Episodes
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Mental Health in Literature 6
The following book reviews contain a mental health study on personality disorder. The first is mummy’s boy Norman; seconds out, round two is a private gentleman's club activity swirling out of control; after all, men will be men. We begin by exploring Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, the…
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Mental Health in Literature 5.
To Kill a Mockingbird, a 1960 novel by Harper Lee, is an iconic masterpiece set in the 1930s Deep South that confronts American society's deep-seated prejudices and injustices. Positioned in the racially divided town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression, the story follows Scout Finch…
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Understanding the Dichotomy of Control: A Stoic’s Guide to Serenity
Have you ever found yourself at the mercy of a situation, feeling like a leaf tossed in the wind? This is where the dichotomy of control steps in, offering a lifeline to clarity and calm in the chaos of life. It's a simple yet profound principle that can revolutionise how we handle our daily...
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Mental Health In Literature, Part 4
Today's articles look at the darker side of love with abuse that requires reflection and consideration for the reader to contemplate. The 1955 novel Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov, a Russian-American novelist, handles the controversial subject of hebephilia, a profoundly unsettling and controversial...
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Mental Health In Literature, Part 3
Our previous session discussed how literature and the media manipulated public opinion and shaped people’s beliefs and behaviours. Today, we have a closer look at Fake News. The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Spectrum and a book reflecting the counterculture movement and challenges the traditional...
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Obsessive Love
Obsessive love can be described as an intense and overwhelming feeling of love towards someone, which can lead to controlling behaviour and possessiveness. It often involves an unhealthy attachment to the other person and can have negative consequences for both the lover and the loved one....
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Mental Health In Literature, Part 2:
The previous article briefly discussed how the power of literature was a deadly weapon through newspapers, radio, and other media outlets, used in antisemitic propaganda by Adolf Hitler to dehumanise and vilify his enemies, primarily the Jews he called parasites. But for additional groups such as...
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Literature in the field of mental health?
I proposed that books allow the individual to learn from their reading experiences and bibliotherapy to be the focus of therapy and self-reflection. Photography was suggested as a tool for conveying emotion and channels for self-expression. Then, like a vision, I observed a review by Andrew...
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Loneliness can have a significant impact on both your physical and mental health.
Although health professionals often use the term mental health, physicians recognise that many psychological disorders have physical roots. And this is why loneliness can significantly affect both your physical and mental health. In today’s fast-paced and connected world, it may seem...
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The World of Literature on Mental Health: Part One.
Our previous article briefly looked into the World of literature on mental health. We considered the early inclusion of mental health literature available to our young minds by viewing Christopher Robin’s friends and his mental state of mind. Leaving the door open for discussion concerning his...
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Bibliotherapy: A Book Club With A Difference
What is Bibliotherapy? Bibliotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses literature to support mental health and wellbeing. It involves using books, poems, and other written materials to help individuals understand and cope with their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. Bibliotherapy can be used…
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Introduction to mental health in literature
Mental health is an important and often misunderstood topic affecting millions worldwide. Raising awareness and promoting understanding of mental health issues is crucial to creating a more inclusive and supportive society. In recent years, literature has emerged as a powerful tool for exploring...
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The Impact Of Intrusive Thoughts On Your Mental Health
The continuous presence of intrusive thoughts can create a constant sense of unease and fear. They have the power to make you question your own morality and sanity. The toll they take on you is not only mental but physical as well. The exhaustion caused by these persistent thoughts can affect…
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Is there a misunderstanding about anxiety in teenage girls?
Is there a misunderstanding about anxiety in teenage girls? Anxiety is a common emotion experienced by people of all ages, but have we misunderstood its impact on teenage girls? In today's fast-paced, high-pressure world, it is essential to understand the unique challenges that young girls face....
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Are We The Victims Of Our Genes
Why do you struggle to resist a sugary snack or struggle with anxiety? The answer lies in our genes. Our genetic makeup plays an important role in shaping who we are and how we behave. Could it be possible that our genes are responsible for our circumstances? Genes are the segments of DNA that...
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Maintain a healthy mind.
A healthy mind is essential for overall well-being. It enables us to cope with the challenges of everyday life and maintain a positive outlook. But what does it mean to have a healthy mind? It goes beyond just being free from mental illness; it encompasses having good mental health and emotional...
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Paranoid Schizophrenia: Learning and Managing this Condition
Paranoid Schizophrenia: Learning and Managing this Condition Paranoid schizophrenia is a complex and often debilitating mental illness that affects approximately 0.5% of the population. Portrayed by a combination of hallucinations, delusions, and disorganised thinking, it can drastically impact a...
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Understanding Agnosia: Exploring the Complexities of Perception Impairment
In the world of neuroscience and psychology, there are intriguing conditions that challenge our fundamental understanding of perception. One such condition is agnosia, which disrupts somebody’s ability to recognise or interpret sensory information. Agnosia usually affects only a single…
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Unlocking the Enigma: Understanding Alexithymia and its Impact on Emotional Well-being.
In our quest to unravel the complex workings of the human mind, we often encounter enigmatic conditions that confound our understanding. One such condition is Alexithymia, also known as (AKA) emotional blindness. This fascinating yet little-known phenomenon profoundly affects one’s emotional...
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A Comprehensive Guide To Mind-Wandering
A Comprehensive Guide To Mind-Wandering Do you often find yourself lost in your thoughts, utterly detached from the present moment? If so, you’re not alone. This phenomenon is known as mind-wandering, a common occurrence for many people. Here’s an article explaining everything you need to know...
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Procrastination And Getting Things Done
Procrastination And Getting Things Done Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or activities that need to be done. It is the tendency to put off important or demanding tasks in favour of more pleasurable or easier ones. It is a common trait many people struggle with, and...
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Gaslighting in Relationships: How to Heal and Move Forward
Gaslighting in Relationships: How to Heal and Move Forward. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse in which an individual manipulates another person to doubt their own perceptions, feelings and thoughts, ultimately leading them to question their sanity and sense of reality. Do you ever find...
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Echoism vs Narcissism: What’s the Difference?
Echoism vs Narcissism: What’s the Difference? Have you heard of Echoism? It’s a term that describes individuals who tend to repeat what others say to avoid conflict or assert their own opinions. In a world where narcissism often dominates our social media feeds, a lesser-known term offers a...
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Hypertension on the Couch
Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is often called the “silent killer” because it can go unnoticed until it causes severe health problems. In fact, hypertension affects over 1 billion people worldwide and is responsible for an estimated 7.5 million deaths annually. Understanding...
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When Mental Health Neglects Physical Health: The Risks Involved and Here’s why
When Mental Health Neglects Physical Health: The Risks Involved, And Here’s Why? A new study by a King’s College London team confirms an association between psychological and physical health. People with mental illness age faster and die younger compared to their peers. The potential impact of...
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Hypochondria and Mental Health: The Link Between Anxiety and Illness
Have you ever experienced anxiety about your health, even when there’s no medical reason to do so? Perhaps you worry about having a severe illness, despite your doctor reassuring you that you’re healthy. This anxiety could be a sign of illness anxiety disorder. Illness anxiety disorder (IAD),...
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How to Make the Most of good stress and Manage the Bad
How to Make the Most of good stress and Manage the Bad by Marissa Downes Stress, or more accurately distress, occurs when the demands on a person exceed their abilities, skills, or coping strategies. “Stress is a response to a threat in any situation and is the body’s way of protecting you,” says...
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My rugby injuries made me suicidal – psychedelic drugs saved me
Lying on a mat around a fire in the Costa Rican jungle, I was too terrified to speak. I had just taken iboga, a psychedelic plant medicine native to Central Africa, in a desperate attempt to avoid taking my own life. It was 2015, two years after I had retired from international rugby, where I was…
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Do I have Misophonia?
Do I have Misophonia? Have you ever felt a strong adverse reaction to sounds that most people find insignificant, such as someone eating or tapping their feet, becoming unbearable? If so, you may be experiencing misophonia, a relatively unknown auditory disorder that affects a small percentage of...
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I took magic mushrooms to relieve the stress of motherhood
I took magic mushrooms to relieve the stress of motherhood. Do you know that saying about the Sixties? If you remember them, you weren’t there? My parents remember the Isle of Wight Festival in 1969, where Bob Dylan headlined. They popped by out of curiosity and left at 8 pm. My folks were — and...
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Why Do I Feel More Anxious at Night?
Why Do I Feel More Anxious at Night? The quiet hours can bring a lot of internal chatter, and here’s how to deal with it. Whenever you try to fall asleep at night, many anxious thoughts and embarrassing memories come racing into your mind, preventing you from drifting off. Why does this happen…
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The truth about PTSD, its causes and cures
The torrent of personal revelations that has poured from Prince Harry of late has been met with a range of reactions, from sympathy through to fury. But quite why he has pressed the nuclear button and blown up all before him, in such a public, uncompromising fashion, has remained a puzzle to…
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Developmental disability
You will learn more about what developmental disabilities are, the associated risk factors, and different interventions that can help individuals with developmental disabilities reach their goals. Developmental disability Developmental disability is a term used to describe physical or mental...
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Everyone seems to be on psychedelics except me
Everyone seems to be on psychedelics except me. People will go to the unlikeliest of places to sort their heads out, be it the internet, the rainforests of the Amazon, or even suburbia in London, UK. Like noticing the first grey hairs, I suppose there comes a time in midlife when many of us…
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Aphasia.
Aphasia. Aphasia is a communication disorder that results from damage or injury to the language parts of the brain. It's usually caused by a stroke but can also be caused by other brain injuries, such as a tumour or head injury. People with aphasia may have difficulty understanding spoken and...
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Romantic Chemistry
We’re all looking for that elusive, ‘spark’ – but what really ignites a long-lasting relationship? There is good news, Science is closing in on the answers. For centuries, our romantic fates were thought to be written in the stars. Wealthy families would even pay fortunes to have a matchmaker...
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Micro-dosing psychedelics, and mental health
Micro-dosing psychedelics and mental health. Continuing with the psychedelic theme, and the potential benefits to mental health have been covered in a previous article and podcast. The key issues were the potential therapeutic benefits of using these compounds. After all, there was a 40-year…
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Optimal Gut Health
Have you ever wondered what the secret to overall good health is? Turns out, it all starts with your gut. The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of hundreds to thousands of microbial species living within the body. These populations affect our health, fertility, and even our longevity. There is...
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Psychedelics on the Couch
The term “psychedelic” is derived from the Ancient Greek words “psyche” (meaning “mind”) and “delos” (which means “to manifest”). The British-born Canadian psychiatrist Humphry Osmond coined it in a letter to author Aldous Huxley in 1956. Psychotropic medication definition. Is any drug prescribed...
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Your anxiety may be physical
Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life, but you are not alone if you have experienced a mental health challenge over the past few years. We were already in an epidemic of anxiety before the pandemic, and those rates have continued to climb. The international prevalence of…
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Melatonin, on the couch
A previous podcast discussed how jet-lag medication was used to treat young people for sleep problems. A dietary supplement containing melatonin was readily available in health shops throughout the United Kingdom until it was banned. In some cases, melatonin supplements may also contain…
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Helping your child sleep better.
Helping your child sleep better. The number of children being prescribed the previous jet lag hormone melatonin to help their child sleep has nearly tripled in the past seven years. Melatonin is indeed not a sleep hormone but a biological marker of darkness.” For example, in humans and other...
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Let's talk about your inner monologue
Building upon a previous podcast on self-talk because many of us, when we read something, you hear a little voice in our head. Most of us would refer to this as an inner monologue. Just in case you didn’t know, many individuals don’t have one. Individuals often make assumptions about someone’s...
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Therapy on a budget for generation Z
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2020, young adults aged 18 to 24 had the highest prevalence of mental health issues. Though mental health issues are common among Gen Z, individuals born between 1995 and 2010 — are growing up in an age of increased stress and anxiety....
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I’m certainly SAD, how about you?
As the Christmas holiday is approaching, many consider it a magical and charming time for adults and children alike. However, it’s the least wonderful time of the year for sunlight. Winter blues or seasonal affective disorder? As many as one in five Americans report “winter blues” beginning…
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Positive Self Talk
Positive Self Talk Self-talk: How often do you hear that little voice in your head tell you that you aren’t good enough? Negative self-talk can hinder your progress in life and hold you back from fulfilling your dreams. There are ways to turn your inner voice into a positive one. Follow the ten...
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Overcome Obstacles by Removing Self-Doubt
Overcome Obstacles by Removing Self-Doubt People doubt themselves and their abilities. When it becomes a chronic situation, it can hold people back from getting what they want. Confidence will break through the barriers caused by obstacles. You need to recognize when an obstacle is holding you...
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Six Beneficial Ways to Deal with Critical Individuals
Six Beneficial Ways to Deal with Critical People Constructive criticism is fine, but some people are so relentlessly negative that they can suck the joy out of life. No matter what happy news you might have, they are guaranteed to find the cloud to fit your silver lining. Here are 6 strategies…
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Big five personality traits: Who are you?
An individual’s personality traits define how they perceive the world around them. It is a set of characteristics and features that cause them to think, feel, and behave in a particular way. Personality traits are characteristic of enduring behavioural and emotional patterns rather than isolated...
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Doom and Gloom Thinking
Doom and Gloom Thinking Expecting the worst to happen in any situation can harm your mental health. How do we stop this unhealthy thinking Imagine you’ve applied for a dream appointment and have now been nominated for the second round of interviews. Do you celebrate your progress and start...