WATCH: 'Your Mental Health: A Bay Area Conversation,' virtual town hall addressing COVID-19 impact on mental health
"I have hand sanitizer. I wonder if I could use that as gel," Zak joked as he tried to fix his hair before the interview. "A reverse cowlick!"
[Ads /]
A little shelter-in-place haircut humor to kick off the conversation with the oldest child of legendary actor and comedian, Robin Williams.
"Lavender spray... I have scissors here, too! There we go," exclaimed Zak as he finally tamed his hair.
Comedic relief, important as ever, as people around the world wade through not just a viral pandemic, but a surging mental health crisis.
TAKE ACTION: Get help with mental health issues
"We're experiencing a parallel pandemic," said Zak. "The coronavirus pandemic actually exaggerates existing issues. It can cause people to feel more isolated and it can cause people to potentially self-medicate more or engage in addictive behavior to support themselves through difficult times."
Zak grew up in San Francisco. He now lives in Los Angeles and is a mental health advocate.
"I needed to heal and recover myself," he said.
His struggles began after his father died by suicide at home in Marin in 2014.
"My becoming a mental health advocate stemmed from the trauma and loss I experienced after my Dad died by suicide," he said. "I experienced a serious low point in my life. I felt completely emotionally dis-regulated and was experiencing PTSD. I was self-medicating to the point where I wanted to not feel anything. I found that the most healing experience for me was committing to service around causes."
PHOTOS: Robin Williams through the years
Zak is on the board of Bring Change to Mind, a nonprofit founded by Glenn Close, that works to end the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness. He's an advisor for Inseparable, a national organization focused on creating pragmatic mental health policy. And he's launching a stress and anxiety relief supplement company.
"There's certainly a collective trauma that stems from everything that's going on and I would like to think that maybe, for some, we can find opportunities for post traumatic growth," he said. "There's a lot to do. I see that there's tailwind relating to reducing stigma associated with mental health."
Zak says self-care is essential to mental health, noting, "If you don't prioritize yourself, to fill your cup personally, then you can feel very drained. I'm very focused on talk therapy, engaging in community support groups, I personally stay away from drugs and alcohol, that's been very helpful for me, especially during this time. It's enabled me to deal with feelings of anxiety and depression head on."
His son, Mickey, turns one this week. Mickey is short for McLaurin, which was Robin's middle name.
"As a dad, I hope my son can grow up in a stigma free world," said Zak. "When it comes to sharing and being vulnerable, I think we need to shift our mindset from thinking about it as a weakness, to thinking about it as a strength."
[Ads /]
He adds, "We need to come out of this coronavirus pandemic with a growth-oriented mindset, around supporting others in our communities to create a more connected, happier world."
If you are or know somebody who is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- COVID-19 Help: Comprehensive list of resources, information
- When will the San Francisco Bay Area reopen? Track progress on 6 key metrics to reopening here
- Life after COVID-19: Here's what restaurants, gyms will look like
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- INTERACTIVE TIMELINE: How close was CA to becoming a NY-level crisis?
- What will it take to get a COVID-19 vaccine and how will it be made?
- How California's COVID-19 cases stack up against other hot spot states
- Everything you need to know about the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area/
- List: Where can I get tested for COVID-19 in the Bay Area?
- COVID-19 Diaries: Personal stories of Bay Area residents during novel coronavirus pandemic
- Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic
- What does COVID-19 do to your body and why does it spread so easily?
- WATCH: 'Race & Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation' virtual town hall about COVID-19 impact on Asian American community
- WATCH: 'Race & Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation' virtual town hall about COVID-19 impact on African American community
- WATCH: 'Race & Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation' virtual town hall about COVID-19 impact on Latino community
- Here's how shelter in place, stay at home orders can slow spread of COVID-19
- Symptoms, prevention, and how to prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak in the US
- List of stores, companies closing due to coronavirus pandemic
- No masks but here are 100+ products that may help protect you against novel coronavirus germs
- Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions
[Ads /]