Episode 69 — Treating Mental Health Equivalent to Physical Health — with Jay Shifman

The number of people who don’t get the treatment they need, who are pushed aside, and the amount of suicide calls that happen daily, all because of the lack of conversations going on around mental health, substance abuse and recovery, is far too many. Just because mental health is less visible pain than physical health, doesn’t make it any less important. This is YOUR health we’re talking about.Jay Shifman, mental health advocate, holds an intense story with over a decade of substance misuse, in effort to help his mental health issues growing up. The misuse got to the point where he was consuming what's considered the lethal dosage, every single day, even under the consent of his therapist. This caused his mental health to become worse and worse, and it wasn’t until Jay attempted to take his own life, when people started to take it seriously. From his own personal experience, Jay now strongly believes and encourages people that they deserve to reach out and have access to mental health resources, allowing themselves to live a fulfilled life. On this episode of Success is Subjective, Jay joins Joanna to share his journey from barely being able to function and surviving the impossible, to getting straight A’s for the first time in his life and getting certified in psychiatry and coaching. His captivating story is a powerful example that mental health holds just as much importance as physical health, to the extent where it also deserves that second, third, fourth, fifth opinion when it comes to diagnoses, etc. Listen in for insight on how Jay has now managed to reach over 19 million Americans who also struggle with addiction and works to change the way the world treats addiction, substance misuse, mental health, and recovery. What You Will LearnJay’s experience growing up in a Jewish communityThe expectations Jay’s family had of him and his brothersWhen Jay was diagnosed with ADHDThe ‘perfect storm’ that happened in Jay’s life after the diagnosisWhen Jay was then diagnosed with Bipolar disorder Failing out of school for the first timeThe amount of medication Jay’s therapist was approving him to take every dayJay’s story with attempting suicide twiceBecoming sober after a decade on medsHow long it took Jay to physically and mentally recoverWhen Jay went back to school and graduated The first opportunity Jay had to speak on his story of addiction and recoveryWhat pushed Jay to make speaking his full time gig instead of just a side gigThe journey of Choose Your StruggleThe importance of getting a second opinion with anything regarding your healthConnect with Jay ShifmanJay Shifman Choose Your Struggle PodcastJay Shifman On InstagramJay Shifman On LinkedInJay Shifman On FacebookJay Shifman On Tik TokEmail [email protected] Connect with Joanna Lilley  Lilley ConsultingLilley Consulting on Instagram Lilley Consulting on Facebook Sponsored by: www.ParentTrainers.comEmail [email protected]