Inside Mental Health

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales begin a 3-part series about the Palo Alto suicides and some of the things that came about after and, at least partially, as a result of them. The guests on this episode are Sammy Kotmel and her mother, Maja Nelson. Sammy was one of the teens who attempted suicide. She and her mother speak openly of the events leading up to her attempt, her involuntary commitment to a psychiatric hospital, and the treatment and recovery that followed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales look at the subject of suicide and the many myths and misconceptions that surround it. A few of the missives addressed are: suicide barriers on bridges are ineffective, since the person will just find another method to take his or her life; suicide is a selfish act; if a person talks about suicide, he or she won’t actually attempt it; and several more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mental health expert Julie Fast, bestselling author of multiple books, discusses her personal journey with bipolar disorder, the impact of bike accidents on mental health, and her role as a consultant on a TV show featuring a character with bipolar disorder. She also explores the misunderstood disorder of OCD and the importance of specialized treatment.

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss depression and why so many people don’t understand this insidious disease. They speak of their own versions of depression (bipolar depression and persistent depressive disorder) and why terminology matters. Despite hundreds of millions of people worldwide suffering from depression, the average person still thinks of depression as nothing more than “sadness.” Listen and find out why this is exceedingly inadequate to explain depression.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales have a candid discussion about narcissists with Ramani Durvasula, PhD. In this information-packed interview, she gives the harsh truth about narcissists, including addressing the questions: What’s the difference between narcissism and self-confidence? Can women be narcissists? Are there more narcissists today than in the past? What happens when two narcissists are in a relationship? and, of course, Why does the narcissist always get the girl? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you friends with an ex? Is your wife friends with an ex? What if your wife was friends with your ex? How would that work out? Is it even possible? In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales share the microphone with two special guests: Gabe’s wife, Kendall, and Gabe’s ex-wife, Lisa. The unlikely trio discusses the surprising amount of criticism they receive for getting along. Have societal expectations and criticism changed the way you wanted to end a relationship? Then listen as Gabe, Lisa, and Kendall offer an alternative ending to what is often an unhappy story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss the pros and cons of disclosure with regard to mental illness. Should you “come out” as mentally ill?  And if so, to whom? These are questions everyone living with a metal illness has to answer eventually.  There are benefits to being completely honest about your medical history (e.g., not having to hide, helping the overarching cause), but it can also be detrimental to your career and damage your personal relationships.  Whether you are still under a coat in the back of the closet, or hosting a podcast about mental illness, revealing your illness (or not) is a minefield. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales speak with Sarah Schuster, mental health editor for The Mighty, Psych Central's partner and story-based health community focused on improving the lives of people facing disease, disorder, and disability. The Mighty publishes real stories about real people facing real challenges. Sarah graduated with a journalism degree from Syracuse University, and currently lives in Los Angeles. You can find her on Twitter @saraheliztweets.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss the perception that mental health is fundamentally different from physical health. They discuss the lack of biochemical “markers” that can identify physical illnesses and whether we will ever have a simple lab test to diagnose depression, for example. They discuss how physical illness can affect mental health (and vice versa), and ultimately agree that the difference comes down to just one thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome mental health researcher and Psych Central Founder, Dr. John Grohol, to discuss the newly passed 21st Century Cures Act. In addition to other bills, the Act integrated parts of what was previously known as The Murphy Bill or Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act.  There has been a lot of talk in the mental health community about how, exactly, the news laws will help people living with mental illness.    Listen as Dr. Grohol explains what impact this law will have on treating mental illness in America. He also explains, in layman’s terms, the details of the new law and offers his expert analysis of how the new laws will affect HIPAA regulations, assisted outpatient treatment, research, and SAMHSA.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices