I can see that you are worried about your son, so I am not going to have a go at you, but you should understand this is a very damaging mentality.

My mum is the 'suck it up' type. I knew from an early age that I was not expected to talk about or receive help for my problems, so I didn't. I started drinking very young as an alternative coping mechanism, dropped out of school, went to work in pubs are bars, hopping around friend group and jobs when I inevitably ended up either burning bridges or running away from people who genuinely cared about me because I did not know how to communicate or resolve any of the issues I was facing.

The drinking and partying only got worse and worse, eventually I was just drinking by myself, skipping work or being signed off for my very obvious mental health problems. But I still did not know how to talk to anyone.

It all eventually came to a head when I literally could not hide how bad things were anymore. I had to move back home, left all of my friends behind (since all we did was party, and I needed to stop). Even for years after, I didn't actually think anything was going to get better. Anytime I tried to talk about anything, I just cried.

Life is better now, but my mum still talks about how it's so great that I'm like her, that I never made a fuss, that I 'sucked it up'. It hurts, and I still don't know how to communicate well enough to even tell her that.

For the sake of your son, your students, and even yourself - please, please work on doing away with this mentality.