James Longman on Living With, and Learning From, Mental Illness

Today, I’m joined by James Longman, an award-winning journalist and author of The Inherited Mind, for a deeply personal and powerful conversation about mental illness, family history, and the complexities of healing.

James opens up about his father’s struggles with schizophrenia and suicide, and how that experience shaped his own battles with depression and anxiety. Writing his latest book—a deeply personal exploration of his family’s history—was both cathartic and incredibly challenging, forcing him to confront his past while also trying to make sense of mental illness in a wider context.

We also discuss the stigma that still surrounds mental health, the complexities of diagnosis and treatment, and the role of medication and community-based care. But more than anything, this conversation is about humanising mental illness, understanding it beyond labels, and recognizing the real people behind these experiences.

It’s a raw, thought-provoking discussion, and I’m so grateful to James for sharing his story.

Find James:

Instagram: @jamesaalongman

Buy his book: https://amzn.eu/d/fzUO5B5

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