I didn't know Presley Gerber. But I was rooting for him from afar, the way you root for anyone you recognize battling the same demons.
Addiction is a disease that knows no bounds. It doesn't care who your parents are, how much money you have, how loved you are, or how hard you're trying. And he was trying. He fought for his recovery in public, in front of a world that offers very little mercy to people who struggle where everyone can see.
We lost nearly 200 people to overdose in this country yesterday. We'll lose nearly 200 more today. About 1,300 a week. Almost 6,000 a month. Roughly 70,000 last year. Every one of them was somebody's Presley.
He started Mental Health Mondays because, in his words, "the goal was to spark real conversations about the stuff most people hide."
So don't hide. Ask for help. Keep asking. And if you've asked before and it didn't take, ask again.
You are not alone.
SAMHSA's National Helpline is free, confidential, and answers 24/7. 1-800-662-4357. You can also call or text 988.