There is no universal language to say how you feel. Signs of peace and distress are subjective. It’s falls on family members and loved ones to understand those signs and listen. RADIO.COM hopes to translate those signs on September 23 for Im Listening, a two hour special broadcast starting the conversation about mental health.
Pop sensation Melanie Pfirrman struggled early to communicate mental pain to her first generation parents. “For half of my life, both my parents didn’t really understand what mental health was either,” she told Dr. Chris Donaghue during an interview with RADIO.COM.
“A lot of this stuff is generational, and if they had no idea what mental health was and how they could help me, how were they going to be able to do that?”
Melanie stayed patient on her mental health journey, communicating open and honest feelings with her parents. “It’s been a journey for me getting to explain these things to my parents and tell them ‘No, I’m not lazy. I promise. I’m just depressed. I’m in pain. I’m suffering.’”
She recommends being assertive to anyone struggling to break through generational gaps with their parents. “Having them take the time to listen was very important and if you can just sit down with them and try to lay it out for them in a simple but demanding way that you need help”
I’m Listening will feature stories similar to Melanie’s, filled with resilience and acceptance. The special two hour broadcast highlights mental health experiences while providing resources for those looking to connect, heal, and share. Listeners can call in for advice or share a story. The I’m Listening broadcast is a safe space.
A post shared by I'm Listening (@imlistening_org) on Sep 1, 2020 at 10:25am PDT
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