top of page
Search

Stop Saying You've Got My Back - Start Proving It

Updated: Jun 3



SLOGANS DON'T SAVE LIVES, BUT WE'VE ALL HEARD THEM...


“We’re in this together.”

“I’ve got your six.”

“Check on your strong friends.”


They sound good on a T-shirt. But here’s the truth: talk is cheap if it doesn’t lead to action.


It’s not enough to just say we support mental health anymore. We have to prove it — with consistency, with resources, and with real-world follow-through.



We’ve Normalized Speaking Up — But Now What?

For the last decade, there’s been a cultural shift: talking about mental health is no longer taboo. That’s progress, no question. But awareness is only the starting line. What happens after someone opens up?


Too often, it’s radio silence.

Or worse — well-meaning words with zero weight behind them.


People speak up about their trauma, their anxiety, their battles with PTSD, depression, burnout — and what do they get in return? A pat on the back, maybe. A “same, bro.” A flood of likes on a vulnerable post. And then… nothing. We know we aren't the only one's who have been out here flapping like a plastic bag against a fence.


That’s not support. That’s performance.


Support Means Showing Up — Not Just Speaking Up

Real support doesn’t end with a hashtag. It looks like:

  • Paying for someone’s first therapy session — or helping them find affordable options.

  • Checking in again next week, not just after the first “I’m not okay.”

  • Creating peer groups where the goal isn’t just venting, but healing.

  • Building bridges to actual resources — therapists, hotlines, programs, funding, time off, coaches, clergy, mentors.

  • Telling your leadership team: “Talking about wellness is not enough. How are we funding it? Prioritizing it? Making it accessible?”


You can’t say you’ve got someone’s back if you disappear the second they lean on you.


The famous “Let Me Know If You Need Anything” Isn’t a Plan

Let’s be honest — that phrase is a cop-out. If you truly want to help, take the initiative. Send the link. Offer the ride. Share the number. Book the session. Recommend the group. Sit in the discomfort and stay.

We don’t need more empty promises. We need systems. Actions. People of their word.


How to Be Someone Who Follows Through

  1. Educate Yourself on Local and Online Resources Know where to point someone when they ask for help. Better yet — walk with them to it. Support has a follow through.

  2. Be Consistent, Not Just Comforting Support isn’t sexy. It’s steady. It's being there even when it’s inconvenient.

  3. Call People In — Not Just Out If someone’s dropping the ball on real support, talk about it. And then talk about how to fix it. Together.

Proof Over Platitudes -

This is the new standard. No more “thoughts and prayers” with no follow-through. No more mental health months filled with fluff and no funding.


We’re not in this together unless we ACT like it.


And if you’re reading this thinking, “Damn… I’ve said the words but not followed through,” — good. That’s awareness. Now it’s time for action. Don’t just be the one who talks. Be the one who shows up. Every. Single. Time.

Resources to Start With, but build this out as you go:

Because lives are on the line — and we don’t have time for slogans anymore.

 
 
 

Kommentare

bottom of page