Ian McGuckin (he/him)

Ian joined Momma on August 31, 2020 for a live Q&A via Twitch and YouTube to talk about Depression, Anxiety & Self-Harm

About Ian

Ian was diagnosed with depression and anxiety during his freshman year of high school. He started using self-harm as an escape and as self-punishment in 2018. It took much self-determination, along with intervention and help from his parents and friends as well as hospital visits and learning that those around him cared and supported him, but he has now been self-harm free since October of last year. Having been through years of trying to find what worked for him and how to best manage his illnesses, he uses what he has learned to help others and lessen the stigma around talking openly about mental health. He also volunteers with a non-profit where the goal is to help the well-being of struggling teenagers and is even hoping to compile a research paper on stigma and the prevalence of mental illnesses. 

Episode Summary

This episode is essential listening for anyone who's ever struggled with their mental health, loved someone who has, or wants to understand what depression and self-harm actually look like beyond the sanitized awareness campaigns.

Key Takeaways

• Ian emphasizes the importance of community support for mental health.

• Volunteering can help lessen the stigma around mental health issues.

• Teenagers are crucial in driving change in mental health awareness.

• Mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of their background.

• Distraction can be an effective coping mechanism for depression, as long as it doesn't venture into avoidance.

• It's important to find a supportive community when struggling with mental health.

• Coping strategies should be personalized and varied.

• Understanding that mental illness doesn't discriminate is vital.

Sometimes the most powerful voices come from unexpected places. When Ian McGuckin reached out on Reddit willing to share his story, I knew we had something special. This high school senior from Michigan isn't your typical guest, but his insights into mental health run deeper than many people twice his age.

Ian was diagnosed with depression and anxiety during his freshman year of high school. What followed was a difficult journey through self-harm that lasted until October of last year. But this story goes beyond the struggle. He talks about finding what actually works when the standard answers fall short.

Ian describes his depression as pervasive loneliness and disconnection. "I felt like I was in my own world and I was very alone," he explains. "Like I was just an avatar walking through all the stuff and the real world was in my mind." Moving frequently as a kid left him feeling like a perpetual outsider, always one step removed from the deep connections his peers shared.

His anxiety manifested mostly as social anxiety. Simple things like throwing away trash in class became overwhelming. The weight of worrying about how others perceived him was constant and exhausting.

When Ian talks about overcoming self-harm, he's refreshingly honest about what worked and what didn't. Ice in his hands, rubber bands on his wrists, running until the urge passed. He emphasizes that no single tactic solved everything. It was the combination of many strategies that finally broke through.

Exercise became particularly important, offering a triple benefit: distraction, physical sensation and that crucial endorphin rush. Running gave him the added advantage of getting away from whatever he might use to harm himself.

Now Ian volunteers with Teens Thriving Together, a nonprofit run entirely by teenagers focused on mental health support and education. They're building a website to serve as a hub for struggling teens and working to incorporate mental health education into school curriculums nationwide.

His motivation is clear: he wants to break down the stigma that kept him isolated for so long. "It happens to everybody," he says about mental health struggles. "Everybody has those times when their emotions and their brain takes hold of them."

Perhaps the most important thing Ian shares is about support systems. He had caring family and friends, but often didn't reach out when he needed them most. When he finally did open up, the reactions were overwhelmingly positive. The stigma he feared existed more in his head than in reality.

For anyone struggling now, Ian's advice is practical: find your community, even if it's online. Keep your hands and mind busy. Don't underestimate how many people actually care about you, even when your brain insists otherwise.

Ian McGuckin is proof that teenagers aren't just the future. They're changing things right now. And we should all be paying attention.