About this episode

Francesca and Russ Jones discuss the complexities of depression, self-harm, and coping strategies in a candid conversation about mental health struggles.

Some of the hardest mental health struggles are the ones people never see. In this deeply honest conversation, we talk about what depression actually feels like behind closed doors, why asking for help can feel impossible, and how healing often starts with small, imperfect steps. In this episode of Normalize The Conversation , Francesca sits down with Russ Jones, host of the ADHD Big Brother podcast, for a raw conversation about depression, self-harm, ADHD, emotional overwhelm, and the long journey of finding coping tools that actually work. Together, they explore what it feels like to experience depressive episodes while still appearing “fine” around other people, the loneliness that can show up when you’re struggling internally, and why so many people hide their mental health struggles out of fear of making others uncomfortable. Francesca vulnerably shares her lived experience with self-harm and how it became a coping mechanism during overwhelming emotional pain. This episode approaches self-harm with compassion and honesty, helping listeners better understand the emotional experience behind it while emphasizing hope, support, and healthier coping strategies. Russ opens up…

People in this episode

Host: Francesca

Guest: Russ Jones

Topics covered

• depression
• self-harm
• ADHD
• emotional overwhelm
• coping strategies
• mental health

Keywords

• depression
• self-harm
• ADHD
• emotional pain
• coping tools
• mental health
• isolation
• recovery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ADHD Big Brother

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