The Value of Openness by PatientsLikeMe ®

Podcasts are an easy (and usually free) way to stay on top of what’s new across a wide variety of topics — they’re kind of like internet radio on demand, and usually broken up into episodes that you can download on your computer, device or phone.

Below, we rounded up 9 podcasts focused on mental health that are worth checking out. While podcasts can act as complements to your mental health care plan, they’re not intended to be a substitute for therapy or medication.

 

Mental Illness Happy Hour

 

The New York Times described this podcast as a “a safe place in which he [the host] and his guests talk about their fears, addictions and traumatic childhoods.” This is a weekly podcast that features interviews with people from all walks of life and explores mental illness, trauma, addiction and negative thinking.

 

The Psych Central Show

 

This weekly podcast takes an in-depth look at topics related to psychology and mental health. Hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss everything from online counseling and the toll of texting to dealing with narcissistic coworkers and more.

 

The Hilarious World of Depression

 

This podcast aims to tackle the topic of depression with humor. Hosted by veteran radio host John Moe, the show features a variety of guests, like author John Green and comedian Russell Brand, who discuss their experience dealing with depression — while adding in a few laughs.

 

Anxiety Slayer

 

This anxiety-relief podcast has been downloaded more than 4 million times. It features anxiety release exercises and actionable tools to help listeners “slay” their anxiety. Along with anxiety relief tips, co-hosts Shann Vander Leek and Ananga Sivyer also discuss topics like unwelcome thoughts, life-altering transitions, triggers and more.

 

The Anxiety Guy

 

Hosted by former professional tennis player Dennis Simsek, this podcast discusses life with stress and anxiety. Simsek, who’s had first-hand experience living with anxiety, shares what he’s learned and offers various options that listeners can explore to help manage their mental health.

 

Mentally Yours

 

Co-hosts Ellen Scott and Yvette Caster explore some of the weird thoughts we have by chatting to a mystery guest each week. They cover a range of topics across a variety of mental health conditions, and their candid discussions make for interesting listening.

 

The Struggle Bus

 

“The Struggle Bus is an advice show about mental health, self-care, and just getting through the damn day.” Co-hosts Katherine Heller and Sally Tamarkin answer listener-submitted questions about friends, family, work, mental health, love and just about everything in between.

 

The One You Feed

 

This podcast is hosted by two friends who say their show is “about how other people keep themselves moving in the right direction – how they feed their good wolf.” On the show, they cover topics like the effects of consumer culture, self-criticism and addiction.

 

The Dark Place

 

Host Joel Kutz describes his podcast as a “shame-free space where people talk about their struggles, difficult memories and what it’s like to live with mental illness.” Guests, sometimes listeners, share their experiences with mental illness and what they do to manage.

Have you listened to any podcasts that we missed here? Share your favorites in the comments.

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Offering words of encouragement. Sharing advice. Just being there to listen. Over the years, we’ve seen countless examples of members supporting each other (did you know there’s more than a 100K posts that mention the word “thank you”?). Check out some of the ways members are stepping up and lending a hand.

Life-changing advice: Get a second opinion

PatientsLikeMe member Theresa (Pipersun) was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in June 2017. While the diagnosis was correct, her doctors did not believe her condition was as advanced as she suspected. After sharing her concerns in the forum, fellow IPF members stepped in and recommended getting a second opinion. Here’s what happened:

“My pulmonologist was terrible,” she says. “He would not prescribe me oxygen, and would not sign a referral for pulmonary rehabilitation, stating it would do me no good, that if I had COPD he would. We talked about my life expectancy and lung transplant. He thought I had about 5 years, and I stated then how come I feel I am going to die in 3-5 months. But his attitude kick started my drive to find out as much as I could about organ donation regions, stats, etc.”

When her doctor denied an oxygen prescription, Theresa’s fellow members with IPF urged her to seek another opinion. This turned out to be a life-changing, and life-saving decision.

“I decided to get a second and third opinion,” she says. Consultations with two specialist groups in August – and her rapidly declining condition (which landed her on life support in September) – resulted in her receiving a lung transplant.

Making hard decisions

Member Jandaily, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2015, was struggling with her decision about whether or not to get a feeding tube. Worried about being a burden to her husband, she reached out to the ALS community for advice. Her fellow members helped her look at the decision in a new way by sharing their support, advice and personal experience.

Easing fears and finding hope

When member velcro47, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 8 years ago, his doctor told him he would die of old age before dying from his condition. But he started hearing on the news about people dying from Parkinson’s. Confused and worried about what his future could look like, he headed to the forum for answers.

Within hours, a fellow member who’s been living with Parkinson’s for more than 40 years replied with some comforting words from her own experience.

Sharing a helpful guide to coping

Member shumburd, who is living with bipolar, recently shared 5 strategies that help her cope with her symptoms in the mental health forum. One way she “fakes it ’til she makes it” is writing it down:

She hopes that by sharing her 5 tips, she can help others navigate the debilitating mental chaos that can come with an episode. Check out the other strategies here.

Who’s helped you during a tough time? Are you a PatientsLikeMe member? Share about it and say thank you by tagging them in your newsfeed.

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