Omicron, Depression, Imposter Syndrome, Benzos, Insomnia (w/Dr. Rachel Zoffness)

Episode 2 of our Pain Points series with the OTHER Dr. Z!

In this episode we dive deep into what "mild" Omicron infection means, why depression is biopsychosocial ALWAYS, how to manage imposter syndrome & insomnia, and why benzodiazepine medications are often a disaster.

Video, transcript and more: https://zdoggmd.com/pain-points-2/

See all our episodes with Dr. Rachel Z here. Grab her outstanding Pain Management Workbook here. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Topics & Timecodes:

00:00 Intro

03:51 Rachel got the Big O (Omicron) & post-infection immunity

08:31 Why a mild case still sucks, the anxiety contagion, public health communication

14:20 Placebo vs nocebo, why words make a difference in suffering

22:25 Long COVID vs long tail symptoms, cognitive distortions

27:15 "Bug chasing" & why it's a bad idea

31:07 Depression, reductionism & the biomedical model of health

38:15 The psych bubble, role of thoughts, emotions & coping behaviors

48:27 The social bubble, role of relationships, isolation, & other factors

51:47 Depression's complex nature & treatment tools

58:14 What is imposter syndrome & why it's so common

1:05:20 4 steps to overcoming imposter syndrome

1:16:31 The dark side of benzodiazepines & why they're not a magic cure

1:20:01 Alcohol, THC, medications & insomnia

1:28:09 Sunlight, stimulants & what to do if you can't sleep

1:38:42 Napping, melatonin & treatment of underlying factors

1:41:28 Final thoughts, submitting your questions for future episodes

Video archive, audio podcast, music parodies, Supporter Tribe membership, merch, social media, and email: https://lnk.bio/zdoggmd

Support us with a 1-time donation and get a personal email thank you from me: paypal.me/zdoggmd

More about Dr. Z: zdoggmd.com/about-z

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices