Depression in College: Emily’s Story of Struggle and Survival

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, Emily Director shares her deeply personal journey through depression, beginning with her struggles during college. From the overwhelming loneliness she felt at Brown University to building peer-support initiatives at Penn, Emily’s story reflects both the pain and resilience of living with depression. She opens up about her diagnosis, hospitalization, and the importance of peer support, therapy, and reframing how we view emotions. Her honesty sheds light on what it’s really like to live with severe depression and how small steps, community, and understanding can make a difference.

Link to Cereal for Dinner's website: https://www.cerealfordinner.org/

Primary Topics Covered:

• Emily’s early struggles with depression in college
• The role of environment in mental health
• Leaving medical school and identity loss
• Hospitalization, ECT treatments, and living with chronic depression
• Learning to accept and process “negative” emotions
• The fear of recovery and losing support
• The importance of peer support and community

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction by hosts Terry and Dr. Anita Sanchez
 01:23 – Introduction of guest Emily Director
 03:05 – Emily’s academic background and Ivy League pressures
 03:42 – Depression and loneliness at Brown University
 04:26 – Family history of mental illness (“the Director curse”)
 05:17 – Transferring schools and finding mental health advocacy at Penn
 06:46 – Creating a peer counseling program and mental health screening tool
 07:26 – Depression as a spectrum, varying by person and episode
 08:53 – Struggles in medical school and worsening depression
 10:01 – Leaving medical school, identity crisis, and hospitalization
 11:32 – Role of therapy and recognizing PTSD
 12:11 – Reframing emotions: learning to accept sadness and negative feelings
 13:35 – Naming emotions and reducing panic about sadness
 15:20 – Depression as an ongoing, waxing-and-waning condition
 16:18 – Experiencing joy again after years of numbness
 17:02 – Fears about losing support during recovery
 18:32 – The daily struggle of completing basic tasks during depression
 19:17 – Co-host reflections on debilitating depression
 20:30 – Importance of practical tips for daily functioning (next week’s episode preview)
 21:38 – Power of peer support and Facebook community invitation
 22:27 – Call for listener engagement and feedback
 22:47 – Closing thoughts and preview of Emily’s website/resource sharing

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