Inside Mental Health

Rehab facilities help many addicts kick drugs and live healthy lives again. But sometimes things go awry. Listen to hear how one woman investigated her son’s death in one such facility and the obstacles she encountered – and overcame – on her quest for the truth. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s no surprise that gay men are one group prone to mental health issues. What is surprising is how well they bounce back from such issues. Our guest this week shares stories of such resilience and some behind-the-pages experiences he had while researching his book on the topic. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How common is child sexual abuse? What are some of the misconceptions surrounding it? What trauma do survivors deal with long after the actions have stopped? Can a victim have a healthy life when their abuser is still around? Listen in to hear these things and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest is a developmental coach who works with people to help them develop a stronger connection to nature. Listen in as he shares why he chose this direction in life. He also speaks on how nature is important to mental health and why it’s so important for us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we think about PTSD, we generally think of soldiers or others who work in dangerous situations, or possibly victims of violent crimes. Few of us think of children. Listen in to hear our guest speak of how witnessing a murder when she was quite young has impacted her life. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rate of depression in children and adolescents continues to grow, leaving many parents clueless on what to do. What is driving this increase? Are things truly different for young people today, compared to twenty or thirty years ago? Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A young man, ultimately diagnosed with schizophrenia, murders his parents. His brother shares the story of how it affected the family both before and after the tragedy, why his brother was unable to use a mental health defense, and how treatment could have prevented it all. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Stanford Prison Experiment has been a psychology staple for decades. But new evidence has created a stir of controversy. Listen as we discuss the origin of the experiment, the controversy surrounding it, and what (if anything) we can actually learn from it. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Sex therapy” is often misunderstood. In this episode, our guest sex therapist talks about what his work consists of, dispelling a few of the misconceptions. Also discussed are the hallmarks of arousal, erectile dysfunction, “simmering,” and more. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Addiction is a vicious condition that destroys lives every day. Existing treatments have been found lacking. Now, a new approach that features mindfulness has shown good results. Listen to hear how a mindful approach to addiction may be the answer for many. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear is something we all face in our lives, sometimes in profound ways. We develop fear-based behaviors that prevent us from living the lives we want to. Our guest for this episode explains how this happens and how to change our behavior to reduce fear’s grip on us. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two transgender women share observations from their 20+ years of experience; discuss how transitioning, and the science of it, changed over the decades; and offer their views on what they believe are the most important things for society to know about it. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up to 20% of Americans who have suffered trauma will go on to develop PTSD. And it’s not just veterans. Our guest presents a type of treatment that promises to do more than just treat the symptoms, but help people not to just survive PTSD, but to thrive in spite of it. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is it about money that makes it such a sensitive topic with couples? Why do we not have conversations about finances the way we have discussions about so many other things? And most of all, how can we prevent money issues from wreaking havoc in our relationships? Listen for answers to these questions and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When her mother, after a lifetime of threats, died by suicide, Linda Meyers decided that the best way to give meaning to her mother’s death was to make changes to her own life. She left her marriage, went to college, and established a career. Listen to her remarkable story. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part two of the live recording of the Psych Central Show at HealtheVoices 2018. Our four panelists share more tales of their advocacy efforts, dispelling misunderstandings and false assumptions and comparing the similarities in their advocacy work. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part one of the first ever live recording of the Psych Central Show at HealtheVoices 2018. Four advocates of different health conditions join for a panel discussion on a variety of advocacy topics. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After having opened 15 mental health centers, Steve Fields, Executive Director of The Progress Foundation, has a good idea on how to prevent community opposition to such facilities. Listen to part 2 of 2 on dealing with NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) opposition. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A small minority of vocal people can do a lot of damage when they act out of fear. Listen to how NIMBYism forced a non-profit facility to relocate, leaving a large hole in vital services provided in the community they left behind. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strangely enough, Gabe Howard hosts a podcast with someone other than Vincent M. Wales! Michelle Hammer joins for a discussion about A Bipolar, a Schizophrenic, and a Podcast, including the positive and negative reactions they’ve received from listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The onset of mental illness can upend our lives in many ways. In this episode, we speak with a young man living with schizophrenia and hear about the impact it has had on him and his family. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do so many people feel a disconnect between themselves and their physicians? And what can be done about it? Participatory medicine shows just how connected a doctor and patient should be, and the kind of great results that can come of it. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why in the world is it so difficult for so many people to get the mental health care that they need? And how do we change that? The Well Being Trust has some solid suggestions on how anyone can work to fix our broken system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered about the advice columns in papers and on websites? Like, how many questions they receive, how they deal with different issues, and so on? Two of Psych Central’s experts from “Ask the Therapist” join us to share their experiences answering questions online. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why doesn’t Canada have a homeless crisis as does the U.S.? What can we do about the shortage of psychiatrists? These questions and more are discussed with the Medical Director of the National Council for Behavioral Health. Listen in to learn some surprising facts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many employers provide health benefits to their workers that go above and beyond the typical medical insurance. This may take the form of incentive programs for improving health, discounts on fitness centers, or employee assistance programs (EAPs) that provide various health-related services. But there’s a new star on the health horizon called LifeSpeak. This is an entire wellness platform that employers can make available to employees, giving them free, anonymous access to an enormous library of health information, discussion forums, and even live interaction with health experts on a variety of topics, including a great deal related to mental health. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [0:55] What is LifeSpeak and what does it do? [3:50] Examples of LifeSpeak’s mental health resources. [5:38] LifeSpeak’s approach to mental health. [8:13] The effect of mental health on work attendance. [13:56] Differences in how Canada and the US treat mental health in the workplace. [20:54] Assistance in real time. [24:08] How LifeSpeak finds experts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social anxiety is more common than most of us realize. Around 80% of us have experienced it at some point in our lives. In this episode, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen shares her insights into social anxiety, including how it is experienced by different sorts of people, and how we can reduce its impact on us. She explains about safety behaviors and how they can work against us in overcoming anxiety, as well as addresses specific anxious behaviors, such as avoiding eye contact. As she explains, a little social anxiety isn’t anything to worry about. It’s when social anxiety causes us to avoid certain situations or interactions that we should be concerned. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:37] What’s the difference between social anxiety and shyness? [4:15] Social anxiety with introverts & extraverts. [5:58] The two lies of social anxiety. [9:49] How do we lessen the impact of social anxiety? [15:23] Writing the book on social anxiety. [21:29] Looking social anxiety in the eye. [26:32] What are safety behaviors? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keith O’Neil lived with undiagnosed bipolar disorder throughout his NFL career, including his final year with the Indianapolis Colts as they won the Super Bowl in 2006. After his diagnosis, Keith became an advocate, starting the 4th and Forever Foundation, which is dedicated to assisting those living with and affected by mental health conditions, through programs that raise awareness, promote education and fund research to alleviate mental illness. Keith tours the country, speaking to high school students. He shares with us his secret to getting through to them, and the single most frequent question they ask. He also speaks candidly about writing his book and about the people in his life who helped him, both before and after diagnosis. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:19] Being bipolar in the NFL. [4:27] Coming out as bipolar on Facebook. [6:29] Keith O’Neil’s 4th and Forever Foundation. [7:05] The secret to getting through to high schoolers. [12:15] Keith’s suicide attempt. [14:40] Keith’s book, Under My Helmet. [17:00] “Beating the Demon.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More and more apps are showing up that are geared toward mental health. One such app is called, simply, “Happy.” This simple to use app allows a user to speak with a “giver” (an emotional support individual) to discuss whatever happens to be troubling the user. In this episode, we speak with the company’s CEO, who explains how the app works, the vetting process of the givers, and plans for the future of the app. The importance of emotional support is also discussed, as are specifics on how the app works, including how a user is matched with a giver. HAPPY THE APP SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:46] What exactly is this app for? [6:07] How does a user get matched with a “giver”? [10:16] How important is emotional support, really? [17:50] How does the app work? [19:24] Do the givers get paid? [20:37] How does one become a giver? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pete Earley returns to talk more about mental health advocacy and lots of other things. He tells of how he came to co-author a book with Jessie Close and talks of his days writing his own spy novels and several books with former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. He also shares stories from his days as a reporter with the Washington Post, including being part of a “special” squad of reporters. Pete shares some information on some of his forthcoming books and projects, and finally, he advises everyone of what we can do to help advocate for mental health in our own ways. PETE EARLEY SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [0:35] Pete speaks about writing a book with Jessie Close. [2:31] Pete Earley: The Spy Writer [5:59] Tales from the Washington Post [11:49] Information on forthcoming projects. [19:21] Advice on what you can do to advocate for mental health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pulitzer finalist and former Washington Post reporter Pete Earley joins for the first of two shows. Pete talks about his popular blog and how he worked to make it more balanced than the average blog. He also speaks of the many obstacles and excuses he encountered in getting treatment for his son’s bipolar disorder, which led him to write the book, Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness. Also discussed is how “seriously mentally ill” is such a subjective diagnosis and why it seems that some mentally ill individuals can only receive treatment if they commit a crime. PETE EARLEY SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:42] Pete talks of creating a “balanced” blog. [6:41] Why must many mentally ill commit crimes in order to receive treatment? [10:03] What is “Seriously Mentally Ill,” anyway? [12:45] Pete tells how Crazy came to be written. [19:04] The importance of partnership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years of being bullied in school and having to eat alone – often not even in the cafeteria – Natalie Hampton decided to something to help others in similar situations. She created the Sit With Us anti-bullying app, which allows a user to locate a table in their school’s cafeteria where they will be welcome, so that no one needs to eat alone. In this episode, Natalie explains how the app came to exist, and how it’s being used by more than just schools. Additionally, she offers her views on why bullying is so prevalent in some schools. Hosted by Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales. SIT WITH US SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:33] What is Sit With Us and what does it do? [4:13] The unexpected success of the app, and how it happened. [5:49] How being bullied led Natalie to create the app. [7:06] Natalie’s other anti-bullying activities. [7:53] Why is bullying so prevalent in some schools? [12:38] Natalie’s TEDx Teen talk. [15:45] How someone becomes a bully, and how to stop it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome Dr. Gleb Tsipursky to look at why some people hold their opinions, despite factual evidence to the contrary. In addition to explaining the reasons why some people ignore facts, the show offers suggestions on how to go about changing the mind of someone who does this, using the EGRIP approach. He also gives examples of how we can become more evolved thinkers, ourselves. Dr. Tsipursky also encourages the hosts to sign the Pro-Truth Pledge, a commitment to truth-oriented behavior. (Spoiler: they both already had!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss the potentially disastrous effects of mental illness on romantic relationships, especially those in which one individual has a mental illness and the other does not. Drawing from their own failed marriages (two each), Gabe and Vincent talk about the role mental illness played in the ending of the relationships, including when they were undiagnosed or diagnosed but with little or no treatment. Gabe also shares advice for those in such relationships on how to minimize the impact of mental illness on the relationships themselves, based on his successful third marriage. MENTAL ILLNESS IN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:40] What are the difficulties in having a relationship with a mentally ill person? [2:51] Examining the role of mental illness in Gabe’s marriages. [9:00] Examining the role of mental illness in Vincent’s marriages. [10:41] Honesty and education about mental illness are vital for relationships. [13:43] Making mistakes in the relationships. [14:16] What a potential romantic partner needs to know before becoming involved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales talk with Lisa Klein, director of the powerful documentary about suicide, The S Word. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly everyone has lost someone to suicide, whether a family member, friend, coworker, etc. Despite this, we don’t talk about it enough. In this episode, the director speaks of why she chose to make this film and how it affected her personally. Additionally, she talks about some of the stories that didn’t make it into the movie, the diverse perspectives featured, and more. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:16] Where the concept for the film came from. [3:25] Working with the Live Through This project. [7:12] Some stories not featured in the film. [12:53] In recovery, there are still bad days. [15:55] The diverse perspectives featured in the film. [17:52] How making the film affected the director herself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales talk about friendship. Specifically, why we find it so much more difficult to make friends as adults than when we were young. Among the points covered was the fact that not everyone has the same definition of “friend.” Also discussed are the various pools of people available to us as friends and the ways in which we meet them. Most pertinent, though, is the major difference in how children and adults tend to determine who is worthy of being a friend. (Hint: kids might have a better grasp on it.) SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:25] What do we really mean by “friends”? [5:15] Do adults focus on different things when seeking friends? [7:05] How do we change how we disqualify others as friends? [9:52] Do we fragment our friendships in our personal lives? [10:51] Friends vs. friendly acquaintances. [12:57] The difference in how adults and kids find “groups.” [16:49] The (unrealistic?) expectations of adults. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome Psych Central CEO and founder Dr. John Grohol to discuss marijuana and its potential benefits for treating various types of mental illnesses, from major depression to bipolar disorder. Dr. Grohol explains why there has been so little research in this field and why it will be quite some time before a significant body of data is accumulated. Also discussed is the question of why many people seem to believe cannabis is a “miracle drug,” and which age group should be most careful about the use of marijuana (or any mind-altering substance). SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [2:40] Will marijuana help someone with major depression? [6:12] Why is there so little research on the effects of medical marijuana? [8:26] What are the detrimental effects of marijuana? [11:18] Why do people believe it to be a miracle drug? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales tackle Christmas. Specifically, how to survive it. For all the wonderful aspects of holidays, they are not without stressful aspects, especially for people who live with anxiety or depression. In this podcast, you’ll learn about some specific triggers that can make the holidays stressful, and how to mitigate or even avoid them. Such triggers include being alone over the holiday, false expectations we seem to have, toxic people, and the stress that comes along with our bank statements. Listen in to hear some helpful suggestions, and have a safe and happy holiday season. SURVIVING CHRISTMAS SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [3:00] Gabe’s plan for surviving Christmas [3:55] Being alone on Christmas [5:24] The false expectations of Christmas [7:42] Is it okay to not care about Christmas? [10:02] The stress of overspending [13:34] Avoiding toxic people [16:58] The reason for the season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss online counseling. Joining them is Haesue Jo of BetterHelp.com, which offers online counseling and is also the sponsor of The Psych Central Show. In addition to answering specific questions about Better Help, the conversation discusses how online counseling differs from in-person therapy, what types of issues are (and are not) good fits for this type of counseling, and what someone can expect from this kind of service. Also discussed is why some people are still skeptical of online therapy (or other types of virtual medical services) and why they shouldn’t be. ONLINE COUNSELING SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:32] What exactly is online therapy? [5:53] Why are some people so skeptical of online therapy? [10:37] What is online therapy NOT good for? [11:57] What about insurance and how much does it cost? [15:38] How many counselors and patients does BetterHelp have? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome Jessie Close, sister of acclaimed actress Glenn Close. Jessie shares the story of her son’s diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, followed by her own diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Spurred by a desire to make people more aware of the stigma surrounding mental illness, Jessie reached out to Glenn for help. The result of this was the founding of Bring Change to Mind, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging dialogue about mental health, and to raising awareness, understanding, and empathy. Jessie tells of the making of the incredible public service announcement, directed by Ron Howard, and featuring Glenn, Jessie, and Jessie’s son, Calen. JESSIE CLOSE SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:55] Jessie tells of her diagnosis, late in life [4:58] How her son’s diagnosis affected her own recovery [9:25] Jessie talks about Bring Change to Mind and the PSA featuring Glenn Close and directed by Ron Howard [17:23] How worried was Glenn that her activism would affect her career? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome as their guest, Rachel Star, a stunt girl and YouTube sensation who lives with schizophrenia. Rachel had schizophrenia as a child, but was not diagnosed until her early twenties. She describes what it was like as a child and the moment she realize that the things she saw weren’t seen by others. Later in life, as an early adopter of online media, she began posting videos of herself doing outlandish things. The videos became quite popular, even being studied in classes at universities! And yes, she talks about being set on fire. RACHEL STAR SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [3:29] Rachel realized no one else actually sees monsters under the bed. [4:49] Finally, the diagnosis. [6:00] Telling the parents… on a trampoline. [7:35] How her father finally “got it.” [10:10] Rachel Star: Human Torch [13:55] How Rachel became a stuntwoman. [14:10] From YouTube star to college study subject. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss the pros and cons on “retail therapy,” the practice of shopping solely for the purpose of making ourselves feel better. They discuss the many benefits of such purchases, while also warning of the dangers of “comfort purchases.” Gabe warns especially of such purchases when in the manic phase of disorder, leading to hyperspending. Each of them share personal stories of their own purchases, both large and (comparatively) small. Other items discussed are oniomania, why we feel a “need” for retail therapy, window shopping, and some unexpected fringe benefits of retail therapy. RETAIL THERAPY SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:43] What triggers the need for retail therapy? [5:00] What’s the difference between “good” retail therapy and “bad”? [7:40] Retail Therapy + Bipolar Disorders = Hyperspending [10:26] What is oniomania? [12:09] My therapist made me buy a Rolex [15:21] Buying nostalgia on eBay [19:02] The fringe benefits of retail therapy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales, inspired by the TV show, Kevin Probably Saves the World, discuss how exactly one would go about choosing a small number of people to help them rule the world. They discuss many of the different factors that should be considered when choosing the composition of a group, including the balance between the sexes, races, ideology, skill sets, and more. It also touches on nepotism, cronyism, and other personal biases, and examines the ways in which we come to agreements and reach decisions as a group. RULING THE WORLD SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:14] How would Gabe choose others to help him rule the world? [3:10] Should you pick others who would agree with you? [4:01] Should you choose those who share your political views? [5:09] Should you have an equal number of men and women? [6:18] What about group balance and decision-making? [6:46] A few words about consensus decision-making and elections. [11:37] What about including people you hate? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome back Dr. Ramani Durvasula to discuss narcissism… this time, in the workplace. Everyone believes they’ve got a narcissist as a coworker and, often, they’re correct. In this episode, you’ll learn how to tell if your coworker is a narcissist, how common this is (especially among executives), and how to handle them, even if it’s your boss. You’ll learn about gaslighting and the link between narcissism and low self-esteem. Dr. Ramani also warns what can happen to a person who remains in the sort of toxic workplace environment created by narcissists. WORKPLACE NARCISSISM SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [2:02] What exactly is narcissism? [3:48] How common is narcissism among business executives? [4:35] What if your boss is a narcissist? [6:19] What is “gaslighting”? [8:33] What sort of behavior do narcissists exhibit in the workplace? [11:57] What’s the connection between low self-esteem and narcissism? [16:08] Can a person with low self-esteem become a narcissist? Join our Facebook group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome Dr. Lori Russell-Chapin, who shares her experiences working in the field of neurofeedback. Specifically, she speaks on how technology – especially the intense use of handheld technology such as texting on smartphones – is affecting our brains. Dr. Russell-Chapin describes the differences that can be seen in the brain waves of a heavy texter as opposed to a “normal” baseline brain, how we seem to be losing our paralinguistic abilities, and offers insight to ways in which we can achieve a better balance in our lives by changing the way in which we use such technology. TEXTING SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:13] How texting is changing the structure and function of our brains. [6:41] Are we losing our paralinguistic abilities because of texting? [11:30] How does one get into the field of studying brain function? [12:51] What do we mean by “dysregulation” of the brain? [14:04] How do we know what the proper baseline is for brain function? [18:47] How do we achieve better balance? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome guest Brent Williams, author of Out of the Woods, a graphic novel that tells the story of his battle with depression. Williams, a human rights attorney in New Zealand, “hit a wall” that derailed his life. It took years for him to understand that depression was the cause and what he needed to do about it. He speaks of how journaling was a great help to him in the recovery process and how it led to the idea of doing a graphic novel. He also speaks of how his battle with cancer was “a breeze” compared to fighting depression. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [3:25] Hitting the wall. [4:02] Why it took years to understand that it was depression that was ruining his life. [9:01] How journaling helped in his recovery from depression. [13:43] Brent talks about the graphic novel process. [16:27] Cancer was “a breeze” compared to depression. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss conspiracy theories with guest Dr. John Grohol, founder of Psych Central. Dr. Grohol explains what exactly is meant by “conspiracy theory” and where they come from. Discussion includes questions of whether they are ways for people to rationalize why horrific tragedies occur, if they are based on distrust of authority figures, and if those who believe them are just attention seekers. Ultimately, the question is raised of how to address them. Can we convince believers that they’re wrong and, if so, how do we do so? SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:05] What is a conspiracy theory and where do they come from? [2:19] Are conspiracy theories just a way to “make sense” of horrific tragedies? [6:50] What’s the connection between conspiracy theories and distrust of authority? [8:44] Are believers really just attention seekers? [12:12] The role of cognitive bias in the belief of conspiracy theories. [13:01] Are conspiracy theories invented just to mess with people? [14:15] How do we convince believers in conspiracy theories that they’re wrong? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss the myths and realities of being admitted to an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Gabe shares his personal experience of voluntarily entering a psychiatric hospital when he was suicidal. He tells of how his expectations of the situation differed from what he actually experienced. He shares what he found to be the most frightening aspects of his stay, as well as how he passed the time while there. He shares how his family reacted to his admission to the psychiatric hospital, and the aspect to the stay that he describes as “life-altering.” BEING IN A PSYCH HOSPITAL SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [3:43] The scariest part of being in a psych ward. [7:48] Gabe’s shocking discovery about psych hospitals. [10:57] Is it like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? [13:05] How do you pass the time in a psych hospital? [14:49] Gabe’s expectations vs. reality. [16:53] The life-altering aspect of Gabe’s psychiatric stay. [18:45] How Gabe’s family reacted to his admission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss the challenges of returning to the workplace after being out for an extended amount of time, such as while recovering from mental illness. Gabe shares his first-hand experience of returning to work after four years, including the difficulties he faced, the resources he relied on, and what he wished he’d done differently. Also discussed are workplace discrimination, advocating for yourself, and the question of whether or not you should disclose your mental illness to your coworkers (and if so, to whom and when). RETURNING TO WORK AFTER MENTAL ILLNESS SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [0:59] Gabe shares the story of returning to work after four years. [4:55] How your therapist can help with your return to work. [6:37] Skills and resources to make your return easier. [8:07] Gabe tells of his experience with workplace discrimination. [9:14] Should you disclose your mental illness to your coworkers? [11:02] Potential positive results of disclosing your mental illness. [14:23] What do we mean by “reasonable accommodations”? [18:36] Tips on being your own advocate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome Andy Behrman, veteran mental health speaker, writer, and advocate who is the author of Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania. Andy shares his views on how mental health advocacy has changed over the past fifteen years and the ways in which our views of stigma have evolved. He also shares the story of his interview with noted actor and bipolar advocate Stephen Fry, his ideas on how to help fund advocacy groups, and his experiences with electroconvulsive therapy and memory loss. And, yes, he tells us how he got the nickname of "Electroboy." MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [1:48] How has mental health advocacy changed? [3:15] Is mental illness less stigmatized now? [9:10] Electroboy talks about ECT and memory loss. [11:22] Andy Berhman's Stephen Fry experience. [13:39] Andy shares his plans to help fund smaller advocacy groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices