Throughout the past few years, podcasts have slowly grown in popularity, with many individuals building businesses out of these interview-style conversations. Nowadays, there seems to be a podcast about every topic, especially mental health. These platforms offer a safe space where the hosts, guest speakers, and listeners can learn about anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. Podcasts about mental illness also help identify and break down the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding mental disorders. It wasn’t until recently that this particular topic could be openly discussed and accepted. Many people who have undergone treatment in mental health programs weren’t comfortable enough to share their stories. Now, however, everyday people to celebrities have opened up about their struggles with mental health, strengthening a community that was often too afraid to speak out.
Top Mental Health Podcasts
One of the best things about podcasts is that you can listen to them anywhere. These portable episodes have brought in millions of listeners every year. In fact, at their 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple announced that there are over 550,000 podcasts and 18.5 million episodes in more than 100 languages.1 As the platform widens, the number of listeners continues to grow. Our center for mental health care in South Florida has compiled a list of the best mental health podcasts that can benefit your mental health journey.
Mental Illness Happy Hour
Mental disorders often result from experiencing something mentally or emotionally traumatic. So many people have been through traumatic experiences, but many of them don’t feel comfortable sharing their stories. While no one is forced to share anything, this cycle has continuously encouraged others to stay quiet. In Mental Illness Happy Hour, host Paul Gilmartin fights to break down this cycle by sharing his interviews with a variety of well-known figures and celebrities. He discusses their mental health experiences, showing listeners that mental health struggles aren’t uncommon or shameful.
Throwing Shade
As one of the best mental health podcasts with a five-star rating, Throwing Shade addresses political, social, and cultural issues that minorities, women, and the LGBTQ+ community face. Hosts Bryan Safi and Erin Gibson make the effort to talk about these often difficult and avoided conversations. They want listeners to understand the effect these struggles can have on mental health.
The Nod
Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings discuss stories and experiences of African Americans that aren’t shared anywhere else. Their topics range from hip-hop trends to the impact of famous writers like Toni Morrison on young black professionals. These honest and emotional discussions show that it’s okay to have internal struggles about your identity in society versus how you identify yourself.
Cafeteria Christian
On Cafeteria Christian, hosts Natalie and Nora talk and discuss the pressure that many Christians put on themselves to be perfect in their lives and religious practices. They address the strain you can put on yourself when trying to comply with everything that Christianity asks of you. The hosts emphasize the need for balancing your mental health and faith in your everyday life. They also show Christians that receiving anxiety or depression treatment is not wrong.
Happy Place
Happy Place, hosted by Fearne Cotton, lightens up the topic of mental illness through open conversations with guests about how they sustain their mental health. The discussions focus on topics like body positivity, insecurity, motherhood, depression, anxiety, and recovery.
The Minimalists
Hosts Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus created The Minimalist based on a book they co-wrote. Both their book and podcast advocate living a full and meaningful life by removing things that are insignificant. While minimalism isn’t geared toward mental health specifically, they believe that the practice of decluttering and ultimately minimizing the things that negatively impact your mental health can allow you to live a happier life.
The Struggle Bus
The Struggle Bus is an advice podcast where hosts Sally Tamarkin and Katharine Heller take a unique approach to conversations about dealing with stress and difficult situations. They’ve offered advice about a range of topics from career moves to political conversations at the workplace.
While outside resources can help you stay in a good place mentally, even the best podcasts about mental health can’t replace proper treatment. If you or a loved one is struggling with mental illness, don’t wait to get help. The best way to treat mental disorders is with professional treatment. Call Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches today at 561-220-3981 for more information about our facility and the mental health programs we offer.
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