Dr. Sarah Pospos: A Holistic Approach To Psychiatry, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, And Navigating The Stress Of Modern Life

Aug 19, 2022

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I welcome Dr. Sarah Pospos to the show to discuss her interesting career path in the world of psychiatry, specifically telepsychiatry.

Dr. Sarah is a devoted B.rad listener, and in this show, you’ll learn about her highly integrative approach to psychiatry—as you’ll hear, I had to push and prod her to even talk about prescription medication! She is a strong supporter of incorporating exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, time management and breathing exercises and yoga in order to handle the very common, prevailing mental health struggles that have escalated in recent years, especially in the age of quarantine and the accordant lifestyle disruptions (such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc). The immediate successful interventions that can concur with something like a simple breathing exercise or a quick workout will be great takeaways from this show; in fact she cites research that proves a single workout can alleviate the acute symptoms of anxiety! You’ll also hear about imposter syndrome: why it’s become so prevalent and how to combat it without becoming overly arrogant, egoistical, and narcissistic, and learn a lot about how to achieve balance in both your brain and in your life.

Dr. Sarah Pospos is a sports and perinatal psychiatrist and former student athlete. Her Masters in Psychopharmacology and Applied Psychology allow her to add even more insights on all things medication and human behavior—she has published quite a bit on work burnout, anxiety and depression at UCLA, UCSD, Harbor-UCLA and UCSB. Dr. Sarah is devoted to helping working professionals feel their best again, especially when dealing with anxiety, depression or other psychiatric challenges associated with work stress, intense workload, deadlines, no work-life balance and others. She incorporates exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, effective time management (especially as a full-time psychiatrist and new mom of 2 under 2), and other sustainable lifestyle changes.

TIMESTAMPS:

Dr. Pospos is a psychiatrist who believes exercise, nutrition, and sleep and such are preferable to medication for handling life’s struggles. [01:27]

How closely related are the more traditional treatments vs. the lifestyle focus. [09:26]

What are some of the challenges when people maybe are too depressed or anxious to adhere to the healthy lifestyle changes you are encouraging? [11:29]

What role does medication play in intervention? [14:01]

Does modern day psychiatric training include these important aspects like sleep, diet, exercise? [16:01]

Telepsychiatry is convenient for busy folks. There is no need to take commuting time away from work or errands. [18:12]

Dr. Pospos’s practice is out of network for insurance for many reasons. [20:45]

Research on burnout, anxiety, depression shows a strong connection with lifestyle changes such as yoga and meditation being implemented is beneficial. [24:23]

Anxiety relates back to our ancestors as a threat to survival. [29:16]

Is cold-water therapy a good treatment for anxiety? [32:47]

Exercise, art, and other activities can give you a sense of mastery, which, of course, helps with mental health. [35:13]

Where do medications fit in? Are they overused, over prescribed? [37:34]

There is such a continuum in diagnoses and labeling in this field. [43:29]

There is a big effect on our mental health with navigating the internet and mobile devices. [50:09]

Comparing yourself to others can lead to imposter syndrome. [52:16]

It is important, especially for kids, to try to implement the mindset in the process rather than outcomes. The emphasis needs to be on effort and personal improvement. [58:34]

How does Dr. Pospos keep her own life balanced in a healthy manner? [01:03:42]

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