Mayim Bialik's Breakdown

Kevin Sussman (actor, writer, comedian, The Big Bang Theory) discusses his anxiety surrounding performing and reveals his process for tricking his brain into redirecting anxious thoughts. Mayim and Kevin reminisce about their shared experiences on the set of The Big Bang Theory and examine the differences between Kevin and his character, "Stuart Bloom." Kevin shares the advice George Clooney and Gary Shandling gave to him about combating anxiety and the body mechanics of the Alexander Technique he uses to manage habitual physical tension. Mayim breaks down the physiological symptoms and evolutionary advantages of anxiety, the science and cultural aspects of crying, and ways to avoid the trap of rumination. They discuss the benefits and side effects of anxiety medication and natural coping methods, and Mayim ends the episode with advice for managing anxiety when trying to fall asleep in the latest installment of Ask Mayim Anything. BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jackson Galaxy (Host & Executive Producer of My Cat from Hell, animal advocate, cat behavior expert, author, musician) opens up about his struggles with social anxiety, substance abuse, and disordered eating. After an illuminating installment of "What Mayim Hears", Jackson discusses growing up wanting to be a rock star and how playing guitar and busking at an early age helped him combat anxiety. He details his use of food as a comfort tool and alcohol as a social lubricant before he discovered the benefits provided by the structure of rituals. Mayim and Jackson break down how misdiagnoses and ineffective prescriptions can lengthen one’s mental health journey, the biological instincts tied to social anxiety, and navigating society as an empath. They bond over their shared love for the energetic minefield that is New York City, disordered eating as a public person, desires to be terminally unique involutes, and of course, their love of cats.Jackson Galaxy's Website: https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/Jackson Galaxy's Books: https://shop.jacksongalaxy.com/collections/booksJackson Galaxy Cat Camp: https://www.catcamp.com/Jackson Galaxy Project: https://greatergood.org/jackson-galaxyBest Friends Animal Society: https://bestfriends.org/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Gary Small, Professor of Psychiatry, Biobehavioral Sciences & Aging and Director of the UCLA Longevity Center, breaks down the biological causes and symptoms of aging and its impact on mental wellness. He discusses the effects of neurodegenerative memory disorders on patients and caregivers, his personal experiences with Alzheimer’s, and the toll his work with the difficult aspects of cognitive transitions takes on him. Mayim and Dr. Small examine the negative effects of stress and isolation on the aging process and how technology has the potential to help or harm it before delving into the ways we can strengthen our brains through meditation, sleep, therapy, social connections, learning a language or instrument, and even certain foods. They unpack the roles of the elderly in our society and the ways various cultures treat aging populations. Mayim opens up about her father’s degenerative condition, details common reasons we distract ourselves, and explains the Look-Snap-Connect techniques we can use to maintain and improve active brain health and memory.Dr. Gary Small's Books: http://drgarysmall.com/books/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melissa Bernstein, author, entrepreneur, and Co-Founder of the successful toy company Melissa & Doug, breaks down her existential journey through birthing art from divergent qualities. She discusses her disassociation from dark feelings and how her imagination allowed her to channel that sense of despair into creativity. Mayim and Melissa bond over being unable to relate to mainstream culture and how perfectionism can sometimes feel like a drug. They examine the science behind overexcitabilities, reasons why we lie, and how to accept and move through rejection. Melissa opens up about how her need for control led to a severe eating disorder at the age of 11 and how she found recovery through her relationship with her now husband. After years of self-depletion, Melissa reveals how logotherapy and studying philosophy guided her through her mental health journey.Mayim reminisces about her time hanging out with fellow misfits at Venice Beach, and ends the episode with advice for teachers on dealing with anxious students in the latest installment of Ask Mayim Anything.Melissa & Doug Website: https://www.melissaanddoug.com/Melissa Bernstein's Book: https://www.lifelines.com/shop-book BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennette McCurdy opens up about her struggles with enmeshment, coping mechanisms, and the impact of her mother's death. Mayim and Jennette discuss their paths to recovery from disordered eating, the pressures of early fame, and self-discovery. They share insights on enmeshment in relationships, emotional discomfort, and personal growth through storytelling.

Rabbi Steve Leder, author and Senior Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, breaks down the beneficial and harmful aspects of religious structure on mental health and sense of community. He details his childhood in the midwest where he worked at the family junkyard under strict, religious parents, and how stealing Bob Dylan albums led him to the hippie rabbis who changed the course of his life. Mayim and Rabbi Leder reexamine the true meaning of sacrifice, the evolution of Judaism, and how religious extremism and radical secularism can negatively impact mental health. Mayim opens up about the role religion has played in her own life and sense of identity, and how Judaism’s structure of processing grief helped her to effectively mourn her father’s death. After analyzing the ways in which society can rebuild trust in its institutions, Mayim and Rabbi Leder discuss how impactful changes in our micro communities can lead to macro effects and the importance of learning from those with differing beliefs. Mayim explains how a disconnected marriage can affect mental health during an installment of Ask Mayim Anything.Rabbi Steve Leder's books: http://steveleder.com/books/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Jenny Taitz, Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at UCLA and licensed clinical psychologist board certified in cognitive behavioral therapy, outlines her custom, dialectical therapy approach to helping people meet their long term goals by utilizing evidenced-based tools. She breaks down the core issues of disordered eating and highlights the importance of recognizing hunger cues and triggers, forming intuitive eating habits, and finding nourishment through self-soothing strategies. Mayim expands upon the origin of her eating disorder and current relationship with food, and details the role food plays in culture and intimacy. Dr. Taitz discusses how mindfulness, distress tolerance, finding bite-sized doses of hope, and even dunking your face in ice water can lead to radical acceptance & willingness. After Mayim opens up about her history of serial monogamy, she and Dr. Taitz examine the importance of finding happiness and empowerment while living single rather than waiting to find the right person to be happy. Mayim and Dr. Taitz wrap the episode with indicators one might need help overcoming an eating disorder, and Mayim explains Binge Eating Disorder during an installment of Ask Mayim Anything.Jenny's Books: https://drjennytaitz.com/books/Jenny's Articles: https://drjennytaitz.com/media/Overeaters Anonymous: https://oa.org/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lamorne Morris (New Girl, Call Me Kat, Woke, Sandy Wexler, Barbershop 3, Game Night, BET personality) details how growing up in the southside of Chicago shaped his approach to navigating through equality roadblocks and the invisible entertainment gatekeeper. He and Mayim discuss how learning the history of one’s culture provides empowerment and why the media’s portrayal of marginalized communities matters. Lamorne breaks down how last year’s civil rights protests impacted his mental health, the benefits of life coaching, how he found motivation to succeed in Hollywood through defiance, his experiences playing "Winston Bishop" on New Girl and working with Mayim on the set of Call Me Kat. BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Hassan, world-renowned mental health professional and cult & undue influence expert, breaks down classic cult tactics and how those techniques have evolved into the digital age. He details his own indoctrination into the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon, his subsequent moment of realization that he was a cult member, and his intense deprogramming experience. Mayim and Steve discuss 21st century sects like Scientology, NXIVM, and QAnon, and how cult ideologies may have led to the Capitol insurrection in January of 2021. They explore ways to identify cults and abusers through their authoritarian features and methods they use, such as disorientation, "love bombing", social-psychological compliance, covert hypnotism, neuro-linguistic programming, and deep fakes. Hassan emphasizes media literacy in order to avoid these organizations and provides tips on how to engage with a loved one involved in a cult. Mayim and Jonathan discuss society's servitude to technology and debate about potential solutions.Steve Hassan's Website: https://freedomofmind.com/Steve Hassan's Books: https://www.amazon.com/Steven-Hassan/e/B000APQYV4/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Clarkson, Grammy Award-winning singer and Emmy Award-winning talk show host, takes us through her mental and physical health journey after becoming one of the biggest popstars in the world. She shares how growing up in a small Texas town prepared her for global fame and how her voice has evolved over the years. Kelly and Mayim discuss treating their respective thyroid issues with eastern and western medicines and the benefits of NMN supplements. They detail their ongoing struggles with living up to industry standards, combating public opinions of their personal lives, and charting one's own path despite the opinions of others. Kelly's perspectives, affirmations, and "F-you attitude" leave Mayim inspired to tackle her own insecurities. BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices