INTERVIEW: Shanti Das Talks ‘Silence The Shame’ Day, Navigating Grief, The Importance Of Funding Mental Health Initiatives + More

Summary

The Breakfast Club: Interview with Shanti Das on ‘Silence The Shame’ Day, Navigating Grief, and Funding Mental Health Initiatives

Date: May 5, 2026
Guests: Shanti Das
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Breakfast Club features Shanti Das, founder of the mental health advocacy organization "Silence The Shame," discussing the organization's 10th anniversary, the challenges of securing mental health funding, coping with grief, and the state of mental health in the Black community. The discussion delves deep into the real-life setbacks facing nonprofits post-COVID, Shanti’s personal experiences navigating loss and depression, and practical advice for listeners to prioritize their mental wellness.

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Key Discussions & Insights

1. Silence The Shame: Milestones and Setbacks

Timestamps: 00:21–02:52; 03:42–04:08

• Shanti marks her “10-year anniversary” on The Breakfast Club, highlighting a decade of advocacy.
• She reveals that Silence The Shame recently lost $600,000 in state funding—without clear explanation—despite being in the midst of active programming.
  • “We just graduated our third cohort for our Silence of Shame University initiative … we’re six months in, and you’re telling us you’re not gonna reimburse us for it.” (01:09, Shanti Das)
• Funding losses aren’t isolated: “Silence of Shame is not the only organization that has lost funding. I was talking to Dr. Spirit—75% of her funding is gone.” (01:46, Shanti Das)
• Shanti remains hopeful, emphasizing faith and perseverance: “I feel like I’m in the middle of the storm and I’m just gonna soar like an eagle and figure it out, because it’s money out there. And more importantly, we’re saving lives.” (02:13, Shanti Das)

2. The Ripple Effects of Defunding Mental Health

Timestamps: 02:52–03:35; 05:14–06:18

• The hosts question how communities can cope as both economic and mental health safety nets are eroded.
  • “If you’re already hurting people economically... that economic strife causes mental strife, emotional strife, spiritual strife.” (03:03, Charlamagne Tha God)
• Stigma persists: “People still look at mental health sometimes like it’s a bad word. I’m like, we all have mental health... if your mental health is not right, your finances won’t be right, your health won’t be right.” (03:10, Shanti Das)
• The drying up of resources means more people in crisis, with limited coping mechanisms—especially among women of color facing job losses and diminishing opportunities.

3. Grief, Mental Health, and Resilience

Timestamps: 04:08–06:39; 14:01–16:15

• Shanti shares how her work is rooted in personal experience: “Silence the Shame started as, you know, for me almost taking my own life in 2015.” (04:30, Shanti Das)
• She reflects on receiving messages about how her advocacy “saved” lives, describing public support as vital—yet acknowledging the heavy toll and private struggle: “Internally, you’re literally physically going through something.” (04:15, Angela Yee)
• On grief, Shanti highlights: “No two people grieve the same…time, grief counseling, and community is what helps to heal.” (14:05, Shanti Das)
• Body-mind connection: “I would literally have headaches all the time, felt like knots in my stomach, and it was a part of the grief and the pressure and the depression that I was going through.” (15:31, Shanti Das)

4. Tangible Coping Tools and Advice

Timestamps: 08:03–10:54; 16:15–18:59

• Shanti’s RAP Framework:
  • R: Recognize unfamiliar feelings and behaviors.
  • A: Accept and acknowledge them.
  • P: Process with a professional. (08:28, Shanti Das)
• Practical exercises: Breathing techniques (4-7-8 method), venting to friends, building a “starting five” support team—trusted friends you can reach out to in crisis.
  • “You can’t start a basketball game without five players. Who’s in your starting five?” (09:38, Shanti Das)
• “You got to be willing to talk to somebody...find a trusted source.” (09:11, Shanti Das)
• Group texts and calls: Advocates for intentional communication and being honest when you need help.

5. The Need for Ongoing Care and Modeling Wellness

Timestamps: 16:15–20:32

• Shanti openly discusses returning to therapy after believing she had enough tools to cope, underscoring that mental health support is not once-and-done.
  • “Don’t be afraid to see that therapist… I used to be embarrassed to tell friends I wasn’t in a good space. So now I’m more open and I share about it.” (16:30, Shanti Das)
• She shares her earlier use of antidepressants as necessary, challenging stigma around medication and therapy.
• The hosts probe whether therapy can ever have an “endpoint”—consensus: ongoing care, like medical checkups, is beneficial.

6. Societal Pressures and Intergenerational Responsibilities

Timestamps: 19:22–20:32; 20:32–21:24

• Modern challenges: Gun violence, social media negativity, and racial injustice amplify the psychological burden on youth and communities.
• “No child should have to deal with [active shooter drills].” (20:05, Shanti Das)
• Shanti calls for parents and community leaders to “model the behavior for family and friends…if you see something, say something.” (20:46, Shanti Das)

7. Grassroots Support and HOW TO HELP

Timestamps: 21:24–22:09

• Shanti explains their grassroots donation campaign: “We’re doing just a grassroots campaign asking people to donate $10 and then challenge 10 of your friends to give $10. You can text the word SILENCE to 707070 or visit silenceashame.com.” (21:27, Shanti Das)
• She thanks her small but mighty team and encourages sharing and supporting, even if financial resources are tight.

8. National Lifelines and Personal Testimony

Timestamps: 22:05–23:49

• Promotion of the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: dial 988 for immediate support.
  • Shanti shares her lived experience: “It worked for me. I called National Suicide Lifeline the night that I was in crisis, and it helped me. They talked to me for 20 minutes and talked me off.” (22:09, Shanti Das)
• Emotional plea: “I just want to look straight in the camera and tell people it’s okay to get help. Silence the shame around your emotions, y’ all... High achievers are hurting, students are hurting, family members are hurting.” (23:20, Shanti Das)

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Memorable Quotes

• On funding and faith:
  “We’re saving lives. You know, we’ve impacted millions of people virtually through resources, but just physically. Tens of thousands of people that we’ve touched through our programs… we’re doing the work.”
  — Shanti Das (02:13)

• On stigma and healing:
  “We all have mental health. It’s how you think, how you act and how you feel.”
  — Shanti Das (03:10)

• On public perception and private struggle:
  “Internally, you’re literally physically going through something.”
  — Angela Yee (04:15)

• On grief:
  “No two people grieve the same... Grief is for the living, not for the people that have passed on. And so once we can get past the debilitating part, have healthy ways to cope with grief, then we can start celebrating the life of our loved ones.”
  — Shanti Das (14:05)

• On advocacy and seeking help:
  “I just want to look straight in the camera and tell people it’s okay to get help. Silence the shame around your emotions, y’ all.”
  — Shanti Das (23:20)

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Important Resources & How to Support

• Donate to Silence The Shame: Visit silenceashame.com or text “SILENCE” to 707070 (21:27)
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for immediate support (22:05)
• Shanti’s Grief Guide: “If you want to get my grief guide, you can go to shantidas viz, because it’s a lot of people out there grieving as well.” (23:49)

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Takeaways

• Significant mental health funding is under threat, but grassroots support and awareness remain powerful.
• Grief and mental health challenges are universally felt but uniquely experienced; there is no shame in seeking help—again and again, if needed.
• Practical coping strategies (like the RAP framework, group support, and therapy) should be part of everyone’s toolkit.
• Persistence, open communication, and modeling healthy behaviors are key to transforming families and communities.
• “Silence The Shame” isn’t just a campaign—it’s a call to action for all to break the stigma and provide tangible, emotional, and financial support.

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Listen to the episode for more firsthand stories, community, and motivation to silence the shame around mental health!

Transcript

[Shanti Das]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human hold up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every day I wake up.

[DJ Envy]

Wake your ass up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The Breakfast Club.

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Jess. Hilarious Charlamagne. The God. We are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

Yes, indeed.

Today is Silence the Shame day. Ladies and gentlemen, we have Shanti Das. Welcome.

[Shanti Das]

Hey.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How you feeling?

[Shanti Das]

I'm feeling good. I got a lot to talk about, though. But first, I just want to say this is my ninth time recording the Breakfast Club for Silence Ashamed. The tenth time, because y' all had me on to talk about my grief guide two years ago. So it's like my 10 year anniversary too, for being on the Breakfast Club. So thank y'.

[Angela Yee]

All.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now, how are you feeling? You kind of stuttered for a second.

[Shanti Das]

So you. And, you know, I'm at a point, especially from a mental health perspective, where I keep it real even. I saw you at the Accelerate her conference and congratulations. But, you know, ladies were coming up to me saying, how are you doing? And I'm like, it's tough right now. And so what should be celebratory for 10 years of doing this work, being on the front lines? We lost $600,000 of funding two weeks ago.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wow. What happened?

[Shanti Das]

We lost state funding, and we weren't really given a reason. We were just told it was cutbacks. And so we know that some of the state funding comes from federal, but then it trickles down. But to do that to us when we were in the middle of programs, we just graduated our third cohort for our Silence of Shame University initiative, which is our college leadership program. We now have over 70ambassadors like, y'. All. We doing the work. Like, how can y' all cut us off a program? We've already, like, we're six months in, and you're telling us you're not gonna, like, reimburse us for it because it was a contract, you know, with the state government.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So the Trump thing or.

[Shanti Das]

I don't know. I can't say specifically, but I do think it's probably an effect of what's going on with the administration. Silence of Shame is not the only organization that has lost funding. I was talking to Dr. Spirit. 75% of her funding is gone. You know, we see mental health organizations merging together. It's a lot easier to merge for profit companies than nonprofit companies. But one thing I am standing on, y', all, is my faith. And so most people know I don't impose my faith on anyone, but I'm trusting God through the storm. And I recently Heard this lady talk about eagles and how eagles are in the midst of the storm, but they use their. The wind shear to propel them up. And I feel like I'm in the middle of the storm and I'm just gonna soar like an eagle and figure it out, because it's money out there. And more importantly, we're saving lives. You know, we've impacted millions of people virtually through resources, but just physically. Tens of thousands of people that we've touched through our programs, whether that's our Youth COPE Clinic, we have a youth Advisory council, a parent cafe, Parent Advisory Council, the Silence of Shame University. Like, you know, we doing the work.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. What I don't understand is if you're already hurting people economically. Right. Where do they. Where do they think people are going to, you know, go to get. Get. Get help?

[Guest or Panelist]

Exactly.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, you know what I mean? Like that. That economic strife is. Causes mental strife, emotional strife, spiritual strife, in a lot of ways.

[Shanti Das]

Absolutely. And what I tell people, y', all, people still look at mental health sometimes like it's a bad word. I'm like, we all have mental health. It's how you think, how you act and how you feel. And to your point, if your mental health is not right, your finances won't be right, your health won't be right, you won't be able to get married and have children and sustain your family, household. Like, it starts with our wellness in the brain. And if we just change this concept, that's why we continue to fight so hard to erase that stigma around it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm glad you even said that, because I didn't. I didn't even. I mean, I know you told me that, but I didn't know. I don't think a lot of people know that that type of funding is being cut.

[Shanti Das]

Oh, gosh. Yeah. And so, you know, we've been rallying the truth. So we're just trying to find more family foundations, you know, more grant opportunities. The other thing is, it's May, y'. All. Most of the Grant Cycles for 2026 are done. They're 2027. So I'm like, y' all just out here got us, you know, out here looking crazy. But again, I serve a good God. We have great followers, great supporters, and I do want to celebrate the good work that Silence of Shame has done over the last 10 years.

[Angela Yee]

But that's what's so crazy about, like, grief, right? Is like, things. Because you're probably grieving what you're not able to do.

[Shanti Das]

Absolutely.

[Angela Yee]

But when. Even when I Saw you at Accelerate her. Like we could barely talk to each other because people coming up to you and telling you like they're so happy to see you, they're proud of you and all these things that you're doing and internally you're like you're literally physically going through something. Right.

[Shanti Das]

I had an ugly cry at Accelerate her shout out to Kim Blackwell, but. And I told her, I was like, I don't, I didn't even know that I was going to make it here. But it was just that strength to persevere and to keep going. Knowing that when I'm getting emails and texts from people like my son is alive because of the work that you do or by you even sharing your stories, you know, because this started silence to shame started as you know, for me almost taking my own life in 2015. So we, we've come too far. We've partnered with national groups like Sony Music Publishing, the NFL Players Association, Jack and Jia, we just did a partnership that we launched with the Home Depot backyard in Atlanta. So I'm hoping that some private donor or even just, you know, everyday people who love and support the work that we do or might have a family member that's suffering, you know, might want to support our organization.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And what the other thing that just bugs me out, what do they think these people are going to do? There's people out here who are dealing with actual mental health issues and nobody's giving them any hope. The federal government isn't doing anything for them. Plus you cutting funding for organizations that actually care about these people. What do you think it's going to do to our society?

[Shanti Das]

People are going to continue to be

[Charlamagne Tha God]

in crisis, I think, and be out here snapping.

[Shanti Das]

Yeah. And, and oftentimes I tell people, even like with all the doom scrolling we're doing right. You get on social media so much negativity out there when people like leave those nasty comments. Oftentimes it has nothing to do with the person's page that they're on. They are hurting and they're going through their own issues. That is why we try to teach people to deal with your own emotions, have healthier ways to cope. Like, even for me, I'm trying to make sure I don't fall and slip back into a depression because of what we're have so many friends, Charlemagne, right now that are out of jobs. I'm talking so many women of color had great jobs, but just the opportunities aren't there. They're drying up. And so yeah, people are having to focus on those Healthy coping mechanisms to stay whole, or else we're going to have a society that's depressed.

[Angela Yee]

And you're probably the person that so many people call right all the time.

[Shanti Das]

Like you got even at midnight, my son's going through this. Can you please help me? I just. My brother just connected me with another friend whose brother had some physical health challenges that led to mental health challenges. And I was happy to reach out and talk, but I'm getting all of that on top of everything else. And so people are out here hurting right now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, one thing I really want to focus on, Me and my good sister Debbie Brown was talking about it, especially at the Mental Health Expo this year, is we're talking about mental health and we're having all these conversations. Right. But are people actually healing 100?

[Shanti Das]

I'm so glad you said that, because I feel like the conversation, especially even with Gen Z, and I know Gen Alpha is too young to really talk about it, but even though some young kids are starting to talk about it, people are discussing it, but I don't think they're getting the help that they need. That is why organizations, you know, like Silence of Shame and even the work that the Mental Health Coalition does with bringing all the mental health groups together is so super important because it's about repetition. It's about you. You gotta keep telling people to check in with your friends, check in with your mental health. We have to get a checkup. Every year you go, you get your physical or even. Even this thing, y', all, our cell phone. If you don't charge this puppy at night, what's going to happen? It's going to be died, it's going to be depleted. So if we don't continue to pour back into our health and wellness on a daily basis, then, no, we're not healing. And I think that's what's happening. We're pacifying ourselves. We're putting band aids on things. So shout out to all the great therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, that's out there on the front lines. But people. And I talk to people at some companies, they're like, oh, yeah, we have all those resources, but I don't use them. Why?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Let me ask you this, Shanti. You know, there's a lot of people out there that are struggling, right?

[Shanti Das]

Yep.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What advice would you give them? Kind of just to get their toe wet a little bit, their feet wet. Right. Because a lot of people are scared of talking to somebody. They feel like they don't want to give everybody their deepest, darkest Thoughts, you know, it's. It's. For most people that don't speak, it's like, what can you do to guide them to get to that place? What can they do besides talking to a therapist? Is there any exercises that they can do on their own before they get there, like getting them up that ladder or getting them up the steps to get to that point?

[Shanti Das]

Absolutely, Emmy. So first thing I tell people is, so I coin this acronym. Rap. I've said it before. Rap. Recognizing those unfamiliar thoughts and feelings. Because you got to be honest with yourself. If something's not right or you're acting out or something, your behavior pattern is different. You have to internalize that and say, you know what? That actually happened. And so the A is accepting and acknowledging it, and the P is perfect processing through it with a professional. So rap. But even something as simple as saying, you know what? Use the breathing technique. If you're having a moment, you feel stressed out, pause, take a break, step out the room. It's a 4, 4, 8, you know, or 4, 7, 8, some people call it. You breathe in for four seconds, you exit. I mean, you hold it in for seven, and then you exhale for eight. The other thing is simply opening up and talking to somebody and saying, I need help. You might. It might be your friend. It might be a colleague. It might be a coworker, somebody that's going to come from a place of empathy and not sympathy. We don't need nobody feeling sorry for us, but we need someone to kind of put themselves in our shoes. So you got to be willing to talk to somebody. And that's what I did. I opened up, and I was like, I actually need help now. I can't do this by myself. So something as simple as finding a trusted source. We're in the playoffs, y'. All. You can't start a basketball game without five players. Who's in your starting five? You need at least five people, because everybody ain't gonna be available at the same time. But have your group of five that you can call when you're having those tough moments. I think everything that we're experiencing right now, like these group texts that I think were born out of the pandemic, are so important right now, because my five girlfriends, we talk about the good and the bad, so you got to be able to vent. You got to let that stuff out. And then we encourage each other to get help or go to the doctor or. Or seek support. So, like, get your start in five and wrap through your problems, and don't Be ashamed. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I wonder about the group chat thing though, because, you know, you do appreciate getting a text when somebody sends you some, you know, love and some light. But man, I wonder are what happened to just picking up the phone and calling? Because sometimes I look at the phone and I'd be like, I'm too exhausted to answer that call. But am I really? I'm just used to texting.

[Shanti Das]

But you know what I'll say, you got to be intentional too, in that group chat or that one on one chat and say, you know what? I need to talk. I know it's late, but I wouldn't call you if I didn't need it. So being honest with yourself and being honest with the person and being able to just ask for that help, that to me is where the strength lies, is saying I'm not okay and I need support.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I agree. I see you got another pamphlet, a guide to navigate.

[Shanti Das]

And so the last one that thank you for supporting it was around the holidays, but this one is, I added 10 more tips. It's 30 tips and this is different from the other one. And it's really just to give people grace and understanding through the grief journey.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

30 tips for healing after Loss Most

[DJ Envy]

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[Shanti Das]

You can have opinions, you can have like a strong stance. And then there's your body having its own program.

[Podcast Host (e.g., Maya Shankar)]

I'm Dr. Maya Shankar, a cognitive scientist and host of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans. A show about who we are and who we become. When life makes other plans. We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation.

[Chelsea Handler]

There is one finding that is consistent and and that is that our resilience rests on our relationships.

[Shanti Das]

I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none

[Podcast Host (e.g., Maya Shankar)]

of us likes Listen to a slight change of plans on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Host (Psychology of Your 20s)]

May is mental health awareness month and your twenties, they can feel like a lot. On the Psychology of 20s podcast, we unpack the anxiety, the overthinking, the heartbreak, the identity crisis, all of it that comes with being in your 20s. Because if you've ever thought, is anybody else feeling this way? They definitely are.

[Podcast Host (e.g., Maya Shankar)]

I feel like my 20s was a process of checking off everything that I was not good at to get to what I was good at. Oftentimes we take everything a little bit too seriously and we get lost in things that we later on decide weren't even important to us to begin with.

[Guest or Panelist]

There was a large chunk of my twenties that I like, was just so wanting to like, be out of that phase, out of my skin. And I just like really regret not living in the present more.

[Podcast Host (Psychology of Your 20s)]

Each week we break down the science behind what you're going through and give you real tools to navigate it. Your 20s aren't about having it all figured out. They're about understanding yourself just a little bit better. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What have you learned about grief? The more time goes on, the more

[Shanti Das]

that time goes on. I think the one thing is that no two people grieve the same, but that grief is something that has a profound effect on our lives and time. Grief counseling and community is what helps to heal sometimes. You know, you can find yourself looking at a photo, listening to a song, traveling back to a different city, and the grief just overtakes you and overcomes. What I know is that everybody's going to grieve in some form or fashion, and death is something that none of us can escape. Unfortunately, grief is for the living, not for the people that have passed on. And so once we can get past the debilitating part, have healthy, healthy ways to cope with grief, then we can start celebrating the life of our loved ones ones. The time really heal it really, in my opinion. I can't say all, but he has definitely healed mine. I just had the seventh anniversary of my sister's. A friend of mine, April Nichols, my best friend, said, angel bursary and I love that. And so it was the seventh angel anniversary of my my sister and I did find myself not crying as much. I was able to look at her photos and smile. I was able to do things in her honor, but it was only through time because probably the first three or four years. You know, it was debilitating for me. Time definitely helps.

[Angela Yee]

You talk about in. In here in your book about your body experiencing grief too. Like the physical part of it.

[Shanti Das]

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

[Angela Yee]

Which people, if they don't understand that they're grieving, they don't understand the reaction to their body as well, too.

[Shanti Das]

That's why it's important to talk to your doctors, and they'll tell you whether it's a therapist or your primary healthcare physician. Like, I would literally have headaches all the time. Felt like it was knots in my stomach, and it was a part of the grief and the pressure and the depression that I was going through.

[Angela Yee]

And you know what's crazy about that? I feel like, as women like my mom used to always talk about, like, she, she. She would know when I was upset about something when I was younger because I would sleep a lot, and I didn't realize that that was like a depression thing or sadness thing until I became grown. But I think as women, we pay attention to it a lot more.

[Shanti Das]

Absolutely. But that's a sign that's really exemplary for young, young people. Right. And kids, when they're experiencing any sort of, you know, mental health challenges or even dealing with grief, it shows up in other ways in our body and in our thoughts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, I was gonna ask, you know, how do you deal with mental health now? Right. You just said when you came here, you know, something bothered you. The fact that they took $600,000 from you, and whatever it may be, how do you deal with that now? How do you make sure that you don't go back down that rabbit hole of where you were before or that feeling?

[Shanti Das]

That's very important. And I'm again, kind of going through that right now. I'm going back into therapy. Because you were out of therapy? Yeah, I was out because I felt like I had the tools and I could manage it, and I wasn't really dealing with any crisis or anything. And I, again, working in this space, I was practicing what I preached, right. I was going out, taking walks. I was exercising. I was staying on top of my diet because certain foods weigh you down. But now I really feel like I need to be back in therapy and talking through it with someone. And so, again, don't be afraid to see that therapist. Don't be afraid to tell your doctor that you're not feeling well. And I have been more open about those thoughts. I used to be embarrassed to tell friends I wasn't in a good space. So now I'm more open and I share about it. And I do, again, know I need to be back in therapy. And if I feel like I can't shake it, I'll start back on my antidepressants. When I first was going through my suicidal ideation, I had to go on antidepressants. I could not balance out that chemical imbalance just with talk therapy for me. It didn't work for me that way. I needed, you know, medication for that. But now I know I need to be talking to somebody on a regular basis again. So I couple that with my faith. I. In terms of repetition, I have certain prayers that I listen to over and over and over again. Just teaching me that, you know, what God has for me is for me. And I can't compare myself to everybody because also we get into a habit of looking at social media and looking at other organizations or people out there in the streets thinking, why me? Why is this happening to me? And so I try not to let the noise in. So I'm trying to protect my peace.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You think there's a point where. And this is for Charlemagne as well. Do you think it's a point where you can stop going to therapy? Because I always hear that, you know, once you go, it seems like this just. It's kind of like you take your car to get an oil change. You know, you go to the doctor for your body. You know, this is the kind of the same thing. This is like working out your brain. Do you ever think this is a reason to stop going to therapy? Because you said you stop. You said you. You figured, like, you. You was able to control everything.

[Shanti Das]

Some people go all the time, and I applaud that. And if they need it. For me, I just felt like I was equipped with certain tools. But wellness will always be a part of my journey and what I do, right? So I do the things that my therapist taught me to do. But again, there's certain things, if you're in a crisis, you know, things are compounded, right? And so I'm dealing with more now. And so I feel like even those tools may not be helping at the moment. And I just don't want to send myself back down a rabbit hole. That's why I'm going to go back in and see my therapist. And again, re up. It's almost like a checkup, right? And go back in. But some people I know go to their therapist forever, just like they go to get their annual checkup or. I mean, I don't know if you have any Other feedback.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, you're right. I don't. I don't. I don't have to go every week like I did for a while. But, you know, like you said, whenever I feel like I need that. That tune up, that checkup 100, 100%, I do find myself getting. I've been going a lot more lately because I've. I've. I don't know, I've been dealing with anger, but I'm mad at the world. I'm not mad at, like, anything going on internally. Like, I'm just mad at the condition of.

[Shanti Das]

And some of that is we feel like we're living in a twilight zone because I think things are affecting us now. I just went to Montgomery a few weeks ago, and I got to experience the great museums that were done with Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative. And it. It angered me in certain ways to thinking, like, okay, they're trying to roll back certain things. The Voting Rights Act. And so I find myself in anger as well, and I'm having to use those tools to calm myself down and protect my peace. But I think, unfortunately, it's a lot of people that probably feel the same way you're feeling, but they're not getting the support that they need for it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm more mad at us and the way we handle things. Attack each other. Yeah, the way we handle each other. That's what. That's why I feel like a lot of my frustration.

[Shanti Das]

Gotcha.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Comes from more than. More than anything.

[Shanti Das]

Well, mine is. Is what's going on in the world right now. Because I really feel like I'm grateful that I grew up in the 80s and it was a much more. Not to say we didn't have our issues back then, but I do feel bad for a lot of our youth and young adults who are having to, like, have to deal. You know, you go to school, you got to go and deal with, like, active shooter drills and stuff. No child should have to deal with that. And so that is why mental health is so much more important right now, because there's so much more pressure from the world on our communities.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What other measurable change should we be holding ourselves to do? Because, like I said, you know, we always have these conversations about eradicating the stigma and talking, but what other things could we be doing to actually get closer to healing?

[Shanti Das]

So you gotta model the behavior for family and friends. You can't just tell people, you gotta do it yourself. Mommy can't just say, you know, you need. How are you doing? Are you okay? If mom and dad's not okay, y' all got to get help too, because the kids pay attention. You know, a lot of teens, you know, they're on, they're playing games. They're on their phones. They may not have that open communication, you know, like our generation did, but they are watching what's happening. So parents, watch what you're saying, watch how you're moving. Even our friends, we got to model behavior patterns with friends. If we see something that's not right, you see something, say something. You know, they used to say that back in the day. So we just got to speak up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Absolutely. Well, how can people donate if they need to donate?

[Shanti Das]

Yes. So again, today is national silence ashamed a 10 years in. So we're doing just a grassroots campaign asking people to donate $10 and then challenge 10 of your friends to give $10. You can text the word silence to 707070 or you can visit silenceashame.com and I would be remiss if I didn't shout out my amazing small team, Jewel Gooding and Tamir, Megan, Nick and Sonia. We are small but mighty. And y', all, we are saving lives. So please, if you have anything, if you don't have it, just post for us. Encourage your friends and families, celebrities, everyday people, therapists, everybody, just please help us to keep continuing doing this great work.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And this suicide and Crisis Lifeline calling 988. You got to talk about that.

[Shanti Das]

And so 988 is a national resource. It has replaced what we knew as a National Suicide Lifeline. 1-800-273-Talk. All y' all gotta do now, literally, is pick up the phone, y', all, and dial 98 8. You'll be connected to a trained crisis counselor that'll answer the phone, talk to you, try to understand what you're going through and push you to resources. And if the local crisis counseling center is not available in your state, guess what? It automatically pushes you to a national number. It worked for me. I called National Suicide Lifeline the night that I was in crisis, and it helped me. They talked to me for 20 minutes and talked me off.

[Angela Yee]

I always wonder if that actually helped.

[Shanti Das]

Actually sat in my car and talked to them. And I'm. They saved my life that night and my sister and my pastor, who happens to be Senator Warnock. It helps y'. All. It works. Don't be afraid to get help. Don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help. I don't know why I'm getting emotional, but it's okay. 10 years of fighting this good fight. I did not almost take my own life and start this. To end the work that we're doing. I don't want anybody else to think that suicide is an option. You know, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland who took his own life and his wife's like, wife's life. I just. My heart goes out to the kids, to everybody that's going through anything. Y' all help is available. I don't care if you're 10 or 70 or 50. Where's the camera? I just want to look straight in the camera and tell people it's okay to get help. Silence the shame around your emotions, y'. All. It's people out here hurting high achievers, hurting students, hurting family members, hurting y'.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All.

[Shanti Das]

We gotta erase the stigma. Mental health is no different than physical health. So please, please, please continue to silence the shame and support our organization. And if you want to get my grief guide, you can go to Shantidas viz, because it's a lot of people out there grieving as well.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right.

[Shanti Das]

I love y' all so much. I just want to thank y' all for always having me joining us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Shanti do Silence the shame day. Make sure you donate if you can. Mr. Breakfast Club, good morning.

Every day I wake up.

[DJ Envy]

Wake your ass up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The Breakfast Club.

[DJ Envy]

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[Podcast Host (Psychology of Your 20s)]

Your 20s can be so exciting, but they can also be really overwhelming, confusing, and honestly, just kind of lonely. May is mental health awareness month, and the psychology of your twenties is breaking down the science behind the biggest roadblocks we face.

[Podcast Host (e.g., Maya Shankar)]

I was six years into my career, the 80 hour weeks and just the first one in, the last one out, and I ended up burning out.

[Guest or Panelist]

There was a large chunk of my twenties that I like, was just so wanting to, like, be out of that phase, out of my skin, and I just like really regret not living in the present more.

[Podcast Host (Psychology of Your 20s)]

You don't need to have everything figured out right now. You just need to understand yourself a little bit better. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chelsea Handler]

This season on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler. We have some fantastic guests like Emilia Clarke.

[Shanti Das]

When like young people come up to me and they want to be an actor or whatever, my first thing is

[Guest or Panelist]

always, can you think of anything else

[Shanti Das]

that you can do?

[Chelsea Handler]

Rather be disappointed in?

[Podcast Host (e.g., Maya Shankar)]

Do that.

[Shanti Das]

David Oyelowo I love this podcast. Whether it's therapy or relationships or religion or sex or addiction or you just go straight for the guts.

[Chelsea Handler]

Dennis Leary, Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things, Tana Mongeau, Camilla Marone, Carrie, Kenny Silver and more. Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Shanti Das]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.