What happened: Chris Cornell’s daughter Lily Cornell Silver is launching a new interview series on Instagram today about mental health, on what would’ve been her father’s 56th birthday.
Silver’s goal with the series, titled “Mind Wide Open,” is to normalize and destigmatize conversations around mental health. The 20-year-old debuted the series on IGTV in honor of the late Soundgarden frontman.
Guests on the series will include mental health professionals, public figures from music, pop culture and entertainment, as well as her peers who will discuss their stories and struggles with mental illness and the offer insights about the topic. She shared that the series is also personal for her — she has experienced trauma, loss, anxiety and depression.
There is so much value, especially for people in my generation, in knowing that everyone struggles with mental health at some point in their lives, despite our society’s dismissive tendencies around emotional wellbeing. It is important for me to give voice to these issues by providing information, honest conversations and resources through ‘Mind Wide Open.’ — Lily Cornell Silver
The Frontlines: Cornell Silver is a junior in college studying media studies, sociology and psychology. She’s also an activist and supports social justice initiatives. She announced the project on the third anniversary of Cornell’s death this past May 18. Cornell died by suicide in 2017. Then, she shared the reasons for the project.
“We often talked about our experiences with anxiety and depression, and mental health was something that he struggled with throughout his life,” Cornell Silver shared. “Through him, I learned how important it is to have someone who understands your darkness, validates your experiences, and gives you comfort. Losing my dad ripped a hole in my heart, and the grief and trauma that has followed comes with its own set of struggles.”
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A Mighty Voice: Our contributor, Jessica Hutchison, shared things she learned after her father’s suicide. “I learned my regrets kept me in the pain. I couldn’t go back. I couldn’t change the past. But what I can do now is make a conscious effort to tell the people I love how much they mean to me. I no longer wait to tell them tomorrow, because I now know there are no guarantees of tomorrow.” You can submit your first-person story, too.
Related: Turning Vulnerability Into a Source of Strength When Sharing My Story as an Abuse Survivor
From Our Community:
Other things to know: Losing a parent to suicide can cause a whirlwind of emotions including shock, anger, fear, anxiety and confusion. Here are some articles on The Mighty on the topic:
Where to learn more: The Cornell family also marked Chris Cornell’s birthday by sharing his previously unreleased cover of Guns N’ Roses’ hit song, “Patience.” You can watch the first episode of “Mind Wide Open” on Cornell Singer’s Instagram here.
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