Childhood and Family Dynamics

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sal Vulcano was born and raised in Staten Island, New York, with parents who divorced when he was four.
• 💔 He has three sisters: an older half-sister he didn't know growing up, and two younger sisters he did.
• 🏡 After his mother remarried, Sal moved in with his father at 16 and lived with him until his early twenties.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 He maintains excellent relationships with both parents and considers his father his best friend.

The Struggle with Anxiety and Depression

• 🧠 Sal describes his experience as a mix of anxiety and depression, stemming partly from a family history of worrying.
• 💀 His primary anxiety trigger is the fear of death, particularly concerning his loved ones and the process of dying.
• 📝 He manages his thoughts and memory issues with extensive note-taking and lists due to diagnosed ADHD and OCD.
• 💊 While he's tried medication for ADHD, he found it overwhelming and is currently focusing on treating his anxiety with medication, which has helped.

Coping Mechanisms and Finding Joy

• 🎭 Sal finds immense joy and escape on stage, describing it as a place where he can be fully present.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Spending time with family and friends, especially his nieces and nephews whom he considers like his children, brings him happiness.
• 🏊‍♂️ Swimming is a significant coping mechanism, providing a calming and meditative experience where he often generates ideas.
• 🎶 He also finds release in driving with loud music and singing, using it to process emotions and get thoughts out.

Dealing with Loss and Mortality

• 💔 Sal experienced the profound loss of a best friend in his mid-30s to cancer, a significant support system who never complained.
• 😥 He frequently contemplates mortality, the aging of his parents, and the eventual loss of loved ones, which deeply affects him.
• ✈️ Fear of flying is a major anxiety, exacerbated by thoughts of potential plane crashes and the suffering involved.
• 🛡️ He has become more protective, ensuring loved ones have safety measures like pepper spray, reflecting a desire for control in uncontrollable situations.

Advice and Life Philosophy

• 🚀 Sal advises his 16-year-old self to cut out the BS and do what makes you happy immediately, emphasizing that time is finite.
• 🎤 He regrets not pursuing stand-up comedy earlier, his lifelong passion, and encourages others to find ways to make money doing what they love.
• 🙏 He believes therapy is essential mental exercise, comparing it to going to the gym for processing thoughts and emotions.
• 🌟 Sal finds solace in the idea that even with the inevitability of death, love and experiences shared with others provide meaning.