Mental Illness Happy Hour #782 Loss, Empathy & Resilience - Kyle Kittleson
Jan 9, 2026
Kyle Kittleson, a YouTube host and advocate for mental health and animals, shares his profound experiences with grief after losing his mother at 16. He discusses how this loss has impacted his adult relationships and emphasizes the importance of empathy and resilience in children. Kyle also delves into health anxieties, his reflections on narcissism and intimacy, and the complexities of grief. He shares practical advice on budgeting and managing anxiety, along with exercises to practice empathy, making for an insightful and heartfelt conversation.
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Choosing To Box Some Grief
- Kyle avoids many reminders of his mother and consciously keeps much grief boxed away.
- He accepts that holding back some grief is his chosen way to cope even if therapists disagree.
Music Trigger Breaks A Windshield
- A piece of classical music at a party triggered Kyle to sob all the way home and kick out a windshield.
- He realized later that he still had unresolved grief even in his mid-20s.
Guilt About Secret Relief
- Kyle admits feeling relieved his mother died instead of his father because he feared caring for a dying mother.
- He says this honestly and resists justifying it as mere coping.
