DETROIT, MI / ACCESS Newswire / August 25, 2025 / Muzzammil Riaz, a registered nurse and wellness advocate, believes that society has misunderstood the meaning of resilience. He argues that resilience is not the absence of struggle. It is not the ability to mask suffering. It is the willingness to face pain with honesty and the patience to heal over time.

Riaz has worked closely with patients, families, and fellow healthcare professionals who often carry invisible burdens. He notes that many are encouraged to "stay strong" by suppressing their emotions. In his view, this approach can deepen wounds rather than close them. "We confuse silence with strength," he explains. "But silence can become a prison when people feel forced to hide what they are going through."

According to Riaz, true resilience begins with recognition. Pain that is ignored tends to resurface in unhealthy ways. It can appear as burnout, irritability, or physical illness. He sees this pattern often among men who have been raised to equate strength with emotional withdrawal. For them, vulnerability is treated as a flaw rather than an honest human experience. Riaz challenges that belief. "Resilience means feeling pain and still choosing to move forward," he says.

Muzzammil Riaz emphasizes that resilience is not linear. People may take steps forward and then stumble back. They may feel strong one week and overwhelmed the next. To him, resilience lies in the decision to return to the process of healing again and again. "It is not about never falling," Riaz explains. "It is about refusing to stay down."

One of the ways he encourages resilience is through active acknowledgement. Journaling, reflection, and speaking openly can allow individuals to process emotions instead of burying them. Riaz sees these practices as a release valve for internal pressure. Without them, stress builds until it demands attention in destructive forms. He points out that resilience cannot be separated from expression. "Pain has to move somewhere," he says. "We either let it move through us or it takes control."

In healthcare, the cost of ignoring pain is visible. Riaz has seen colleagues push through exhaustion until they collapse from burnout. He has watched patients internalize shame about their struggles because they fear being judged. These patterns reinforce his message that resilience requires openness. "Acknowledgement is not weakness," he insists. "It is a first step toward recovery."

Riaz also believes community is essential. Resilience cannot flourish in isolation. When people surround themselves with those who listen without judgment, they find strength they did not know they had. Support does not erase pain, but it makes carrying it more bearable. He urges families, workplaces, and communities to create spaces where emotions are respected rather than dismissed.

Physical practices also play a role. Riaz often highlights the benefits of exercise, mindful breathing, and consistent routines. These habits do not erase pain, but they provide the body with a foundation for endurance. He explains that when the body is cared for, the mind has more capacity to engage with challenges. "Resilience is not built in the moment of crisis," he says. "It is built in the small daily actions that prepare us for those moments."

Muzzammil Riaz pushes back against the cultural narrative that resilience requires toughness at all costs. He suggests that this mindset discourages people from admitting when they are struggling. Instead, he frames resilience as honesty, patience, and the courage to confront hardship directly. To him, ignoring pain is a denial of reality. Resilience is not about denial. It is about truth.

He also warns against comparing struggles. Each person's pain is unique, and each person's resilience will look different. Some may rely on conversation, while others may find strength in solitude or prayer. What matters, he says, is that people permit themselves to respond in ways that foster healing rather than hiding.

In closing, Riaz calls for a cultural shift. He wants resilience to be defined not as stoicism but as the ability to embrace imperfection. He wants people to see that acknowledging pain does not disqualify them from strength. Instead, it confirms it. "Resilience is not the absence of tears," he reflects. "It is the presence of courage in the middle of them."

Through his work as a nurse and wellness advocate, Riaz continues to share this message with patients, peers, and communities. He believes the future of mental health depends on reshaping how we define resilience. For him, resilience is not ignoring pain. It is learning to walk with it until healing comes.

To learn more visit: https://muzzammilriaz.com/

Contact: Muzzammil Riaz

Email: riaz@muzzammil-raiz.com

SOURCE: Muzzammil Riaz