Don’t Weight To Change!

As part of Men’s Mental Health Month, we discuss the importance of men acknowledging the strength in embracing our (collectively experienced!) vulnerability, in order to vitally open up, talk and save lives. Please remember we are not clinicians, psychologists or ED specialists.  Our aim is to contribute to the field of understanding around eating disorders and mental health support through our li...

We often speak about the weight of social expectation placed on men that puts them at personal risk, but why is it becoming increasingly essential to ensure men stand up to toxic examples of manhood?   More and more we are seeing how examples of heinous masculinity are proving that it is becoming critically incumbent upon men to speak out and change the outdated, antediluvian behavioural expectati...

Addiction is borne from the need to both feel something, whether that's control or a way to numb feelings of failure, jealousy, resentment, disappointment or dissatisfaction.  But how do we identify addiction?  What are the factors which determine whether we, or a loved one, is displaying addictive behaviour and how is this important to getting help?   Please remember we are not clinicians, psycho...

In today’s episode, we shed light on how to acknowledge the weight of power play dished out through verbal attack, and how to change that dynamic to call out bullies and reclaim your power. Please remember we are not clinicians, psychologists or ED specialists, but share our lived, researched and specialist informed experience of an eating disorder, and mental health trauma, to contribute to the w...

Episode warning: Due to the nature of our discussion, this episode contains strong language.   On this episode, we are honoured to be joined by Calder Holloway. Calder bravely talks about his Tourettes experience to help reduce the weight of anxiety, fear and stigma around this condition. We hope that the weight of knowledge Calder brings so brilliantly to today’s show increases the compassion and...

In this episode we welcome back the phD researcher into men’s access to care for eating disorders, body and muscle dysmorphia, and the founder of the mental health support platform Myominds, George Mycock. We discuss George’s vital research into the interrelationship between the Manosphere rhetoric and eating disorders, and how recognition of the correlation between these spaces can inform, and pr...

In today’s episode we were honoured to have the expertise and insight of the beautiful actress, presenter, public speaker and CEO of the eating disorder charity SEED Support UK charity, Gemma Oaten. We are beyond grateful to Gemma for sharing her experience on how the complexities of an eating disorder impact upon the social pressure to find ‘the one’, and how acknowledging the effects of the abus...

We often discuss the manifold aspects of an eating disorder, and how it manifests from destabilising feelings such as self-doubt, uncertainty, fear, rejection etc.  In today’s episode, we explore how the ‘manosphere’ presents as a maladaptive coping mechanism by way of a group of men desperately seeking out dysfunctional, dangerous and dehumanising behaviours by way of clawing back some misplaced...

As part of eating disorders awareness week, we talk about the importance of understanding how factors around the shared conditions of human experience needs to be better understood to vitally inform and improve eating disorder education and treatment.  How neurodivergence and our historical, sociological sense of self, formulated by distinctions of religion, race, gender etc, can present factors t...

In today’s episode, we discuss how kindness is the most important virtue, particularly in determining someone’s choice ‘to stay’. We discuss the incredible bravery and success of Andrew, a Don’t Weight to Change listener, who is magnificently beating the path through ED recovery, and how Ben Shaw’s ‘Reasons to Stay’ initiative is working to keep people safe from the experience of suicidal distress...

Firstly, please note, the following episode contains highly sensitive discussion on the Assisted Dying Bill and eating disorders, so please listen with caution. Eating disorders are not terminal and there is medical and psychological support available, so never stop advocating for yourself or loved ones who experience an eating disorder. @apositiveplace.4u Please remember we are not clinicians or...

Merry Christmas! This time of year can feel truly magical for many, yet incredibly challenging for others. After several Christmases shaped and, at times, overshadowed by my eating disorder, Mum and I reflect on what this season has meant to us in the past, and why this year feels so different. In this episode, we share an honest update on my recovery, now more than a year on, and discuss how I am...

What is body positivity and how does it look for men? In this episode we discuss the concept of body positivity, how it is conveyed and whether it is an ideal that is advocated for in the male sphere.   Thank you to our amazing listeners for joining in our candid discussions and supporting all aspects of positive life change we hope to encourage.   Please remember we are not clinicians or ED speci...

This week have the honour of having on our podcast George Mycock, the founder of Myominds, an organisation aimed at raising awareness and understanding of mental health issues within the exercising community.   In this episode, George discusses his current PhD research into muscularity orientated issues, body dysmorphia and disordered eating in men in his aim to vitally inform and improve existing...

On this episode, we speak to the incredible ED advocate and campaigner, Hannah Hickinbotham of the Full of Beans podcast, about male representation within ED discussion and the considerations that need to be in place to enable men to reach out and seek help for distorted behaviour around food and exercise.   Thank you to our amazing listeners for joining in our candid discussions and supporting al...

In today’s episode, we discuss acknowledging the external forces which impact addictive response. Looking at the theories of addiction by the writers and philosophers Fyodor Doestoevsky and George Bataille, we explore how to better equip ourselves to challenge potentially addictive behaviour by acknowledging the false and dangerous sense of control it appears to give us over our dissatisfaction of...

In today’s episode we are honoured to speak to the amazingly brave and insightful ED recovery, and body neutrality advocate, Alex Sublette.  Through our discussion, and her inspiring, ‘be_well_with_Alex’ Instagram page, Alex courageously maps her recovery journey in her determination to support others as they navigate their recovery journey.  Please remember we are not clinicians or ED specialists...

Empathy is a choice, a vulnerable choice because to connect with someone in emotional pain you have to let go of your ego and attempt to put yourself in the place of your loved one, significant other or friend who is struggling.  Rarely, if ever, does an empathetic response begin with ‘at least’. So how do we support those we love who our struggling?   In today’s episode, we discuss how emotional...

As our listeners know by now, we are all about celebrating life wins, especially as a clapback to mental health adversity, and how magnificent life can look on the other side of overcoming trauma and mental health challenges.     In today’s episode we speak to our inspiring guest, Great British Bake-off’s, Amos Lilley, who bravely shares his experience of appearing on the show, as well as how he w...

In today’s episode, we speak to our inspiring friend and mental health advocate, Yasmin Langdon.  Yasmin shares her brave battle on how she overcame the cycle of trauma she experienced from bullying and how she has replaced it with the life success she now embraces. Please remember we are not clinicians or ED specialists, but share our lived, researched and specialist informed experience of an eat...

Today’s episode looks at bureaucracy and how, as attested to by the philosopher Hannah Arendt, some ‘bad actors’ can be seen to manipulate society by inundating it with technical administration so as to cover up institutional inaction. Please remember we are not clinicians or ED specialists, but share our lived experience of an eating disorder, and the research and specialist advice we have gather...

Today’s episode is informed by work carried out by Ross Sonnenblick into male eating disorders.   Following his battle with anorexia, Ross decided to pursue a PhD in male eating disorders to contribute to the tragically unresearched study in this area, which he discusses with Amy Geckl on The Eating Disorder Diaries (found here: 'Goal #4: Daily ED Education – Anorexia in Boys and Men with Ross Son...

Today’s episode is looking at anxiety.  Although anxiety is an unavoidable emotion, helping us to prepare for potential threats and challenges, excessive and persistent exposure to anxiety can lead to a host of complex mental and physical conditions. So, what is anxiety and how do we embody it?  How does anxiety compel us to outsource our feelings of self to external objects instead of facing feel...

June is men's mental health awareness month and on this episode, we are grateful to have the phenomenal advocate for men's mental health awareness, Andy Hill.  Andy is the founder of the incredible u-turnbacktobasics initiative which provides nature walks, team building, survival, and wild camping retreats to those who are struggling with mental health issues.   Today, Andy shares his brave story...

On today’s episode, we are grateful to have the qualified instruction of yoga, meditation and breathing techniques teacher, Johanna Nye.   As discussed on other episodes, Harry has reached a fork in the road with the recovery techniques being imparted through conventional psychotherapy and, as a result, has decided to pursue alternative traditional ways to alleviate the stress and intrusive though...