrument fosters a tangible sense of accomplishment. It also gives your emotional world a non-verbal outlet. If you’ve ever felt better after singing in the car or playing a few chords, that’s your nervous system resetting itself. Instead of bottling up stress or numbing out, you’re actively processing it. That’s why music therapy is a growing field—it taps into something deep, primal, and healing.

When You’re Angry, Pick Up the Instrument—Not the Fight

Anger often feels like fire—it wants to burn, lash out, explode. But what if you had a safe way to move that energy? Music can be the perfect outlet. Imagine grabbing a guitar and playing loud, fast chords to match your racing thoughts. Or using a djembe drum to beat out your frustration. This isn’t about creating a polished song—it’s about redirecting emotion in the moment, letting it pass through rather than take over. Over time, choosing your instrument over an argument trains your brain to pause, regulate, and process—skills that defuse anger before it harms relationships or yourself.

Emotional Processing in a New Key

Some feelings don’t come with words—and that’s okay. Music allows you to bypass language and express with sound. A moody piano improv might echo your sadness, or a dissonant melody might match your anxiety. As you connect with the emotion through sound, your brain begins to make sense of it, to move it, and eventually to let it shift. Therapists often call this emotional discharge—and it’s why so many people cry when they hear certain songs or find relief after playing their instrument. In this way, music becomes a container for emotional experience, allowing you to process without needing to perfectly explain.

But What If I’m Not “Good”?

We’ve all internalized the idea that if we’re not excellent at something, it’s not worth doing. But healing doesn’t care about performance—it cares about practice and presence. Learning an instrument teaches you to tolerate frustration, be kind to yourself when you mess up, and keep going even when progress feels slow. Those are mental health muscles, not just musical ones. The more you show up and allow yourself to be a beginner, the more you strengthen patience, resilience, and curiosity. These are the same traits that help you navigate therapy, relationships, and emotional growth.

Getting Started

You don’t need to invest hundreds of dollars or hours to reap the benefits of music. Start small. Borrow a keyboard. Download a free guitar chord app. Hum along to backing tracks on YouTube. Even clapping rhythms or tapping your desk to a beat counts as engaging with musical structure. The key is to keep it accessible and enjoyable, not overwhelming. If you treat it like play, your brain will treat it like healing. Consistency, even in short bursts, creates the change—not perfection.

So here’s your question:

What if the instrument you’ve been putting off learning… is also the tool your mind has been waiting for to feel more alive, balanced, and understood?