Today’s #SameHere🤙Hero: Leo is the man behind two things you may remember from this last year: 1) a charitable partnership where his company, @shoudoutapp donated $ to our organization, & 2) his introducing us to Celeb Alliance Member, actor, producer: Adam Davenport.
Leo is a hard-charging, successful guy. @Shoudout is a startup that allows ppl to listen to music in social groups & share shout outs, or messages with each other in groups, even as they listen to different songs. He & Adam have added 10 up & coming artists to make listening groups on the platform. But Leo’s been successful in business his whole career.
He didn’t need to open up like this – but he did…bc he wants to help ppl first & foremost. He’s honest about what he believes is his genetic predisposition, the meds he’s tried, the therapy, & prob most importantly – how being open about it & sharing his challenges has been a big weight off his shoulders (thus lowering his anxiety). Leo’s story:
“I cannot specifically point to any singular traumatic experience that defined any of my MH complications but rather I believe I was born genetically predisposed to bouts with depression & anxiety.
I find myself often incapable of letting go of disappointments & can have a tendency to hold grudges. When I feel I have been wronged, I sometimes find myself completely unable to address daily work & life routines. I harbor a resentment in a way that makes me want to crawl into bed & sleep, even in the middle of the day.
About three years ago, I decided my family life was suffering & I was risking my relationships with my wife & kids. I had been fighting with them about all the typical family bickering type issues, & was falling deeper into a darkness from which I was afraid there would be no return. I decided to see a psychologist, & she tried to give me exercises & coping mechanisms but I found there were temporary improvements at best. I finally decided to see a psychiatrist.
Honestly, the therapist visits along with Cymbalta seems to have helped. What’s also been big has been addressing my condition with my family members. It has helped tremendously in that they understand the context of my actions & reactions in situations. Opening up about it really took a huge weight off my shoulders.
When I did open up about my #SameHere🤙 Story, my kids were sad for me, & also concerned that they might be susceptible to some of my genetics. My friends were pretty nonchalant about it – like it was no big deal.”
