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Wrestling Depression is Not for Wimps- From Army Colonel to Suicidal Ideations and How to Get Help



Wrestling Depression is Not for Wimps- From Army Colonel to Suicidal Ideations and How to Get Help with Skip Mondragon


***Trigger Warning ***


This week on the podcast Donald “Skip” Mondragon tells us the story of how he went from being bullied in school to Wrestling Champion to Army Colonel to a deep depression and how he dug himself out. He talks about the importance of faith, community and inner work.


To listen to the entire episode, click HERE.


Skip tells us the story of being so depressed that he hid under his desk, turned off the phones, all the lights and sat there for several hours. He mustered up the courage to call a co-worker for help. He met with a mental health counselor and began his recovery. For the next several months he worked on his self-image, his own thoughts and how to over come the thought “I have let everybody down”.


He overcame bullying as a child, started working hard to get in shape, became a wrestler, winning several championships. He enrolled in ROTC, went to medical school and began a successful career in the US Army. Skip picked himself up, climbed to the top of his career and slide right back down, after several surgeries and deployments. He tells us how he struggled with suicidal ideations and major depression.



Three things that made the difference between depression and healing


1. Surrounding yourself with good people. This includes family, friends, and a counselor who you can open up to and trust


2. Transform your prayer language to allow God to work on your heart

Skip traded prays like “Lord deliver me from this evil” to “Lord, what would you have me know, what can I learn from this?”


3. Watch your inner critic and how you speak to yourself. Speak kind words, appreciate yourself and focus on the positive things in your life both past and present.



Lastly, Skip and I discuss the importance of sharing your story to help others. His wife always says, don’t waste the hard times. Meaning there are a lot of people who go through hard times for whatever reason and if we can share our story it is helpful to others. Listening to stories of triumph like this spreads hope and the world could use a little of that right now.


For more information on how to get help call the suicide hotline 800-273-8255 or text HELP to 741741.




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Thanks for listening!


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Connect with Sarah Zastrow







Connect with Skip Mondragon





Book: Wrestling Depression is Not For Wimps


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