High-Functioning, Quietly Struggling - Male Mental Health, Suicidality, and Choosing Life with Sam Funderburk

About this episode

Shannon Kopp interviews Sam Funderburk about his experiences with male mental health, high-functioning depression, and the importance of prioritizing mental health over academic pressure.

Say It Brave On Campus, Episode 2 In part two of our mini-series, Shannon Kopp sits down with neuroscientist and data analyst, Sam Funderburk, to talk about high-functioning depression, male mental health stigma, and the quiet pressure to keep pushing toward the next milestone. Sam shares his experience with anxiety, depression, and suicidality during college and graduate school — including how gender norms and emotional aloofness made it easier to hide his struggles in plain sight. Together, they explore the difference between crisis care and prevention, the impact of stepping away from academic pressure to seek treatment, and why prioritizing mental health didn't derail Sam's future — it made it possible. Links: Sam Funderburk: eatingrecoverycenter.com/profile/sam-funderburk Mental Note Podcast www.mentalnotepodcast.com Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center: www.pathlightbh.com Eating Recovery Center: www.eatingrecoverycenter.com Free Group Support: https://www.pathlightbh.com/support-groups Free Evaluation with a Trained Therapist: (877) 850-7199

People in this episode

Host: Shannon Kopp

Guest: Sam Funderburk

Topics covered

• male mental health
• high-functioning depression
• suicidality
• mental health stigma
• academic pressure
• treatment
• gender norms

Keywords

• mental health
• depression
• anxiety
• suicidality
• male stigma
• treatment
• academic pressure
• gender norms

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Eating Recovery Center, Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center, Mental Note Podcast

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