Coping with Depression and Anxiety: Inspiring Stories of Survival and Hope

How do you cope with depression and anxiety when life feels overwhelming?

In this Season 11 review of Giving Voice to Depression, Bridget and Terry revisit some of the most powerful and moving conversations of the year. From surviving suicide attempts to finding tools for daily resilience, this season highlighted the importance of speaking up, seeking support, and believing that recovery is possible.

You’ll hear lessons from:

• Sarah Fielding on motivation and productivity when depression makes everything harder
• Renee on surviving trauma and finding healing through therapy and connection
• Ken on his Golden Gate Bridge suicide attempt — and why he now believes suicide is preventable
• Jordan on transforming from suicidal thoughts to becoming a social worker helping others
• Dr. Sands on how to talk to parents about depression
• Sarah (PhD student) on experiencing a suicidal crisis despite her expertise
• Marie on building a safety plan to prepare for mental health emergencies

This episode serves as a recap and a mental health toolkit, reminding us that while depression and suicidal thoughts are real, so is hope.

Primary Topics Covered:

• Motivation and coping tools for living with depression
• The role of therapy and group connection in trauma recovery
• Suicide prevention: lessons from attempt survivors
• How peer support builds trust in mental health recovery
• Strategies for talking to parents about depression
• Why even experts can struggle — and how vulnerability helps
• The importance of safety plans for managing crisis moments
• The hope that comes from hearing real stories of survival

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Season 11 context
 01:12 Episodes 116–117: Motivation and productivity tips with Sarah Fielding
 03:18 Episode 118: Trauma, resilience, and finding therapy that works (Renee)
 05:12 Episode 119: “If You See Something, Say Something” — Ken’s suicide attempt story
 07:00 Episode 120: “Instant Regret” — lessons from the Golden Gate Bridge
 09:00 Episode 121: Jordan’s journey from suicidal thoughts to social worker
 11:10 Episode 122: How to talk to your parents about depression (Dr. Sands)
 13:10 Episode 123: A PhD student’s suicidal crisis — vulnerability and survival (Sarah)
 15:00 Episode 124: The gift of a safety plan with Marie, peer specialist
 17:20 Reflections on Season 11’s lessons of survival and hope
 19:00 Closing thoughts and invitation to the Giving Voice to Depression community

Explore mental health and addiction treatment options at recovery.com
Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/
Terry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/