We live on a small island, where almost everyone knows each other by sight or by name. But, even though we are close in kilometers, many people continue to live their emotional suffering in silence, as if it did not exist or did not matter. Mental health in Lanzarote cannot remain in the background, because what is at stake is the life and well-being of our people.
The waiting lists are so long that many people give up before getting an appointment. It is not normal for someone with anxiety, depression, or a critical moment to have to wait months or see a psychologist every three months. Pain does not understand shifts or official calendars. People cannot adapt to the system's agenda when they are having a hard time. Added to this is that almost no one knows who to call or who to turn to when there is an emotional emergency. They do not know the help lines, the available services, or the steps to ask for psychological support. And asking for help should not be an obstacle course: it should be something easy, fast, and human.
Another part of the problem is silence. For years, this issue has been treated as something private, something best left unsaid. But emotional distress is not an isolated matter: it affects us as a society. Loneliness, overwhelm, or the fear of not being able to go on are not personal failings, they are signs that the system is not reaching people or is reaching them too late. That is why we need to talk, without shame or fear. To truly ask how people are doing. To listen calmly. To be present. It is not enough to not judge: we must accompany, be close, and not look the other way.
It's also a community matter. Associations, schools, professionals, families, and institutions have to row in the same direction. Not from improvisation, but with organization, resources, and will. There are people who want to help, but they need means, coordination, and spaces to do so.
Lanzarote cannot continue waiting for something serious to happen to react. Prevention is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Having more professionals, accessible psychological care, preventive programs, spaces for listening and support should already be underway, not just in speeches. Every life matters. Every person who is left without help affects us all. When someone does not find an answer, it is not because they cannot take it anymore: it is because the system did not arrive in time. Mental health cannot depend on luck, money, or how much someone can endure.
Starting to take care of ourselves as a society means recognizing what is happening, what is missing, and what needs to be changed. Talking about mental health is not creating a problem: it is starting to solve it.
If you or someone you know is having a hard time, there is a suicide prevention hotline: 024. It is free and completely anonymous, and there are people ready to listen to you and support you when you need it. You don't have to wait for the situation to become unbearable: talking can save lives.