Prof Tanya Byron on emotional overwhelm, mental health & when an ADHD diagnosis is & isn’t help
Postcards From MidlifeSummary
Pebble, a global hiring platform, aims to simplify the hiring process for companies looking to recruit talent across 185 countries. The platform integrates compliance, contracts, payroll, and benefits into a single interface, allowing businesses to onboard new employees within minutes rather than months. This service is particularly beneficial for founders and HR leaders who often face challenges with international hiring due to complex regulations.
As October marks Menopause Awareness Month, the conversation shifts to the experiences of women undergoing menopause and perimenopause. The hosts emphasize the importance of sharing information and personal experiences to empower women during this phase of life. They highlight the significance of acknowledging chronic pain associated with menopause and the need for continued discussions around hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and workplace support for midlife women.
The episode features Professor Tanya Byron, a clinical psychologist, who discusses her new book, "You Are Not a Diagnosis." Byron critiques the current mental health discourse, noting that while awareness has increased, it has also led to confusion and over-pathologization of normal emotions. She stresses the importance of distinguishing between mental health experiences and conditions, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of emotional struggles. Byron encourages listeners to focus on feelings rather than labels and to seek reliable sources for mental health information.
The discussion also touches on the challenges of navigating mental health conversations across generations, particularly in the context of parenting and supporting young adults. Byron offers practical advice for fostering open dialogue about emotions and mental health, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding in these discussions.
Show Notes
Are we talking about mental health more than ever, yet understanding it less? Consultant clinical psychologist, Times columnist and broadcaster Prof Tanya Byron thinks so. She joins Trish & Lorraine to talk about her new book, You Are Not a Diagnosis: The Therapy-Speak Trap and the Lost Art of Listening to Ourselves. In their warm & helpful conversation she explains how to cope with ordinary distressing emotions, the difference between a mental health ‘experience’ and a mental health ‘condition’ & when seeking a diagnosis is genuinely useful for you, your child or another loved one. She also shares her tried & tested practical tools for the ‘messiness of being human’ when you feel overwhelmed, overstretched and emotionally exhausted.
Plus: find out how Trish ended up all at sea with the Brazilian navy & why Lorraine is pushing her husband out of an aeroplane!
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