Inside Mental Health

Finding out that someone you know is self-harming can be confusing and unsettling. In today’s episode, Dr. Mark Mayfield, a board certified counselor and founder of Mayfield Counseling Centers tells us more about this behavior and what causes people to self-injure. How common is it? What type of person self-injures? Most importantly, is this something people can overcome, and how? Learn more about...

I'm here to tell you that The Psych Central Podcast is changing its name to Inside Mental Health and we are now associated with Healthline Media. Don’t worry, it’ll stay the same great podcast complete with the same host and simple explanations to help you better understand mental health and psychology. If you are already subscribed to The Psych Central Podcast, you don't have to do a thing. It'll...

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US and over 3x more people will die by suicide than will be murdered every year. What types of people die by suicide? Is it only people with mental illness who consider this tragic step? And most importantly, if someone is suicidal, what can you do -- is suicide preventable? Join today’s guest, Dr. Doreen Marshall, vice-president of the American Fo...

The stigma associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is well documented and undeserved. In this week’s episode, Dr. James Seymour explains this complicated condition, discusses the “borderline” label, and explores the role past traumas may have in the development of BPD. Psychiatrist Dr. Seymour is the director of the Sierra Tucson’s Chrysalis Program. Learn more about your ad choices....

While schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia both share the prefix “schizo,” they remain two separate diagnoses. Hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard divulge their personal experiences with schizophrenia and mental health conditions as they explore the newer-termed condition of schizoaffective disorder. Guest Dr. Michelle Maust from MindPath Care Centers joins to give a medical perspectiv...

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common and misunderstood psychiatric disorder. In this episode, Dr. Joseph W. Shannon describes the hallmarks of BPD, and shares best practices for treatment. Dr. Shannon is an expert on personality disorders, and works to train fellow clinicians on diagnosing and treating BPD, and advocates a different approach to achieve better treatment results. Joseph...

Do you suffer from self doubt? Do you want to make changes in your life and develop new habits but find yourself repeating old patterns over and over? Today's guest, NY Times best selling author Jen Sincero, offers frank advice from her new book, Badass Habits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you curious about TMS therapy? What is it, exactly? In today’s show, two psychiatrists explain how Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation works and how it can help many patients with depression, OCD or smoking addiction.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there hope after a heavy drug addiction? What if you quit but then relapse? Can you quit again? Absolutely. In today’s show, our guest Daniel McGhee shares his long, but ultimately victorious, journey through alcohol and heroin addiction, incarceration, treatment centers and relapses. Now he is giving back to the community that he feels he took so much from.  Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Let’s discuss bipolar disorder. How have treatments evolved over the last two decades? In today’s podcast, we welcome Dr. Francis Mark Mondimore, a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins and the author of Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for You and Your Loved Ones, which is now in its fourth edition. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-inside-bip...

Chronic loneliness is on the rise. But how can this be when we’re more connected now than ever? In today’s show, Dr. J.W. Freiberg, a social psychologist-turned-lawyer, explains that loneliness is not an emotion like happiness or anger. It’s a sensation like hunger or thirst. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-loneliness-and-litigation-a-law...

Schizophrenia has been around since the dawn of time but actually treating it has only been around the past 100 years. In this episode host and schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers takes you through the dark and disturbing evolution of schizophrenia treatments. From systematic euthanasia to hydrotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy to the infamous lobotomy.  Were these doctors "mad scientists" torturin...

We’ve made it to the end of 2020! From polarizing politics to raging fires to COVID-19, it’s been a real doozy. And now the Holidays… Do we celebrate with loved ones and risk COVID or take a pass? Today, Dr. John Grohol, founder of Psych Central, explains how this isn’t going to be our regular holiday season and that’s okay: We can make lemonade out of lemons. For more information and a complete t...

What is your life story? Do you feel like a victim of your circumstances? And if so, how does this affect your future? In today’s show, our guest James Sweigert, who struggled out of a traumatic childhood, shares how the power of his thoughts and the spoken word changed his life. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-reframing-past-traumas Lear...

In today’s COVID world, many mental health patients are finding themselves “forced” into seeing their doctors online, rather than in person. But how effective is telehealth? What are the benefits and disadvantages? Today’s guest, psychiatrist Dr. Frank Chen, thoroughly explains the whole new world of telemedicine and why it doesn’t have to be scary. For more information and a complete transcript,...

Ouch! You stub your toe or burn your finger and a curse word comes flying out. It’s automatic -- and it probably makes you feel a little better. But have you ever considered specifically using curse words as a way to improve your mental health? That’s the idea behind our guest’s new book “Move On MF'er.” For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-ca...

What are the signs of emotional abuse? Can you be a victim or a perpetrator and not even know it? In today’s podcast, we welcome psychotherapist Beverly Engel who explains how emotional abuse can sometimes slide under the radar and may even be mistaken as care. In truth, it’s all about control. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-understandin...

Let’s talk about psychotherapy. Why hasn’t it changed much in the last century? And if a patient isn’t getting well, is it the fault of the patient, the therapist, or the therapy itself? In today’s podcast, Gabe and psychologist Barry L. Duncan discuss the idea of holding therapists more accountable when the patient isn’t getting better. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https:...

What’s the worst that could happen? And who will you still be regardless of the outcome? In today’s podcast, Gabe talks with author Shira Gura about her newest method CLEAR, a tool we can all use to prepare for an upcoming event or situation that is causing anxiety. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-how-to-mentally-prepare-for-anything Lear...

A third of all people will be a caregiver at some point in their lives. Caregiving for people with schizophrenia presents challenges that many people are ill-prepared for.  Host Rachel Star and Gabe Howard break down the principles of caregiving and creative ways to navigate schizophrenia.  Dr. Sarah Kopelovich joins to share schizophrenia caregiver specific training. Learn more about your ad choi...

Do your feelings about a romantic relationship or your partner change significantly when it’s over? In today’s show, Gabe talks with researcher Aidan Smyth who conducted a study probing people’s feelings about their relationships -- both during the relationship and after it was over. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-relationships-and-rose-...

In today’s show, Gabe talks with Robert Kolker, author of the New York Times bestselling -- and Oprah's book club pick -- book Hidden Valley Road. This non-fiction biography is the true story of a mid-century American family besieged by schizophrenia. Of their 12 children, 6 struggled with the severe mental disorder.  Join us for the incredible story of the family who became science's greatest hop...

Is anyone single on purpose? In today’s podcast, Gabe talks with Bella DePaulo, Ph. D, a prominent thinker and author on the single life, who shatters myths about being single. She shares how many people thrive as a single person and feel their most empowered living the single life. In fact, single people often hold prominent positions in their communities. For more information and a complete tran...

Let’s talk politics, lies and fake news. Why are they so rampant today? In today’s show Gabe speaks with author and communications expert Tim Ward who explains why the truth matters so much, especially regarding our elected officials. Tim defines our cognitive biases, like the “halo” and “anchoring” effects, that can cause us to turn a blind eye and believe the lies we hear. For more information a...

Now that we’re in the middle of a pandemic, more people than ever are experiencing anxiety, especially those who struggled with mental health issues before COVID-19. And to make things even worse, many of our coping mechanisms, like going to the gym, have been taken away. Tune in now to better manage your anxiety!  Jasleen Chhatwal, MD, is Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Mood Disorders P...