Taking medication for depression doesn’t mean you’re weak — it means you’re fighting for your life. In this powerful and candid conversation, sports broadcaster and mental health advocate Michael Landsberg (founder of Sick Not Weak) shares his decades-long journey with depression, anxiety, and antidepressants.
Michael speaks openly about his early resistance to medication, the relapses he endured after stopping, and the moment he realized his meds were keeping him alive. He explains his philosophy of “learning to love the thing you hate the least” — choosing antidepressants, despite side effects, because they free him from depression’s grip.
This episode challenges the stigma that keeps so many from seeking help and offers hope, validation, and practical language for anyone living with depression or supporting someone who is.
Link to Sick Not Weak, Michael Landsberg's website: www.sicknotweak.com/
Primary Topics Covered
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction and thank you to supporters
01:27 - Introducing Michael Landsberg and his advocacy work
03:09 - Michael’s story: living with depression and anxiety
03:44 - Speaking openly about depression and breaking stigma
04:49 - Michael’s first experience with antidepressants
05:37 - Stopping meds and painful relapses
06:57 - The turning point: realizing medication was essential
07:42 - Addressing stigma and misconceptions about meds
08:57 - “Learning to love the thing you hate the least” explained
09:45 - Why some people resist treatment and how to respond
11:07 - Mistakes Michael learned from in managing depression
12:36 - Warning signs of relapse and how he responds
14:25 - Coping strategies: patience, perspective, and self-awareness
15:21 - Destigmatizing through honest, everyday conversations
16:02 - Tracking “bad days” and the role of hope in recovery
17:37 - Final reflections and gratitude
Explore mental health and addiction treatment options at recovery.com
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