‘The Me You Can’t See’ Recap: ‘Asking for Help’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the second episode of ‘The Me You Can’t See’.

​The prevailing belief when it comes to tough times for a person, is that they are in essence on their own when it comes to their struggle. Because we live in a world where everyone is raised to be strong, and expected to forge ahead and solve their problems in a brave and dynamic manner. But while that is a wonderful thought in theory, it is one that we are beginning to learn is incorrect and foolish… especially when it comes to struggles involving mental health. Because sometimes we need more help than we know in order to overcome what’s eating at us and what’s leaving us in such a dark place and how exactly we get that help is explored in great detail in the next episode of The Me You Can’t See on AppleTV+. For ‘Asking for Help’ once again uses its title to relay the answer as to how we get the assistance we need because speaking up and letting others know we need it, is the only way to make it happen and that allowed for this episode to explore this important step toward healing in an incredibly dynamic manner.

For this one took the time to not only explore the benefits of opening up and saying ‘help’, but it made sure to help the viewer understand the pain that comes out of not asking for it and how difficult it can  be to ask for that help… as evidenced by the vignette involving Oprah and Alex, the woman that Oprah took under her wing on live television a long time ago. For Alex as it turns out has a lot of unresolved traumas in her heart and mind and for the longest time, she felt going the traditional route and forging ahead was the best way to solve that. But that didn’t work in the slightest and it led to tough times, but she still kept pushing because it was far more difficult to say outright that help was needed. And while she eventually has received the proper care she needs and did open up, this vignette really did make it clear that asking for it is easier said than done and well… if we choose not to, that’s when heartbreak can occur.

Which is a darker aspect of this journey that was explored by way of a man who saw his father struggle with his mental health issues his whole life. For Zak Williams watched his father Robin, battle his mental demons on a daily basis, to the point where Robin self-medicated and did whatever he needed to in order to avoid genuine therapy or acknowledge that there was a problem. In part to keep his career going, but also because he too held to the stigma revolving around mental health. Which in turn led to several tragedies. In that, young Zak began to follow in his father’s footsteps when his problems arose because… that was deemed acceptable. And his dad, well eventually he took his own life when a depressive state overtook him after he received news of his Parkinson’s diagnosis. An act that speaks volumes to the message in question. But rather than threaten or warn with that story ending there, Zak’s story instead took quite the powerful turn. One where he learned that opening up and asking for help might not be a bad thing in the slightest and in doing so, he was able to change his fortunes and his path and find some of the peace that he never knew in his youth, and he wasn’t the only one in this tale to find that.

For Ginny, the boxer we met in the series premiere that was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, also found herself in a tough place where asking for help seemed impossible. But when she did during her darkest hour… a great deal changed. For not only did she get the help and treatment she so desperately sought, but she came to learn that there were people ready and willing and able to support her and help her through what was going to be a tough time. For her parents didn’t turn their back on her in the slightest, they instead embraced their daughter and worked to learn how to help her at every turn. Plus, she even has constant support from her best friend and her story also echoed some of what Crystal went through when she finally opened up about her struggles with depression and for that matter, there was similar positivity to be found when Prince Harry opened up about Meghan Markle’s battle with depression as well, allowing for this episode to end on a supremely high note because of what asking for help does for us when we’re struggling.

In that, it will rally the people that matter most to our cause and our fight. Allowing for us to not feel as though we are stuck handling this alone and that’s huge. Because sometimes we will need that support and that love as we navigate uncharted waters and darkness untold and hopefully this series will explore that in greater detail down the line since we don’t talk enough about the importance of a support network in regard to mental health and recovery. But what matters more, is that this particular tale also makes it inherently clear, that none of that support and or the treatment we likely need will ever come about if we stay silent. For silence is nothing more than an enabler of the problem and it will feed it and encourage it to grow and well, once again, this series deserves a round of applause for presenting such matters in a raw and honest fashion, and it will be quite interesting and powerful to see what other steps toward healing The Me You Can’t See is going to examine in its trademark candid manner, in future episodes. Until next time.

‘The Me You Can’t See’ is streaming now, exclusively on AppleTV+.   

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