There often doesn’t seem to be any good reason for us to suffer from anxiety or depression. Sometimes the causes lie in some deep-rooted ailment or a physiological condition. It could be something that we are born with, or something that slowly and subtly develops over time. Carol Conant seemed to be leading a life of fulfillment. She had all the things for which she had strived—in her career she successfully followed her calling as an educator; she had a wonderful marriage and family; and she lived in a setting of natural splendor in Seward Alaska. If you asked her, she would probably tell that there was nothing else she could ask for. But she was unhappy…profoundly unhappy. In today’s episode we will explore Carol’s journey from clinical depression and anxiety to finding Transcendental Meditation as a way to cut through the noise and find her priorities, and in so doing lead an authentic life. 

Today The Soul of Life is a crash course on medicine for the mind with Dr. Joel Bernanke, a Columbia and Cornell-trained psychiatrist. We cover the power, potential and pitfalls of psychopharmacology and its alternatives.

The Mind is Your Body

We try to alleviate some of the common fears of talking to a psychiatrist and expose misconceptions that stop people from treating their mind like any other part of their body. We focus especially on treatment for depression, anxiety, and one of Dr. Bernanke’s research areas—ADHD.

Recently, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published results from a survey that found prevalence of depression symptoms in the U.S. increased more than 3-fold during the COVID-19 pandemic, from around 8% of the population before COVID-19 to about 28% during COVID-19.

We discuss lifestyle changes proven to prevent or reduce anxiety and depression, and men (like me!) that avoid asking for help with emotional health.

Topics we cover:

• Misconceptions about how medicines for the mind work 
• The “pill-pushing” psychiatrist
• Can genetic testing improve psychiatric outcomes?
• What role does marijuana play in causing or treating depression?
• Safety of pediatric psychiatry including ADHD treatment
• Could “California rocket fuel” help treat depression?

Need Crisis Help?

** If you or someone you know are experiencing thoughts of self-harm please call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 ** 

Additional Mental Health Resources:

suicidepreventionlifeline.org

samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulOfLifeShow​ or Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoulofLifeShow​

Want to book Keith as a guest on your podcast? Contact him at keith@souloflifeshow.com.

***7-Week Stress Reduction & Relationship Growth Course***

If you and your significant other are looking for ways to improve communication and strengthen your partnership, there is still time to enroll in my upcoming live 7-Week Mindfulness and IFS course, called Mindful Marriage.

Partners of any kind are welcome. It's a one-of-a-kind offering that can truly transform how you show up in intimacy. For more information visit: https://community.souloflifeshow.com/

Imagine eavesdropping on a mother and daughter’s most intimate, honest, and raw therapy session where they hash out the past and share family secrets in hopes of coming to a life-changing understanding. Also, imagine laughing at some truly wild and unbelievable stories. Imagine no further because this 50th Dear Family, podcast episode is all of that and more! 

Laurie Kallen Schwent is a creative and eccentric self-proclaimed comedian and empath, an artist who dabbles in watercolor and photography, a restaurant owner, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a loyal friend, and a dog lover. Laurie’s bipolar likely was triggered when she was fourteen and discovered her mother’s suicide from an overdose of pills and alcohol. Laurie was not diagnosed as bipolar until her late 60s because she ran from a mental illness label because she didn’t want to be like her parents, considering her father would end up taking his life as well. 

Laurie is a woman I’ve worried about my whole life for fear she’d follow in her parent’s footsteps. During the current pandemic, she ended up in a mental health unit after a severe bout of paranoia and anxiety. Laurie is a true survivor in every sense of the word. She’s here today to share her story with the intention of helping others to not feel the shame from mental illness and to rid the stigma that goes with it.

This is a story about generational trauma and mental illness running in your family for generations. This is a story about turning into your parents even when you want to be nothing like them. This is a story about how ridding shame and stigma and replacing it with love and compassion can save not just a mother-daughter relationship, but also a life.

SHOW NOTE LINKS:

Adam Kallen – Success Story Overcoming Addiction to Owning Hottest Motorcycle Apparel Brand & Hosting All-Men’s AA Meeting

Dan’s the Grub Shack Restaurant on Yelp

The Bipolar Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know by David Miklowitz

Suicide Prevention Hotline/Phone Number

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Thank you! Your support means the world to me. Wishing you love, happiness, and good mental health always.

Your prescription medications may be what your body needs to function properly and it could help you stay off whatever drug-of-choice brought you to treatment. But, oftentimes the prescriptions you've been given were needed to counteract the effects of your addiction. So, how do you know what you need and what you don't?

Join our online support group to help family and loved ones dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. RealRecoveryTalk.com/facebook

Mike Veny talks about some of his difficulties of living with clinical depression and how it has informed his work as a drummer/artist and as an advocate