When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. Stokkete/ShutterstockBetween pandemic fears, political unrest, social conflict, economic instability, and, you know, the basic stresses of everyday life, we have no shortage of reasons to feel mentally and emotionally overloaded this year.
Aside from the 51. 5 million Americans living with diagnosed mental illness conditions, 78 percent of adults state they’ve felt stressed over the past year, 61 percent reported feeling lonely, and 48 percent have felt down and hopeless, according to various surveys and studies conducted in 2020. What’s more, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they aren’t getting sufficient support for their mental health, according to an American Psychological Association survey.
In addition to the burden that puts on your daily wellbeing and relationships, this increase in negative mental states also significantly affect your physical health as well: Studies found that those who experience mental health issues for long periods of time are at greater risk of developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and inflammatory conditions like arthritis. Sure, there are plenty of avenues for someone to seek help. Therapy, journaling, and daily exercise can all help to lower stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.
But an oft-overlooked and simple aid come via listening to a podcast, whether you tune in on a long car ride, during a slow workday, or even just while you sit on the couch and decompress. How can podcasts help mental health?”In the busy world we live in, we can forget the basics of connecting with ourselves, other people, and the community,” chartered psychologist Dr. Juliet Anton, who has a doctorate degree in counseling psychology and psychotherapeutics from the University of Surrey, UK, told Insider.
Listening to podcasts, though, offers many ways to connect and, in turn, maintain or even improve our mental wellbeing. Tuning into any kind of episode is an opportunity to connect inward as you listen, and to focus on the words and form connections with more unfamiliar areas of the world. But listening to an episode that particularly hits home — be it about the struggles of depression, creative solutions for anxiety, reaching the end of your emotional rope at work — has the additional benefit of allowing you to associate with others as they relay experiences similar to your own.
And that can change your whole outlook:”Other people’s stories can be very important in understanding and maintaining our own mental health,” Dr. Anton said. “Listening and sharing experiences gives people the confidence that they don’t have to manage things on their own, and [that] there is a reason behind the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors they’re experiencing.
“But with over 1. 5 million podcasts offering more than 34 million individual episodes, it’s understandable if you’re unsure where to begin. To help, I listened to a host of podcasts dedicated to improving and maintaining good mental wellbeing and handpicked some of the best for your ears (and mind) to enjoy.
Here are 10 podcasts to support your mental health: The Happiness LabThe Happiness LabWe have a lot of conceptions around what makes us happy, from identifying with a certain social group to owning the newest and best. But, as psychologist and Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos, Ph.
D. , reveals in this podcast, many of the things we do in an attempt to increase our happiness are actually counterproductive. Following her uber-popular class ‘Psychology and the Good Life’ at Yale University, Dr.
Santos wanted to encourage an audience of more than just her students to consider what exactly happiness is. And she does a great job: Questions such as “Is happiness contagious?” and “Is positive thinking really beneficial?” are on-hand to inspire new trains of thought; while scientific insights reveal the behaviors and tactics that actually work to improve your happiness. Listen at The Happiness Lab website.
MentalMentalWe commonly think of mental health as revolving around anxiety, depression, and maybe even eating disorders. In reality, it involves much, much more: Factors such as identity, relationships, sex, empathy, and shame all play their part in our mental state. We as a society need to expand our outlook and award each of these factors equal consideration — which host Bobby Temps aims to inspire in this award-winning podcast.
In each episode, Temps and a guest delve into a different psychological health condition and the factors that influence it — including unexpected players such as the arts, sex, and gardening. Mental covers a spectrum of topics, and there’s an episode for everyone to identify with or relate to — whether from your own struggles or to better understand the battles your family or friends face. Listen at the Mental website.
The Hilarious World of DepressionThe Hilarious World of DepressionThey say laughter is the best medicine — and, if you’re grappling with depression, this podcast aims to be the tonic you need. Here, host John Moe jokes with entertainers and listeners about everything from awkward therapy sessions to preposterous film portrayals, but without ever mocking those with the condition. Not only does this podcast help serve as a reminder you’re not alone if the Black Dog looms large in your life, but also Moe and company offer accessible advice to help make dark days brighter.
I particularly found the episode titled “Your Amazing Therapeutic Jukebox” (dated 17 September 2018), in which listeners share songs that help boost their spirits, uplifting. Listen on Apple and Google. The Mental Health AllianceMental Health AllianceBetween the emotional rollercoasters of puberty, pressures of school, and venturing into the world of dating, your teenage years can really tax your mental state and push your boundaries of resilience.
But it is possible to navigate this time and come out the other side in one piece — as the five high school seniors who host The Mental Health Alliance aim to demonstrate. Each episode covers common issues like low confidence, external (and self) judgment, and uncertainty, as well as how to (realistically) tackle them and why it’s ok to feel exhausted by it all. Although still in their teens, the hosts seem, at points, wise beyond their years.
Whether you’re a teenager looking for moral support or an adult seeking true-to-life perspectives on challenges Gen Z is facing, this has you covered. Listen on Spotify. Therapy for Black GirlsTherapy for Black GirlsFrom workplace prejudice and intergenerational trauma to fertility and body image, mental health issues are just some of the many obstacles black women face.
And, with factors such as a lack of black therapists and cultural stigmas deterring many black women from seeking psychiatric help, the need for a warm ear or applicable advice is real. In this no-holds-barred podcast, host (and cultural darling) Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Ph.
D. , is joined by an array of expert psychologists and counselors to dive into some of the biggest issues challenging black women today. With her guests, Dr.
Bradford also imparts small steps to better wellbeing and normalize conversations about mental health, for black women and all people alike. Listen via the Therapy for Black Girls website. In The Barber ChairIn the Barber ChairFor most men, ‘feelings’ don’t rate too highly on the list of popular discussion topics.
But when it comes to mental health, reluctance to open up means they are less likely to seek professional help and be at greater risk of suicide. It’s time for change, and this podcast from the folks at Movember, an organization that works to raise awareness of key health issues in men, is on a mission to start essential conversations. Episodes feature guests in sports, TV, comedy, fashion and tech openly discussing issues they’ve personally faced, including suicide, cancer, PTSD, imposter syndrome, social media negativity, and career pressures.
Frank and candid accounts instill a sense of camaraderie between guest and listener and affirm that it’s okay — maybe even helpful! — for men to talk about their problems. Listen on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple. Sleep With MeSleep With MeYou know how grumpy you feel if you don’t get a good night’s sleep — but the real effects run much deeper than just feeling annoyed for a few hours.
In fact, research shows logging poor sleep regularly can lead to feelings of anger and irritability, but also higher incidence of anxiety and depression. If sleep often eludes you, this podcast could be your new best friend. Each episode, Drew Ackerman recounts an hour-long bedtime tale which becomes progressively more dull so the listener is — quite literally — bored to sleep.
It sounds too simple to be effective, but with episodes clocking over three million downloads each, they’re definitely doing something right. Read more: 21 products and apps we swear by to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up well-restedListen via the Sleep With Me website. MindfulMindfulMindfulness has become quite a trendy approach to stress relief, but this traditional practice is more than just a media-hyped fad: countless studies reveal it can improve overall life satisfaction, lower occurrences of depression and anxiety, and enhance our memory and attention span.
Whether you’re a newcomer or seasoned pro, this podcast has guided sessions starting at just four minutes in length — perfect if focusing isn’t your strong point. Thy are tailored to support in a variety of areas, like easing pain and loneliness and encouraging awareness and forgiveness. Bonus Q&A sessions delve into ways being mindful relates to wider social and cultural issues.
Listen at Acast. Thoughty AutiThoughty AutiAs the number of autism diagnoses rises rapidly, there’s a good chance you’ve had direct experience with the condition yourself or know someone who does. Yet, in spite of this, stereotypes and misinformation prevail.
For those with autism, things many of us don’t give second thought to can pose obstacles: maintaining friendships, reading social cues, spending time in crowded places. In this podcast, autistic YouTuber Thomas Henley and guests provide empathetic support to those facing autism-related challenges. Meanwhile, frank yet enlightening discussions set the record straight and offer guidance on how we can become more inclusive of individuals on the spectrum.
Whether you’re looking to hear that you’re not alone in your experiences or wanting to understand the mindset of a friend or family member better, Thoughty Auti is an egaging and informative listen. Listen on Spotify, Apple and Google. GriefcastGrief CastThere are four things we often feel uncomfortable talking about: politics, religion, sex and death.
Yet there’s no escaping them, and the latter in particular can wreak havoc on our mental health as we muddle through the emotional fallout of a loss. So what better approach to rouse discussion than by ditching the doom-and-gloom and taking a more genial stance?Led by Cariad Lloyd, this podcast does exactly that. Each episode sees a different comedian, writer, or broadcaster discuss a significant loss and how they rode the waves of sadness.
Some tales are hard-hitting at points, but laughter-filled anecdotes bring lightness to proceedings and, most importantly, help us reevaluate our own approaches to coping with grief. Listen on Acast. Read the original article on Insider.
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/best-mental-health-podcasts