September is National Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month, and this week on SlapperCast, we talk with our friend musician Cindy Heywood, who is a proud survivor of anxiety disorder and suicidal depression.
Cindy is a fierce defender of the rights of all who suffer from addiction and mental illness. She’s a well-known mentor on internationally published suicide prevention forums, and her and editorials have been featured in internationally published magazines.
She is currently working on the second edition of her book “Super Invisible Nobody”.
Topic list:
- Cindy’s background in the Houston music scene and the “Richmond Strip”, where Patrick and Cindy first met
- How the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic compares to the 1979 oil crisis
- How the uncertainty of the pandemic can lead to anxiety and depression
- The world is in mourning for a culture and a way of life that we’ve lost due to the pandemic
- How Cindy’s anxiety disorder led to alcohol addiction
- How suicidal depression is often not outwardly noticeable to others
- Cindy’s descent from anxiety disorder into suicidal depression
- How understanding the dysfunctional roots of family relationships can be essential to recovery
- Cindy’s experience with family therapy, and how it doesn’t always result in mutually happy endings
- Never give up, your situation is not hopeless
- Cindy’s experiences with online forums and her Suicide Talkz Facebook page, and how that led to writing her book “Super Invisible Nobody”.
- The importance of reclaiming your perception of yourself
- The epidemic of suicide in military and law enforcement
- How the pandemic is driving innovation in mental health on the internet
- Communication is essential / there’s no shame in asking for help
- The danger of isolating yourself (“You cannot do it alone”)
- Chad, Patrick and Eric’s methods of coping during the pandemic
- The value of productivity, creativity and physical activity
- How sharing your own struggles with depression can be essential in helping others (“Go deep or go home”)
- The essential healing powers of humor and music
- Eric’s “Crown Royal” story
- Recapping our recent gig at Sherwood Virtual Celtic Gathering
