"Stay strong." It's a phrase Israelis hear constantly—an affirmation, a command, a national slogan. But what happens when strength becomes a mask?
Mental Health First Aid Israel warns that relentless stoicism can suppress vulnerability until it explodes. Those perceived as "strong" are less likely to be checked on, less likely to be offered support—and less likely to ask for it.
MHFA training teaches communities to redefine strength: not as invincibility, but as the courage to seek help.
True strength says, "I'm struggling, and I need support."
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