A song about mental health, depression, and suicide. It’s not an easy topic to discuss, however I think it is an important one.
Before I dive into the topic, here are some notes on the song for those who want to listen along.
It is sung from multiple perspectives - first, those who deeply care about others safety, health and well-being; second from the perspective of someone feeling depressed and suicidal; and third from the perspective of friends and family members who have lost someone to suicide.
I am not currently struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts myself, so please don’t assume that I am based on this song. I’m using music to tell a story that I believe needs to be told.
During the piano intro and outro, the phrase “Do not give it up” is sung. This is about hope and care, not about shame. In fact, if there’s one thing I hope this song helps do, it’s to chip away at the shame that still surrounds mental health.
My first experience with Depression & Suicide
My first real exposure to depression and suicide was during my freshman year of college when my college dorm roommate became severely depressed as the year went on.
At first, the symptoms showed up as isolation- he would sit in our dorm room and listen to music, play video games, and watch YouTube- nothing out of the ordinary. But over time, his sleep schedule shifted drastically. I’d leave for class at 7am and he’d still be awake at his desk. I’d return at 4pm, and he’d be asleep.
Then one day, I returned to my dorm-room and he was holding a noose. He said “David! Look! I made a noose!” I immediately took it from his hands and went straight to our RA. About 15 minutes later, there were police in my dorm room, and they escorted him out of the room to a mental institution.
It was an eerie week. He basically took nothing, his sandals were still by the bed. When he returned, it was clear the system hadn’t helped him. He was delirious, and there were no real resources on campus or at the institution. Everyone just looked away. I didn’t know what to do. I cared, but I wasn’t a professional. Eventually, he dropped out of school. I haven’t stayed in touch, but that experience showed me how deep depression can run, and how unequipped our systems can be.
Additional Experiences
Since then, many of my close friends, family members, and partners have experienced depression. Each journey is unique, and each requires patience, care, and the support of trained professionals.
I’ve never personally been in a state of clinical depression, and I’m grateful for that. But I know how important it is to meet it with compassion and without shame.
In 2020, during my junior year of college, my friend Pierre took his life. His depression was much more hidden than my roommate’s. Looking back, there were signs, like an unexpected solo trip to Japan, but nothing that truly hinted at the weight he was carrying. We got the call from his mother one day. He was gone. This song is dedicated to him.
Later in 2024, a family friend and one of my dad’s closest companions also died by suicide. He left behind a wife and three children my age. We went on rafting trips together every summer. Again, it happened quickly, without warning. It was another reminder that you never really know what someone is carrying.
On Suicide Jokes, and why I take them seriously
One thing I’ve learned is that jokes about suicide are often a cry for help.
My roommate freshman year would joke to me “I’m better off dead” or “Why don’t you just kill me already”.
When someone says something like that, it’s often not a joke at all. It’s a sign of distress. Even when it’s masked in humor, that kind of language signals something deeper. That’s why I try not to tolerate suicide jokes anymore. I’m not always perfect at saying this, because it can be very uncomfortable in the moment, but I’ll attempt to say something like:
“Hey, if you’re being serious, I’m here for you. If you’re joking, I need you to stop because those words matter. And if it continues, I’ll have to get help.”
Removing the Stigma of Mental Health
If there’s one thing I hope this song helps do, it’s to chip away at the shame that still surrounds mental health.
We don’t judge people for catching the flu. We don’t shame someone for breaking their leg. But when it comes to depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, we often treat it like something to hide.
That stigma is deadly. It isolates people right when they need connection most. It teaches us to stay silent when we’re hurting or not to ask for help.
But here’s the truth: struggling with your mental health doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. And asking for help is a signal of courage and strength.
Talking about it openly, honestly, and without shame, is how we change things. It’s how we create a world where people feel safe enough to ask for help before it’s too late.
If this song reaches someone who’s been suffering in silence, or helps someone feel less alone in their darkest moment, then it’s done what it was meant to do.
Lyrics from Pierre (Don’t Give It Up)
Mmm Do not give it up Whatever you do, just do not give it up ohhh There’s a pyramid scheme in your heart I know that it’s tearing apart at your fears It’s okay to be afraid So that we can find the courage to say There’s a miracle here, I swear Always keep it real Hopping from my lily pads Something isn’t right Haunted from within my man How can I go on when my heart is burning all my light? Keep it emotional Feeling like I know that Even sociable Living such a lonely life How can I feel just okay? Nothing makes much sense these days Always keep it real Hopping from my lily pads Something isn’t right Haunted from within my man How can I go on when my heart is burning all my light? Keep it emotional Feeling like I know that Even sociable Living such a lonely life How can I feel just okay? Nothing makes much sense these days How can I feel just okay? Nothing makes much sense these days You call it life I call it death You feel alright I feel like hell I never knew How bad it’d get To feel like this Oh God help me I’m just not feeling okay Help me keep me from making a mistake I can’t go on like this I don’t care who I’ll miss I can’t imagine what it’s like to loose a friend like this Oh God help me I’m just not feeling okay Help me from making a permanent mistake I can’t go on like this I don’t care who I’ll miss I can’t imagine what it’s like to loose a friend like this I lost my angel Pierre I lost my best friend Pierre I lost my brother Pierre I lost my son Pierre I lost my angel Pierre I lost my best friend Pierre I lost my brother Pierre I lost my son Pierre For those of you out there, who are going through a rough time Just want you to know that you are deeply loved There are people out there who can help you And who care about you And I want you to know that it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help In fact, it is a sign of strength Mmm Do not give it up Whatever you do, just do not give it up ohhh There’s a pyramid scheme in your heart I know that it’s tearing apart at your fears It’s okay to be afraid So that we can find the courage to say There’s a miracle here, I swear
Thank you for listening to my music.
With love and gratitude,
Blossomoon
