Giving Voice to Depression

In depression's grip, it can be nearly impossible to believe that you will not always feel like you do right now. That you will reconnect with your worth and live a life worth living. But it's true. As Suicide Prevention Month (or Suicide Prevention Awareness Month) begins, we pulled five interviews from our archives that address misconceptions about suicide, the value of crisis lines, and a real-life reminder that suicidal crises pass. Things can and do get better. Links to the full episodes with each guest are below. Episode links, in order: https://soundcloud.com/givingvoicetodepression/suicide-myths-and-misconceptions-mark-henickhttps://soundcloud.com/givingvoicetodepression/a-suicide-attempt-survivors-story-of-hope-mark-henickhttps://soundcloud.com/givingvoicetodepression/national-suicide-prevention-lifeline-dr-john-draperhttps://soundcloud.com/givingvoicetodepression/crisis-lines-save-lives-corinne-purtillhttps://soundcloud.com/givingvoicetodepression/103-crisis-text-linehttps://soundcloud.com/givingvoicetodepression/college-depression-justinhttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

If you have experience with depression, odds are you've experienced its dark thoughts: You are worthless. A burden. Your best days are long gone. Your worst will be worse than your terrible now. What's the point?But the fact you just read that is a clue: Depression tells us all the same thing. And that should be cause for doubt it's actually true about you. But since we don't talk about depression and suicide, we each experience it as a private hell. Todays guest, Bob, wants you to know you are not alone, and that the lies aren't true. And that believing them, could literally kill you. Bob speaks of his lowest-low, and shares how, just a few years later, he's living an authentic life "at the starting point of what happiness is really about." There is hope. There is help. You are not alone. Trust someone who knows. Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255)Crisis Text Line: 741-741Free online mental-health screening and resources: https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-toolsSuicide Warning Signs: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/warning-signs-of-suicide/index.shtmlhttps://screening.mhanational.org/screening-toolshttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

It's back to school time. And even though that experience is a very-different one this year because of the COVID pandemic, some things are the same. One is the fact that there will be students who experience depression. And if their parents are a potential source of support (emotional and/or financial) they may need to be informed. But how? What if you're afraid they'll dismiss you or tell you to deal with it yourself? That was one college student's fears when he wrote GVTD asking us to do an episode about how to have that discussion. So here are some tips from a therapist on how to best approach the subject.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Depression is a mental illness that affects how we think, feel and act. Those who have made the effort to learn the symptoms or warning signs still often expect depression to look like sadness. But that leads to us missing the opportunity to help many who present differently. Like children. In this episode, therapist Susan Ringle, who works with and helps children and their families as a registered play therapist, shares her behind-the-scenes expertise and tells us what to look for in children who don't have the words to tell us what's going on in their minds and bodies.Mental Health America self-screening tools: https://screening.mhanational.org/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

A Giving Voice to Depression podcast listener, who had never spoken publicly about his history or struggles, shares several powerful and memorable metaphors for the experience of living with depression. Wait for the spreadsheet comment- it alone is worth the 16 minutes it takes to listen to this episode!https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

You don't have to have depression to be familiar with the cycles of negative thoughts; self shame, blame, doubt and self-criticism. Guest and author Dr. Steven C. Hayes explains how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help "get out of your mind and into your life." In his workbook by that name, Dr. Hayes defines the ACT process as one that hinges on the distinction between pain and suffering." In it, and this episode he helps us "learn to let go of your struggle against pain, assess your values, and then commit to acting in ways that further those values." It's 21-minutes that could help you regain control over your controlling thoughts.https://stevenchayes.com/about/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Michelle was told that getting professional help for her mental illnesses would be a stain on her "permament record" that would prevent her from getting into a prestigious college or worse (in her parents' minds) from finding a husband. So her bipolar disorder and anxiety went undiagnosed and untreated for decades. Michelle's story is one of stigma, unnecessary pain and ultimate recovery.Michelle's article: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asian-american-mental-illness_n_5cacad09e4b02e7a705dae97Michelle's Blog: http://www.livingwellhappily.com/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

She knew something was wrong. That she was "different." At times she could not distinguish reality from her troubled thoughts. She begged her parents to bring her to a professional to get help. But they were afraid a diagnosis of mental illness would prevent her from getting into a good college or from finding a husband. So she suffered. Michelle Yang's story is a powerful and important one. Recovery does not happen in the shameful dark.Michelle's Blog: http://www.livingwellhappily.com/Michelle's article we referenced: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asian-american-mental-illness_n_5cacad09e4b02e7a705dae97https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

We frequently hear about the high-risk groups for COVID-19. Less attention is paid to the people most likely to have their mental health challenged by the pandemic. Healthcare workers are high on that list. A hospital chaplain/spiritual-care specialist gives us a look behind the curtain at what she sees in the Wisconsin hospitals she's worked in during this strange, historic time.https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/07/coronavirus-special-mental-health-disaster/613510/https://time.com/5817435/covid-19-mental-health-coronavirus/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

This pandemic has been a roller-coaster. Many of us had our depression and anxiety worsen as a result of the many changes to our daily lives. Now, as our world begin to reopen, there are new stressors and concerns. In this 19-minute episode, we talk with therapist Sa'Aire Salton who challenges businesses to encourage frank discussions with employees to address back-to-work worries. https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/employee-mental-healthhttps://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/detecting-depression#1https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/