Shedding Inherited Stigmas about Mental Illness

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, so we’re featuring stories that help us broach difficult issues with our loved ones. In this episode, Sunny’s family never acknowledged his mom’s depression or suicide attempts, and he had to learn how to face his own mental health struggles. And mental health advocate Carmen Cusido corrects misconceptions about overcoming a mental illness, and offers advice for moving through difficult emotions during a crisis.

Sunny Chang and his two sisters are creators and hosts of The Three Siblings Podcast, where they share their personal mental health journey after surviving the loss of their parents and offer hope and encouragement to people dealing with grief.

Featured Expert: Carmen Cusido is a longtime mental health advocate. She has written and spoken extensively about her struggle with depression and her recovery from anorexia. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, Oprah Daily, Refinery29, Health, NBC, CNN, NPR, Next Avenue, Cosmopolitan, and other publications. Cusido has also spoken about grief and loss for publications like AARP Magazine en español and TV stations like Univision 41 and PBS/NJTV. She earned a bachelor’s from Rutgers University and a master’s degree from the Columbia School of Journalism. She also has taken courses at Harvard Business School and the Yale Writers Workshop. She lives in Northern New Jersey.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers free and confidential support 24/7. Their number is 800 273 8255. You can also text, "Hello," to 741741. The help is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

If you loved this episode, listen to When a Sister Commits Suicide, Part 1 and Part 2, and Needing a Self-Care Trip, but Parents Want Her Home.

We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so send us a detailed voice memo to [email protected]. You might be on a future episode! Let’s connect on Twitter and Instagram at @TalkToMamiPapi and email us at [email protected]. And follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.