In this episode, we talk about politics and mental health with a distinguished guest.
From 1995 to 2011, Patrick Kennedy served as a member of the US House of Representatives from Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District. He’s the youngest child of former Senator Ted Kennedy, and a nephew of JFK and RFK, so he’s certainly an expert on the political landscape. He’s also a passionate advocate for mental health and is the author of the new book “Profiles in Mental Health Courage.” This was a fascinating conversation.
How politics has changed since he was in office:
“Well, I think it’s changed dramatically since when I left elective office in 2011. I can honestly tell you I was so blessed to have had a chance to serve for Congress for 16 years and before that in the State Legislature, which was just a tremendous experience. A very small, little district; I basically knew everybody in my district. The intimacy was terrific. In Rhode Island, even when I was a member of Congress, the way you knew you constituents and they knew you. It was just so great.”
How campaigning has changed as well:
“You were around people. It was all a retail business. And now, it’s all social media. Yes, they’ll have these ‘mock crowds’ where they set up a bunch of supporters that are already in your camp, and you speak to them, and it’s really speaking to the camera. It’s not speaking to the people in the audience. I was fortunate. I had to speak to everybody in the audience and believe me they didn’t come in with a fixed idea as to which way they thought on a particular issue by and large. That’s all changed. Now everybody’s got a fixed idea as to what their view of the world is, and there’s very little that you can do to change it.”
His thoughts on the Electoral College:
“It’s a convoluted process and I certainly think in this day and age its usefulness to us has gone way past the time we’re living in. We need to have a direct popular vote.”
What advice he’d give to Trump and Harris:
“It’s the personal connection that matters to people. It’s not whether we’re talking from our head, it’s whether we’re talking from our heart. People are suffering the world round, and if we can cut through the academic and intellectual and actually talk the language of the heart, that’s what would win an election.”
Patrick’s background and how it influenced his addictions:
“People all think there’s a monolithic diagnosis of addiction or anxiety or depression. It’s really a spectrum like we hear about the autism spectrum. There’s not one particular type of diagnosis. It’s very stratified. … My dad was super successful. The most successful and accomplished U.S. Senator in modern history, if not all throughout the history of the Senate. Authored and signed into law more pieces of legislation than any Senator in history. And he struggled his whole life, and he had post-traumatic stress. He saw his two brothers murdered and he saw countless other tragedies…. The power of trauma on both my parents’ lives was immense.”
The prevalence of addiction among kids:
“If you’re a kid today and you have anxiety – which, by the way, the majority of young people today are suffering from. And you can easily put your hands on something that makes you feel better, what are you going to do? I don’t care if you have a predisposition to addiction or not, you are vulnerable to becoming addicted, especially if you start using (drugs and alcohol) early. This is where these kids are suffering. And what are we doing as adults? We’re looking the other way,”
The key takeaway from his new book “Profiles In Mental Health Courage”:
“The key takeaway is that it’s not a story of individuals and their struggles; it’s a story of families and their struggles. Nine times out of ten when you read a story about someone coming out of addiction, it’s their narrative. In other words, you never hear the parents’ views, the siblings’ views, the children’s views, or the coworkers’ views. In this book, I interview the one person … but I also interview their therapists, their family members, and their coworkers because that’s the real way to get a realistic portrayal.”
The Common Denominator of someone in addiction, who has found sobriety and is thriving:
“They’re not all about themselves. The most successful people I see in recovery are always throughout the day living the prayer. Everything they do is about helping someone else.”