Growing Up With Trauma and Depression: A Journey From Silence to Healing

What happens when you finally put a name to the pain you’ve been carrying for years? For John, acknowledging that what he was experiencing was depression was the turning point in his journey from silence and stigma toward hope and healing.

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, John shares openly about growing up in a household marked by trauma and alcoholism, the heavy self-stigma men often face, and the years he spent trying to “tough it out.” Through therapy, medication, and finally naming his depression for what it was, John discovered that healing begins with self-compassion and connection.

If you’ve ever wondered “What’s wrong with me?” or struggled to accept your mental health challenges as real, this episode offers reassurance that naming and owning your depression is not weakness—it’s the first step toward freedom.

Links to ACEs test: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/media-coverage/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

https://www.naadac.org/assets/2416/michael_bricker_acesassessment_ac16_ho.pdf

Primary Topics Covered:

• How stigma and masculinity silence men’s depression
• The “pit of snakes” metaphor for self-critical thinking
• Growing up with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
• The lasting impact of low self-esteem and verbal abuse
• Recognizing depression as a medical condition, not a weakness
• How COVID-19 and personal crises intensified depression
• Accessing therapy, medication, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Why naming depression opens the door to hope and recovery
• The role of compassion—for others and for ourselves—in healing

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and listener story
 02:45 - John’s first acknowledgment of depression
 03:57 - Stigma, masculinity, and self-stigma in men
 05:17 - Concealing depression and unhealthy coping
 06:15 - The “pit of snakes” of negative self-talk
 07:04 - Childhood trauma, ACEs, and low self-esteem
 08:41 - How abuse shaped John’s depression
 09:56 - The childhood memory of being asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
 11:38 - Owning the name of depression and feeling hope again
 13:00 - What recovery really looks like—ups and downs
 14:50 - Therapy, antidepressants, and situational vs. chronic depression
 16:14 - How COVID deepened John’s depression
 16:50 - Using EAP and counseling for help
 17:56 - The importance of grabbing a lifeline
 18:28 - Revisiting ACEs and understanding adult struggles
 20:06 - Closing reflections and takeaways

Explore mental health and addiction treatment options at recovery.com
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