3. MIND - Personal Stories

Tina from Kyrgyzstan, a psychology graduate, shares her views on spirituality and how it shapes her mindset. She defines spirituality as a lifelong path of building inner strength. We also explore what spirituality means to different people and how it can differ from religion. For Tina, mindset is a set of values that she lives by, and these values are influenced by her life experience. We go on to discuss her core values, such as non-judgement, empathy, and friendship.The podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful

In this episode, Benedikt tells us how his life changed as a result of long COVID. From being an active person with a busy social life who played sports and studied, he experienced fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), headaches, and sleep deprivation as a result of the chronic illness. We discuss the complexity of long COVID, the initial lack of knowledge about it in the medical field, and the current level of research on this chronic illness. Benedikt mentions the pros and cons of different therapeutic approaches he underwent. Long COVID had an impact not only on his physical and mental health but also on the social aspect of his life. Finally, we also discuss the misconceptions and stigma surrounding this invisible illness.The podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful

This episode talks about the stigma related to the use of antidepressants for depression. Our guest, Novela, a young person suffering from depression, describes stigma as a negative view of something that is untrue and harmful because it spreads misinformation and causes discrimination. Stigma about mental health often prevents people from seeking help. The examples of stigma mentioned in the episode include the toxicity of antidepressants, the idea that taking antidepressants is shameful or an easy way out, and the belief that medication changes your character and makes you emotionless, etc. We also talk about other strategies for managing depression and ways of breaking misconceptions about mental health. Trigger warning: suicideThe podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful

Adél and Novela, both in their twenties, share their stories and experiences with anxiety. One of the guests was recently diagnosed with anxiety, while the other has been struggling with it since the age of 10. They explain how school stress, family situations, and a lack of a sense of safety can lead to a panic attack. We learn about some of the psychosomatic symptoms of anxiety, how our guests realised they had a problem, and how they asked for help. Our speakers share their positive and negative experiences with psychologists, from not feeling understood at all to learning different strategies for coping with anxiety.The podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful

Sorour from Iran and Sofiya and Dariia from Ukraine share their personal stories of moving to another country, starting their lives from scratch in a new culture, and facing different challenges connected to adapting to a new environment. Three young women discuss the difficulties they experienced even before moving abroad, the administrative obstacles, and being rejected from the job market, all of which cut their wings and prevented them from making their dreams come true. We talk about the process of adaptation, the feeling of belonging, and learning from a new culture. Three completely different stories and motivations for moving abroad, but all connected by incredible strength and resilience.The podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful

Our guest, Jasmina, defines a toxic relationship as a space where one person abuses or manipulates another person for their own pleasure or ego. Such relationships can happen in families, between friends, with romantic partners, or even at work. Jasmina tells the story of how her best friend slowly changes their behaviour towards her, becoming manipulative, controlling, overly critical, and unsupportive, which in turn leads to a breakup after 10 years. We learn about some red flags that can give away a toxic friendship. It is a story of growing up, understanding and enforcing one’s personal boundaries, and leaving dysfunctional relationships behind.The podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful

The episode explores the story of Federica, 36, who discovered at the age of 35 that she had malignant breast cancer. Federica shares what it felt like to be “too young to be there,” undergo surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and have menopause induced. We learn how the life-threatening disease influenced not only her physical but also her mental health, and how Federica managed during her darkest moments thanks to her support system (medical professionals, boyfriend, friends, and online community) and her sense of humour. Our guest shares her initial concerns about psychiatric therapy and emphasises the positive impact of psychiatric support and psychotherapy on her well-being. We also touch on the topics of stereotypes about cancer patients and taboos surrounding cancer.Trigger warning: suicideThe podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful

Our guest, Rossana from Italy, shares her personal story of living with severe depression. Her condition started when she was a teenager and went undiagnosed until well into her thirties, when the symptoms worsened and led to several suicide attempts. We talk about psychotherapy and antidepressants, reaching rock bottom, and finding a new sense of meaning and purpose in life. Rossana emphasises the importance of asking for help in order to recover, regain the will to live, and experience different things. We also touch on the topic of social media and influencers promoting questionable mental health content for their own benefit.Trigger warning: suicideThe podcast is a part of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic partnership project. The official website of the project can be found here: https://eycb.eu/mind/Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.The jingle of this podcast is based on "Graceful" by Yigit Atilla, released in Creative Commons under CC BY-ND license. Download the original track at https://www.jamendo.com/track/1940942/graceful