Going There with Dr. Mike

This November, Going There is focusing on stories of substance abuse and addiction, and helping us launch this block of themed episodes is Mötley Crüe member Nikki Sixx. The co-founding bassist and songwriter joins Dr. Mike Friedman to share how traumatic life events contributed to his addiction, and how he has been able to maintain sobriety for 20 years. The Grammy Award-nominated musician describes how he experienced multiple stressful and traumatic events in his life including abuse, neglect, and concussions from football – all of which can have an impact on mental and physical health. He opens up about how traumas like these are a beast with multiple tentacles that can tear us down, leaving us vulnerable to substance use. Sixx, who's new book is called The First 21, explains how traumatic events can create emotional chaos and confusion, making it more difficult and complicated to connect with ourselves and achieve emotional well- being. When we feel so confused, empty, and in pain, we look to simple things that make us feel connected. Sometimes it can be something healthy like music, while others it’s substances like drugs or alcohol that temporarily soothe us. Sixx details how understanding what functional benefits he received from using has helped him understand what needs required fulfilling as he worked on recovery. He also uses this same thought process to help others with their own recovery. We must remember that addiction is still a mental illness, and it is crucial that we treat people who struggle with addiction with dignity and respect, seeing them as a whole human being trying to figure out their lives and how substances have played a role in that journey up until this point. That gives us the best balance of empathizing and being compassionate as we help people in their ongoing recovery. So let's go there with Nikki Sixx and listening to his discussion on substance abuse above.

This week on Going There, pop punk musician and mental health advocate Dan Lambton opens up about managing his bipolar disorder. A member of rationale. and formerly Real Friends, Lambton has long shared his struggles with bipolar disorder, in which he describes a fairly predictable cycle. He will feel more at baseline, where according to him he is able to function with his day-to-day life, and then experience a manic episode that is characterized by racing thoughts and pressured speech in which he is talking very quickly. While he says these times can be creatively productive, they're also damaging to his health, including not being able to sleep or eat. Then comes depressive episodes with their lower moods and lack of productivity. Lambton joins Dr. Mike on Going There to discuss how he manages his bipolar disorder with a regimen of medication and group therapy. We'd love our audience's feedback about the show, so fill out the form at this link to share your thoughts. You can also submit questions for our monthly “Ask Dr. Mike” column. Make sure to like and follow Going There with Dr. Mike wherever you get your podcasts to keep up to date on our weekly episodes, and stay tuned to the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.

Musician Mary Lambert shares her struggle with bipolar disorder on the latest episode of Going There with Dr. Mike. The Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter speaks with Dr. Mike Friedman about how she experienced both manic episodes -- in which she seemed more elated, energized or grandiose -- and depressive episodes where she had no energy and was unable to do even basic tasks. These episodes often felt like they come out of nowhere, leaving her feeling trapped by a biological process over which she had no control. The singer-songwriter has been a long-time mental health activist. Talking with Dr. Mike, she explained she is trying to make mental health "legible" to reduce the stigma of mental illness. We need to focus on understanding our mental health rather than shaming and judging ourselves so we can help ourselves cope and heal. We'd love our audience's feedback about the show, so fill out the form at this link to share your thoughts. You can also submit questions for our monthly “Ask Dr. Mike” column. Make sure to like and follow Going There with Dr. Mike wherever you get your podcasts to keep up to date on our weekly episodes, and stay tuned to the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows. 

Musician Sarah Barthel of Phantogram joins Dr. Mike Friedman on the Going There podcast to share her struggle with devastating and traumatic loss in her life. The Phantogram singer has been a fantastic mental health advocate over the years, and has been very forthcoming and outspoken about how she not only lost her sister, Becky, when she committed suicide, but also had previously lost her father to cancer, and coped with her mother and other friends having the disease. What the “You Don’t Get High Anymore” artist describes is years of different devastating losses one on top of another and how this repetitive loss can be traumatic to us. Such loss can be overwhelmingly horrible, not only because we lost people close to us, but also because it undermines our fundamental belief that we live in a safe and predictable world. And our sense that we are safe and that we have some level of control over our lives is critical to our own mental health and well-being. One of the things that Barthel talks about is how in the face of this loss, she tries to be a “superhero” who needs to be the one who says everything is ok, and tries to make it so. The problem is that often when we try to be strong for others, we inadvertently close off our own emotional processing, avoiding or suppressing the intense feelings that come from facing the suffering of others, or our own suffering. Barthel explains how she turned to music as a way of understanding, processing, and expressing her feelings in the face of devastating and traumatic situations. So let’s go there with Phantogram's Sarah Barthel by listening to the full episode above.

Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann joins Dr. Mike Friedman on the Going There with Dr. Mike podcast to share her struggle with anxiety and depression. The "Suicide Is Murder" singer explains how her obsessive thoughts can be so powerful and overwhelming, that her depression is almost a response to keep the intensity of her thoughts in check – like a “lid” that keeps her anxiety in check.  The Superego Records co-founder also discusses how just as mental illness is devastating when we experience it ourselves, it is also devastating when someone close to us struggles with their own issues. This episode is part of our National Suicide Prevention Month series. Sound Mind’s partners at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also have a number of events throughout aimed at helping you start the conversation about mental health. So check out #RealConvo to follow those events and discussions. And for more information and resources, head to AFSP's National Suicide Prevention Week website. Going There with Dr. Mike and Sound Mind also want to hear from you, our listeners! Use this link to submit your own question for the “Ask Dr. Mike” column, and give us some feedback on the series in general by completing a quick survey.

Singer Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage joins Dr. Mike Friedman on the Going There podcast to share his struggle with anxiety and depression. Also a member of Times of Grace, the musician explains that while he faces depression, anxiety is the “beast” with which he most struggles. Despite years of success, Leach says he often experiences “impostor syndrome,” which both contributes to and worsens his anxiety. The “Far from Heavenless” singer talks about how he sees building his mental health as an ongoing process, and how he's put in so much time and effort that he can no say, "OK, I can do this. This does get better.” And for many of us, just being able to hang on for a bit longer, working at our mental health just a little more, will give us that opportunity to get to the other side and feel like we can do this. We can live, we can cope, we can feel better. This episode kicks off National Suicide Prevention Week. Sound Mind’s partners at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also have a number of events throughout the week aimed at helping you start the conversation about mental health. So check out #RealConvo to follow those events and discussions. And for more information and resources, head to AFSP's National Suicide Prevention Week website. Going There with Dr. Mike and Sound Mind also want to hear from you, our listeners! Use this link to submit your own question for the “Ask Dr. Mike” column, and give us some feedback on the series in general by completing a quick survey.

Indie rocker Samia joins the Going There with Dr. Mike podcast to share her struggle anxiety led and how it led to her dealing with an eating disordered behaviors. Throughout her life, the Scout musician experienced anxiety, where her mind would focus on scary possibilities – things that could go wrong that she could not control. This sense of loss of control was exacerbated by both her having suffered sexual abuse and the subsequent judgment and invalidation she experienced from others when she shared her traumatic event. Samia discusses how she sought to regain a sense of control through eating disordered behavior in which she would try to maintain a low and unhealthy weight. She explains how she was able to regain a sense of control not only by allowing herself to engage in weight restoration to achieve a healthy weight, but also by being empathic and validating towards herself even when others were not. So let's go there with Samia! To catch all the new episodes of Season 2 of Going There with Dr. Mike, subscribe now. Also, keep your eyes on the Consequence Podcast Network for updates surrounding all our future programming. If you find yourself in need of mental health assistance, visit the Sound Mind Live resources page for a list of helplines, community programs, therapy links, and more. Going There with Dr. Mike and Sound Mind want to hear from our listeners! Use this link to submit your own question for the “Ask Dr. Mike” column, and give us some feedback on the series in general by completing a quick survey.

Indie folk artist (and former Consequence Artist of the Month) Faye Webster speaks about her struggle with isolation and depression in the latest episode of the Going There podcast with Dr. Mike Friedman. The I Know I’m Funny haha singer-songwriter shares her experience of isolation during the pandemic, something to which many of us can relate. One way Webster chose to cope during the pandemic was by connecting with herself through her songwriting. We often think of connection as something that is just between people, but it is something that we can feel within ourselves. You can catch all the new episodes of Season 2 of Going There with Dr. Mike, released every Tuesday, by subscribing now. Also, follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates surrounding future programming. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health assistance, visit the Sound Mind Live resources page for a list of helplines, community programs, therapy links, and more. Going There with Dr. Mike and Sound Mind want to hear from our listeners like you! Using the widget below or this link, we're asking you to submit your own question for the "Ask Dr. Mike" column, and you can also give us some feedback on the series in general by completing a quick survey.

Singer-songwriter Alessia Cara joins Dr. Mike Friedman on the Going There podcast to share her struggle with anxiety and insomnia. The “Scars to Your Beautiful” artist explains how she has struggled with insomnia throughout her life, and the vicious cycle by which her habitual sleeplessness is both fueled by and exacerbates her anxiety. In particular, she discusses how her catastrophic negative thoughts -- about frightening topics such as death -- will cause anxiety and keep her up at night. The resulting fatigue from poor sleep makes her vulnerable to future anxiety and negative thinking. Cara also talks about the various coping strategies she utilizes based on her experience in therapy. Subscribe now to catch all the new episodes of Going There with Dr. Mike Season 2 every Tuesday, and make sure to keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates surrounding future programming. Those in need of mental health assistance can visit the Sound Mind Live resources page for a list of helplines, community programs, therapy links, and more. Going There with Dr. Mike and Sound Mind want to hear from you! Submit your own question for the "Ask Dr. Mike" column, and let us know what you think about the series by completing a quick survey. Click here to take the survey.

Maia, the artist known as mxmtoon, joins Dr. Mike Friedman on the Going There podcast to share her struggle with anxiety and depression. mxmtoon talks about the various coping strategies she utilizes, including medication, exercise, meditation and therapy. And one of the things that she particularly talks about is how we can challenge the stigma of mental illness within ourselves by showing ourselves basic compassion and kindness. Mental illness is part of who we are and how we understand our lives. As she puts it, if we can accept that idea, it will help us not feel like our life is on hold or that we lose our identity when we struggle with mental health issues. Subscribe now to catch all the new episodes of Going There with Dr. Mike Season 2 every Tuesday, and make sure to keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates surrounding future programming. Those in need of mental health assistance can visit the Sound Mind Live resources page for a list of helplines, community programs, therapy links, and more. Going There with Dr. Mike and Sound Mind want to hear from you! Submit your own question for the "Ask Dr. Mike" column, and let us know what you think about the series by completing a quick survey. Click here to take the survey.