Lily Cornell Silver released Episode 4 of her IGTV series Mind Wide Open featuring Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver). Duff bravely delves into growing up with anxiety, revealing how he had his first panic attack at 16. Additionally, he talks about his use of drugs and alcohol to self medicate and the damage that did.
He and Lily discuss the everyday challenges they both face in managing anxiety and depression including using the tools of meditation, martial arts and different forms of therapy. Duff also talks about touring with Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver as a sober person and still having to regulate his emotional and physical life utilizing new tools and healthier solutions, including his good friend and bandmate, Slash being a “safe person” for him.
As in previous episodes, Lily continues on her mission to de-stigmatize conversations around mental health.
Previous episodes of Mind Wide Open featured TikTok/Instagram influencer Sir Carter, Dr. Laura van Dernoot-Lipsky of the Trauma Stewardship in Seattle and Dr. Marc Brackett, author of Permission to Feel and founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. More guests including mental health professionals, musicians, actors and friends will be announced in the coming weeks.
