Mid-life Men: the mental health podcast

In this episode, my guest is Mark Bradshaw, who shares his personal journey with gambling addiction. Mark recalls his early exposure to gambling as a child through seaside holidays, and how his love for playing sports later led him to place bets on rugby matches. His introduction to casinos at 18 only exacerbated his addiction, eventually leading him to spend hours daily in high street betting sho...

In this episode of Midlife Men, Dave Cohen, comedian, novelist, and comedy writing teacher, discusses his relationship with his parents. His upbringing in a close-knit Jewish community in Leeds, shaped by the Holocaust and the establishment of Israel, lays the groundwork for a complicated familial dynamic.  As he navigates adolescent rebellion, moves to London to pursue a comedy career, and challe...

In this episode of Midlife Men, Nico Morales shares his story of resilience and personal growth, reflecting on his upbringing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He discusses how rejection shaped his early life, particularly when his sister faced a life-threatening situation, leading to feelings of rejection and fear of missing out. As a child, he shuttled between New Mexico and Arizona, highlighting his...

Welcome to this episode of Midlife Men with Philip Briscoe, featuring guest James Davis, one half of the Midlife Mentors podcast. James shares insights into navigating midlife challenges, drawing from his personal experiences, including living abroad, going through divorce, and addressing the andropause, sometimes known as the ‘male menopause’. James discusses the origins of Midlife Mentors, stemm...

In this episode, Steve introduces F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, Faith), a global movement that originated in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2011. F3 comprises men who meet for outdoor workouts, focusing on camaraderie, fitness, and a sense of purpose beyond oneself. The workouts include boot camp-style exercises and running or rucking sessions, emphasizing pushing each other to improve physically while f...

In this compelling episode, I am privileged to be joined by Tim and Sue Iorio, who bravely recount the poignant yet ultimately inspiring tale of their son, Nick. Nick was the eldest of three brothers hailing from a Midwestern town in Ohio, a top-class student and athlete, Nick struggled with a mental health disorder, and the only peace he was able to find was through suicide. He died at age twenty...

Shay Doran, a men's coach specialising in helping men overcome sexual performance issues, shares insights into the challenges he faced and how he transformed his life. Initially, on the surface, his life seemed great, but he struggled with a bad relationship with porn and sex, thinking it was normal for every guy. It took years for him to realise the destructive impact on his life. Discussing...

In this episode, I am joined by Andrea Newton, who is on a mission to provide men with a better understanding of menopause. If, like me, your knowledge is slim and you feel out of your comfort zone anytime the word ‘menopause’ is mentioned, then this episode is for you. With over 30 years’ of experience helping thousands of men and women have important conversations, Andrea’s approach is down-to-e...

In part II, of this episode, I continue my discussion with Paul Bayliss, who experienced job-related depression when undertaking a massive transformation project for a large public sector organisation. A combination of the demands and high-pressure nature of the role with a toxic working environment and culture proved to be unsustainable. Finally, Paul was diagnosed with depression and signed off...

In this two-part episode, I am joined by Paul (Drew) Bayliss, an accomplished professional with a long and successful career, who shares his experience of job-related depression when he was working for a large public sector organisation in a high-pressure and demanding transformation role.  Depression in the workplace is a common issue among professionals, often attributed to long hours, demanding...

In this episode, I welcome back Octavian Constantinescu who last time talked about how he was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. This time, he describes his experience of living with anxiety, which he initially mistook as a normal way of living. Octavian constantly felt a sense of dread and had difficulty sleeping due to worries about work and other aspects of life.  He compared his anxious thoughts...

In this episode, we dive into the world of high-pressure careers, particularly in law enforcement, with Richard Podkowski, a seasoned law enforcement professional. He shares his experiences dealing with the constant stress that comes with protecting U.S. Presidents and major security assignments both domestically and abroad. Richard discusses the societal stigma surrounding seeking support for str...

In this episode, I am joined by Duncan Bhaskaran Brown, coach, speaker, and Morris dancer, who helps people with alcohol dependency issues. He is also an author. His first book ‘Get Over Indulgence’ outlines a simple system to revolutionise your relationship with food, booze, and life. His new book ‘Real Men Quit’ is out in December.  Duncan shares his own experiences of battles with addiction, pa...

In this episode, I am joined by Steve Whittle, founder of Tough to Talk , a charity committed to helping business and community leaders reduce male suicide rates by empowering men to speak openly about their struggles.  Steve shares his own experiences of suicide behaviours and how this led to him starting Tough to Talk. He addresses the critical issue of suicide prevention, particularly focusing...

In this episode, I am joined by Jonathan Bogner, executive producer of reality TV & movies, and entrepreneur with multiple businesses. In 2007, life was great for Jonathan, living in Beverly Hills with his wife and children, living his dream job producing movies and had just sold a movie at a major film festival. Life was to change drastically in a moment, forever. Jonathan suffered heart fail...

Welcome to the Mid-Life Men podcast. In this episode, I am joined by author Johnnie Lowery, who writes about his passion for football, but also about mental health and the relationship between the two. Johnnie’s first book, Six Added Minutes, was written while he was at university and published in November 2019 and his second book, Match Fit, was published in August 2023, and is inspired by a desi...

Welcome to the Mid-life Men podcast aiming to break the stigma of men talking about their mental health. In this episode, we’re looking at techniques you can practise for combatting depression. According to some reports, up to 14% of men in the UK experience depression, and I suspect that number's actually a lot higher. This episode is a little different. Instead of the usual interview format...

In this episode, I talk to Russ Hoadley on corporate burnout, changing career mid-life, and finding your true calling, in his case as a teacher. Russ was working up to 115 hours a week with a demanding job in international finance, spending his life on an aeroplane, resulting in an unsatisfactory work-life balance especially with a young family.  After experiencing a near-fatal medical event, he k...

In this episode, we discuss Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with my guest Octavian Constantinescu, who shares his life experiences and how an adult ADHD diagnosis helped him find clarity and focus. To listeners feeling frustrated at work or not meeting their expectations, Octavian advises investing in their mental health. While external factors may be beyond their control, focusing...

In this episode, Tom Mitchelson, the author, speaker, and writer, talks candidly about his experience growing up in a home where his dad's behaviour was at best unpredictable and at worst violent and aggressive, especially towards his mum. He has since published his story in a memoir titled 'Don’t ask me about my dad'.  Tom discusses his life from a young boy to adulthood focusing o...

In this episode, Simon Mcmurdy and Gareth Birkett share their experiences as fathers of children with special needs and life-limiting conditions. Simon and Gareth had previously worked together and ran into one other in a hospital corridor, when they recognised they shared a common bond. They share firsthand accounts of the difficulties encountered, first with Simon and his daughter Olivia, and la...

In this episode, we look at the devastating impact that an addiction to gambling can have on people's lives. We talk to James Grimes, Head of Education at Gambling with Lives, a community of families bereaved by gambling-related suicide that provides support, raises awareness, and campaigns for change. James is also the founder of The Big Step, a campaign to end all gambling advertising and s...

In this episode, I talk 'Bollox' with Daren Elsley, founder of the underwear brand 'Bollox', which aims to raise awareness of men's cancers. After the death of a good friend from cancer, Daren wanted to do something to highlight men's cancers, so he decided to start his own underwear brand. After trying to balance it with a full-time job, he made the leap to devote hi...

In this episode, I talk with Mike Jenn, founder, and lifetime president of the UK Men's Sheds Association, enabling community spaces for men to connect, converse and create. The activities are often similar to those of garden sheds, but for groups of men to enjoy together. They help reduce loneliness and isolation, but most importantly, they’re fun. Mike founded the first UK shed in Camden To...

In this episode, I talk to John Houston head coach and founder of the South Moreton Boxing Club in south Oxfordshire. A year ago he started The Cornermen, a service aimed at improving men’s mental health and suicide prevention and how doing something and talking whether it be walking, talking or boxing is the key to getting men to open up.  Suicide is the leading cause of death of men under 50, an...