My Morning Jacket's Jim James on Getting Sober and Becoming His Own Caretaker

Singer, songwriter, and frontperson of the Grammy-nominated rock band My Morning Jacket, Jim James, joins host Dr. Mike Friedman on Going There with Dr. Mike to explore the profound challenge of trusting oneself while living with depression. Dr. Mike welcomes Jim to discuss his lifelong journey with what he calls an "error in his programming," a deep sadness that has been with him since consciousness. The conversation centers on how this depression can sever the connection to our inner truth and lead to a desperate search for external validation. My Morning Jacket's self-titled album provides a resonant backdrop to the discussion, which delves into how we can learn to listen to our own "soul's voice" amidst the noise of the world and our own self-doubt.

The conversation delves into Jim’s candid experience with navigating his mental health, from using alcohol as an "eraser" to escape the pain of being himself, to the exhausting rollercoaster of seeking self-worth through fame. Jim openly shares the specifics of his healing journey, including the transformative power of therapies like EMDR and the profound insight of becoming a "caretaker" for himself. The episode explores the long road from self-loathing to self-love, the cathartic power of music as a "life raft," and the universal challenge of finding the courage to love the person we are, right now, in this lifetime.

Listen to Jim James of My Morning Jacket talk with Dr. Mike about depression, self-trust, addiction, and more. Then, make sure to follow Going There with Dr. Mike via your favorite podcast provider to hear all the new episodes from Season 6. You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.

Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.