Why Mental Health Classes Should be Taught in School | Off The Cuff with Danny LoPriore

Summary

In this deeply personal and insightful conversation, the speaker shares their journey with mental health, addiction, and the stigma surrounding it. From battling alcoholism and a suicide attempt in high school to becoming a pioneer in mental health advocacy, they highlight the importance of self-awareness, healthy coping mechanisms, and early education. They discuss the struggles of growing up in an environment where destructive behaviors were normalized, and later, their efforts to create a nationwide mental health awareness movement. With a focus on finding what works for each individual, they also touch on the role of medication in mental health treatment, emphasizing a non-judgmental approach to different solutions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mental health issues can run in families, often skipping a generation. The speaker discovered this years after being diagnosed, learning about the struggles of family members, such as alcoholism and addiction.
• 😀 Addiction, particularly alcoholism, was prevalent in the speaker's family, affecting three of their grandparents. This set the stage for the speaker's own struggle with substance use in a small blue-collar town.
• 😀 The speaker stopped drinking cold turkey at 22 but didn't rely on traditional recovery programs like AA. Instead, they focused on changing their environment and adopting healthier coping mechanisms.
• 😀 The speaker's personal experience with mental health led to societal judgment, especially after a suicide attempt in high school. Despite this, they noticed that others around them were also engaging in destructive behaviors, yet faced less scrutiny.
• 😀 Despite being a varsity athlete and student leader in high school, the speaker struggled with mental health challenges, highlighting the complexity of mental illness and its effect on individuals' lives outside of outward achievements.
• 😀 The speaker had a significant manic episode after quitting alcohol, which included hallucinations and delusions, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of mental health conditions and the intense emotional turmoil they cause.
• 😀 The speaker's personal journey toward advocacy started in high school, sharing their story to combat rumors and stigma. This evolved into a larger effort to raise awareness about mental health.
• 😀 In 2002, the speaker founded a nonprofit to promote mental health awareness in schools, reaching over 500,000 people by 2006. The focus was on creating platforms for individuals from diverse backgrounds to share their mental health stories.
• 😀 The speaker was one of the early mental health advocates, with only two other young mental health advocates in the country when they started speaking publicly. By 2012, the movement had grown significantly.
• 😀 In 2013, the speaker began creating a mental health curriculum to teach young people actual skills to manage their mental well-being. This effort continued with their involvement in founding a school focused on mental health education at UCLA in 2016.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in mental health. While self-awareness doesn't prevent struggles, it enables individuals to recognize their issues and start the process of addressing them.
• 😀 On medication, the speaker advocates for a personalized approach, acknowledging that while medication works for some, it may not be effective for others. The key is to explore and find the treatment methods that work best for each individual.

Q & A

What role does generational trauma play in mental health struggles?

Generational trauma plays a significant role in mental health struggles. The speaker reflects on discovering that several relatives, including grandparents, had struggled with addiction. This realization highlighted the cyclical nature of trauma, where unhealthy coping mechanisms are passed down through generations, often going unaddressed.

How did the speaker initially cope with their mental health issues and addiction?

The speaker initially coped with their mental health struggles and addiction by drinking heavily. They described growing up in an environment where addiction was common and normalized. Eventually, they chose to stop drinking cold turkey at age 22, which led to a challenging but transformative period of self-discovery.

What was the turning point in the speaker's life that led them to become an advocate for mental health?

The turning point came after the speaker's suicide attempt in high school, followed by judgment from peers and adults. They realized that while others were engaging in similarly destructive behaviors, they were labeled as 'the crazy one' because their mental health struggles had been formally acknowledged. This led them to start sharing their story publicly to break down the stigma around mental health.

What was the purpose of the nonprofit the speaker founded in 2002?

The speaker founded a nonprofit in 2002 with the goal of creating large-scale mental health presentations. They aimed to fill the gap in mental health education, especially in schools, and raise awareness about mental health struggles. The nonprofit worked to provide spaces for people from diverse backgrounds to share their mental health experiences openly.

What impact did the speaker's advocacy have on mental health awareness?

The speaker's advocacy work had a significant impact on mental health awareness. From 2002 to 2006, they spoke to over 500,000 people in various settings. Their work contributed to the creation of the first youth mental health speakers bureau in the country, which helped normalize conversations about mental health and encouraged others to share their stories.

How does the speaker view the role of medication in managing mental health?

The speaker maintains that medication can be helpful for some individuals, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. They emphasize that people should find what works best for them, whether that involves medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, or alternative coping mechanisms. The key is to remain open-minded and explore different options without judgment.

What was the main challenge when the speaker first started talking about mental health publicly?

The main challenge was that mental health advocacy was not a well-established field at the time. The speaker had to explain to people what mental health meant and how it related to addiction, anxiety, and other issues. At first, they had to frame their talks around substance abuse to make the topic more relatable before addressing broader mental health issues.

What kind of impact did the speaker aim to achieve by creating a mental health curriculum for schools?

The speaker's goal was to make mental health education a regular part of students' schooling, just like physical health education. They envisioned a curriculum that would teach students practical skills for managing their mental health, making it a consistent and mandatory part of the school experience rather than an optional or one-time lesson.

What is the significance of self-awareness in managing mental health, according to the speaker?

Self-awareness is a crucial element in managing mental health. The speaker believes that having self-awareness allows individuals to recognize their struggles and take proactive steps to address them. It doesn't mean always having the answers, but it helps people understand what's happening and begin to work through difficult times.

How does the speaker view the relationship between self-acceptance and mental health recovery?

The speaker emphasizes that accepting one's mental health struggles is a critical part of the recovery process. By accepting what they have, individuals can begin to explore different ways to address it, whether through medication, therapy, or other strategies. Denying the issue or refusing to explore options can hinder progress.