#2 Patrick Kennedy: Reframing Mental Health and Addiction

Freedom Writer Michael Bongiorno tells his story about falling into alcoholism as a teenager and how writing helped him overcome his addiction. Then Erin shares her inspiring conversation with former Congressman Patrick Kennedy. Patrick opens up about what it was like growing up in the Kennedy family and how he discovered his calling in politics; he shares personal experiences from his childhood, including how his mother and grandmother suffered from alcoholism and depression; then, Patrick tells the stirring story of his own struggle with addiction and mental illness, addressing common stumbling blocks and expounding on his fight for mental health parity today. Links and Resources: Patrick Kennedy www.parityregistry.org (Patrick's website that shows people how to file an appeal after being denied insurance coverage for mental health or addiction treatment services and send a formal complaint directly to enforcement officials in their state) https://www.patrickjkennedy.net/ (Patrick's main website) Patrick's book "A Common Struggle" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LKpxwP Twitter: @PJK4brainhealth Facebook: @PJK4brainhealth Mental Health www.mentalhealth.gov (For information about mental illness, recovery plans, and other resources) www.activeminds.org/index.php (Non-profit for mental health awareness, with a particular emphasis on helping students. Contains a useful and extensive index organized by issues and demographics) Addiction addictionresource.com (Contains information about addiction and rehabilitation and an index for rehab offerings in every state) Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 (Immediate contact with crisis workers who can offer support and direct you to local mental health care providers)