When a Nurse Saw What I Couldn’t…
I had no idea I was falling apart. If you had asked me then, I would have said I was fine—just tired, maybe stressed, but who isn’t? Life is busy, responsibilities pile up, and sometimes you just push through. That’s what I was doing. Or at least, that’s what I thought.
It wasn’t until I walked into a clinic for something as small as a hurt finger that everything changed. I went in expecting a quick check-up, maybe a bandage, and to be on my way. But as I sat there, explaining what had happened to my finger, the nurse looked at me—not at my hand, but at me. And then she said something that shattered the wall I had unknowingly built around myself:
“Your finger is going to be fine, let’s take care of it. But you… you’re not leaving this building before talking to your family doctor.”
I don’t even know if she expected the reaction that followed, but at that moment, I broke. Completely. I started crying right there, in the middle of the clinic. Not because of the pain in my finger, but because I suddenly realized—this isn’t me. This exhausted, drained, hollow person sitting in that chair wasn’t me. And for the first time, I couldn’t pretend anymore.
How Did I Not See It?
Looking back, the signs were all there. I was constantly running on empty, snapping at people for no reason, struggling to focus, feeling like I was failing at everything—yet still trying to convince myself I was “handling it.” But I wasn’t. And the truth is, I wouldn’t have figured it out on my own.
It took a complete stranger—a nurse who was there for another reason—to call it out. To see beyond the surface and say what I wasn’t ready to admit: something was wrong. And it wasn’t something I could just shake off or push through.
This moment of realization is something many experience. According to Dr. Christine Purdon, a clinical psychologist at the University of Waterloo, “We often don’t recognize our own distress because we adapt to it. We convince ourselves we are managing, but our body and mind are signaling otherwise.”
The Moment I Finally Listened
I stayed. I saw the doctor. I talked, I cried, I finally let the words come out: I don’t feel okay. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I know this isn’t me. And from that moment on, everything changed.
No, I didn’t magically get better overnight. There was no instant fix, no single solution that made it all go away. But that day was the turning point. It was the moment I stopped ignoring myself.
What I Learned About Mental Health
- You don’t always see it coming. Sometimes, you don’t even realize how much you’re struggling until someone else points it out.
- Pushing through isn’t always strength. I thought I was being strong by holding everything together, but real strength came in admitting I needed help.
- Help doesn’t mean weakness. Therapy, medication, lifestyle changes—whatever it takes to heal is not a sign of failure. It’s survival.
- You don’t have to wait for a crisis. I didn’t know how close I was to breaking until I did. Don’t wait for the moment you completely fall apart. If you feel off, listen to that feeling.
Dr. Gabor Maté, a physician and mental health expert, once said:
“When we suppress emotions to maintain an appearance of being ‘strong’ or ‘in control,’ we actually weaken ourselves internally. Healing starts with acknowledging that pain exists.”
How to Get Help – Anonymously and Without Pressure
One of the hardest things about mental health struggles is feeling like you have nowhere to turn. But the truth is, help is available, and you don’t need to have all the answers before reaching out.
Anonymous and Confidential Mental Health Support in Canada & North America:
📞 Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566 (Available 24/7)
💬 Text Support: 45645 (Available 4 PM – 12 AM ET)
📞 Talk Suicide Canada: https://www.talksuicide.ca/ (Call or text for support)
📞 Hope for Wellness (For Indigenous Peoples in Canada): 1-855-242-3310 (Available 24/7)
📞 Crisis Text Line (Canada & USA): Text HOME to 686868 (Canada) or 741741 (USA)
📞 Quebec Mental Health Support (Info-Social 811): Dial 811 to speak with a professional for free, 24/7.
📞 Tel-Jeunes (For Young People in Quebec): 1-800-263-2266 or text 514-600-1002
👥 Find a Therapist in Canada: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists
🌍 For More Global Mental Health Resources: https://checkpointorg.com/global/
Why I’m Sharing This
Because maybe someone reading this is exactly where I was. Maybe you’re telling yourself you’re just tired, just stressed, just overwhelmed—but deep down, you know it’s more than that. And if no one has told you yet, let me be the one to say it:
You deserve to feel okay. You deserve help. You don’t have to wait for someone else to notice before you take care of yourself.
That nurse changed my life with one sentence. Maybe these words can be that moment for you.
And if you need to hear it again:
You’re not alone. And it’s okay to ask for help.
Final Thoughts
Mental health struggles don’t always look like what we expect. They don’t always come with a clear moment of realization. But they are real, and they deserve attention.
If you’ve been waiting for a sign, maybe this is it. Maybe it’s time to stop, take a deep breath, and ask yourself: Am I okay?
And if the answer is no, please—reach out. Someone is ready to listen.
With all my heart and the certainty that maybe others need ‘someone’ to say: you need help. ❤️
