10% Happier with Dan Harris The Dharma of Anxiety and Depression | Leslie Booker
12 snips
Nov 21, 2025 
In a candid discussion, meditation teacher Leslie Booker opens up about her lifelong battles with depression and ADHD, sharing how mindfulness and community support have been game-changers. They explore the impact of childhood anxiety and the lessons learned from accepting help. Leslie also reflects on her traumatic brain injury's effect on her mental health and the societal pressures of perfectionism, particularly as a Black queer woman. Their honest talk offers hope, humor, and practical strategies for self-care and managing anxiety.
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Early Depression And First Panic Attack
- Dan traces his first depression to childhood fears about nuclear war after watching The Day After and being part of a Harvard study on fearful kids.
- He also describes his first panic attack at 14 and says these struggles recur during major life transitions.
Consider Medication As A Legitimate Tool
- Dan endorses medication as a valid tool and shares that he used meds after a public panic attack and is currently tapering off with tiredness as a withdrawal effect.
- He frames medication as complementary to other practices, not a replacement.
Lifelong Depression, ADHD, And TBI
- Leslie recounts lifelong depression starting around puberty, masking it with partying, and an early ADHD diagnosis in college.
- A 2020 traumatic brain injury worsened symptoms and led to current stimulant and antidepressant treatment.
