The Mental Health Obstacles You Need to Know — And Coping Skills to Navigate Them [38]

About Joy Lab: Joy Lab is an Ambie-nominated podcast and mental health tool that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek. About this episode: In this episode, we're talking about three common roadblocks that stand in the way of our element of sympathetic joy (and joy in general). These three obstacles trick us into feeling like we're always the victim, there's never enough (time, money, relationships, jobs... everything), and that we are lacking or flawed in some way. These obstacles are sneaky, but when you start to notice them, they can be tamed and overcome. Tune in for some strategies and encouragement to overcome these obstacles and to make more space for joy.   The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.   Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).   Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app: Spotify | Apple | YouTube Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information.   If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org Key Takeaways: The fallacy of fairness keeps us stuck in resentment, jealousy, and in a victim role. It's a sneaky and really common obstacle that can really hold us back. This fallacy also keeps us from actually seeing what is objectively unfair... which means we fight every single battle with the belief that everything we don't like is unfair, we are always the victim, and we have no power in making a change. That's an exhausting and defeating place to be. That leaves us no energy for much else, including working to change systems or sound the alarm when something is objectively unfair.  The fallacy of scarcity tricks us into thinking that we never have enough. This keeps us on this ever-racing-track of wanting more and more and never settling into a feeling of contentment or ease. And that last obstacle we're talking about in this episode keeps us locked into this feeling that we are flawed or lacking in some way. This is false. You are not flawed, broken, or lacking some essential quality. At Joy Lab, we work on building the elements in our lives that help us step into our most authentic, joyful, and perfect-for-us selves.  Interoception is a powerful skill that we can use to navigate these obstacles and regulate our emotions toward something that nourishes us more.   Links Mentioned: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (personal website)