Joining me for this podcast are 3rd year Zoology undergraduate Rosie Taylor, and Assistant Principal and Professor of Engineering Alan Murray. Rosie tells about her experiences of great sadness and despair from when she was very young, Alan from when he was older having first seen family members suffer. They talk about how hard it is to communicate the feelings of heaviness when you are in them, and how hard it is to get out of bed. Other things we cover in this podcast include: talking about mental health across generations, how shame can make matters worse, what panic attacks feel like, ways of getting back to safety, and different experiences of medication. Rosie and Alan raise the crucial question: if I’m honest with people, will I still be seen as a capable or credible person? They discover important breakthroughs by being honest, whilst also learning to keep their boundaries. They both agree that leaning into how you are feeling, learning self-acceptance, and forgiving the past are wise and generous ways of responding to what you are going through.