ABC Radio
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Mental illness ran in Meg's family. Suicide forced them to talk about it.
Mental illness ran in Meg's family. Suicide forced them to talk about it.
Mental illness ran in Meg's family. Suicide forced them to talk about it.
Saturday 18th November 2023
Pulitzer finalist Meg Kissinger discusses her family's mental health struggles and the importance of breaking the silence around suicide.
30 minutes
Empowering
Inspiring
Informative
Supportive
Hopeful
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ABC Radio
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Categories:
Mindfulness & Emotional Wellbeing
Mindful Recovery
Sexual Stigmas & Myths
Mindfulness & Technology in Health
Parenting & Children
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Get the buttons here!Meg Kissinger's Journey: From Family Tragedy to Mental Health Advocacy
Episode Overview
- Meg Kissinger's memoir, While You Were Out, unravels the impact of mental illness and suicide on her family, breaking the silence and stigma surrounding these topics.
- The episode candidly shares Meg's personal journey, from her mother's hospitalization for depression to her sister Nancy's lifelong struggle and eventual suicide, followed by the loss of her younger brother, Danny.
- Meg advocates for open conversations about suicide, emphasizes the need for unyielding support, and promotes seeking professional help.
- Insightful reflections on the challenges of mental illness and the essential role of love and understanding in supporting those affected.
- A powerful message of acceptance and the need to let go of guilt, emphasizing that only one's best efforts can be made in the face of such profound struggles.
If you've done everything you could and they die anyway, just know that you did your best. And there's got to be some peace that comes from that.
Growing up in the 1960s and 70s, Meg Kissinger was no stranger to the shadows cast by mental illness. In this gripping episode of 'All In The Mind', Meg, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and seasoned journalist, opens up about her family's harrowing experiences with mental health struggles and suicide. Her story isn't just a recount of personal loss; it's a powerful call to break the silence that often surrounds mental illness.
Meg's memoir, 'While You Were Out', serves as the backbone of this episode. She paints a vivid picture of a time when discussing mental health was taboo, and families like hers were left to cope in isolation. From her mother's battles with depression to her sister Nancy's lifelong struggle culminating in suicide, and the subsequent loss of her younger brother Danny, Meg's narrative is both heart-wrenching and enlightening. What sets this episode apart is Meg's unwavering commitment to advocacy.
Despite the heavy burden of grief and guilt, she has transformed her pain into a mission to foster open conversations about mental health. She emphasizes the importance of seeking professional help and the role of unwavering support from loved ones. Listeners will find Meg's insights both sobering and inspiring. Her candid discussion highlights the necessity of acceptance and letting go of guilt, reminding us that we can only do our best in the face of such profound challenges.
This episode is not just for those directly affected by mental illness but for anyone who wishes to understand the importance of empathy and open dialogue in mental health advocacy.