#41: Letting Down the Emotional Walls — Frank Ferrare

Redeeming Disorder

Frank Ferrare’s mental health struggles began in adolescence, but a combination of stigma and confusion extended them well into adulthood. The death of a close grandparent led to depression, which began a chain reaction of one ramification leading to another — depression medication, shame around medication, misuse of medication, shame around mental disorder, shame around self, and ultimately the construction of dense emotional walls. Frank wound up socially isolated and misunderstood, but in the end, his story if a hopeful one. Outlets like watching Survivor formed a bridge back to human connection for him, and the human connections he made in his everyday life formed a bridge to self-acceptance. His is a story of learning to become comfortable with himself, coming to peace with his mental health challenges and letting down his emotional walls.

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