Depression in the Polynesian Community

The stigma around depression in the Polynesian community hurts so many kids everyday, not only kids but adults. Today I’ll be talking about kids since I have #experience :’( n e waysss growing up suicidal thoughts and depression were taboo you know, we weren’t necessarily told not to talk about it but you just knew not to, it was seen as ur faking or don’t worry it’s a phase. also bc we never talk about it, there was a time where I admitted to my mum that I was suicidal and she had absolutely no clue what to do nor did she know how to comfort me bc she had never had to prepare for a moment like that, she straight away started blaming herself and I felt so bad bc my mum is my hero and I’d never want that on her self- wait I went off topic okay yeah I’ve had so many Polynesian friends come out with depression and it’s so sad bc you’d never know by the way they crack jokes everyday or by the way they laugh at the littlest things that the bright smile they have on in front of u is really suffering in silence, many kids unalive themselves bc they have to carry that hurt alone bc they can’t speak out about it without being the topic of discussion in every family function and my heart goes out to them.