‘Seize the Awkward’ is a campaign that advocates for mental health awareness. The name comes from the awkward silence that ensues between friends. According to the campaign, the awkward silence is actually the perfect time to reach out to a friend to check in on them. Seizing the awkward, in the case of this campaign, is starting the conversation.
Studies show that suicide is the second leading cause of teenage deaths in the United States, a compelling reason for the campaign runners to build a program that aims to prevent them.
The website aims to empower young adults to reach out to friends who are struggling. They offer tips for those who aren’t sure of what to do when a friend is going through a tough time, and even partnered up with social media influencers to start the conversation about mental health.
As part of Seize the Awkward’s suicide prevention campaign, a video of Billie Eilish opening about her mental health journey was released. In the video, she talks about her own personal experiences and what she learned from them.
The singer-songwriter encourages us to begin asking the question, “Are you okay?” to our friends. The simple act could mean the world to someone going through something, and it could prevent them from doing something irreversible.
“Even if it’s just a little bit more comfort, that could really mean a lot to someone” Eilish says. “Because you don’t know what is going on. Even in that moment, there might be something going on. It’s been like that for me, there have been certain people that have texted me right when I needed to be texted.”
Eilish continues to say that we should listen to our friends. The signs might not be as obvious, but slight changes can be detected.
To learn more about these signs, visit www.seizetheawkward.com
