May is Mental Health Awareness month. This month, we’re actively pushing ourselves to branch out and check out new media, be it books, shows, music, podcasts or film, that centre around mental health awareness and the destigmatization of mental illness. Today’s post is a bit of a First Impressions post: I’m highlighting five podcasts that I’ve only heard an episode or two from, that I’m looking forward to completing. These are podcasts that actively centre on mental health and illness as its subject matter, and do so in vastly different ways. Most importantly, these podcasts emphasize an importance on recognizing mental illness and disease being just as real and valid as physical illness and disease. These podcasts offer a visibility to mental illness that is not always easy to find, and I for one recommend checking out these podcasts whether you suffer from mental illness or not. I’ve been able to find all these podcasts on Spotify, but you can easily search for them on iTunes or other platforms!
Worst Firsts with Brittany Furlan
Okay, so as far as I know, this podcast isn’t necessarily zeroed in on discussions of mental illness. However, Brittany Furlan (who’s a wildly famous and hilarious Viner-turned-internet personality), has always been incredibly candid about her own mental illness. Furlan suffers from anxiety and depression, and actively uses her influential social media platforms to discuss, distigmatize, and offer insight on these illnesses. Though she is a comedian (and a damn funny one, at that), Furlan simultaneously makes sure to let her fans know that there’s always more going on beneath the surface. Worst Firsts is a fairly new podcast, and the topic is synonymous with the title: Furlan interviews people who talk about some of their worst first experiences, most of which are insanely wild stories. I’ve only heard a little bit thus far, but I guarantee it’s entertaining as hell. I will warn that this podcast is not for the weak of heart or sensitive ears – Brittany and her guests go full out with the profanity and explicit content. However, this just happens to be one of the things I love about her: Furlan is extremely genuine, makes you laugh, and is probably one of the realest internet personalities out there right now.
Why Won’t You Date Me?
This podcast is hosted by comedian Nicole Byer. Immediately upon hearing the first podcast, Byer seems to focus on the modern age of dating and how darn difficult it can be, particularly in the era of Tinder, Bumble, and countless other dating apps. She discusses how tough it is to date in the comedy industry, and presumably has many other tales to tell, often featuring guests on her show. Be it ghosting, hooking up, or the obsession with “newer is better”, Byer is candid about the trials and tribulations of dating in an internet-fuelled time. Personally, I think this podcast offers a great outlet for anyone who finds dating in this era frustrating and isolating as all hell. Particularly when it comes to matters of the heart, it can make you feel really alone to be going through countless disappointments, so having a show like this one that genuinely discusses the difficulty of dating is a wonderful one.
Terrible, Thanks for Asking
Nora McInerny starts off this podcast in a really unique and compelling way, ultimately emphasizing the importance of owning one’s own narrative. She begins by, almost jarringly, listing off major life events: her father’s death, followed by her husband’s death, being in love with two men, and having a child with each of those men. Nora pulls listeners in by discussing how the judgment of others can wreak havoc on one’s life, and walks us through the difficult journey of ignoring those judgments. She discusses grief, depression, and loss in the most candid of ways: she is tongue-in-cheek, she is funny, she’s a delight. The light at the end of the tunnel is Nora’s ability to talk us through the process of moving on from tragedy and darkness, and that no matter how difficult that can be, reminds us that we are not alone.
Anxiety Slayer
Shann Vander Leek and Ananga Sivyer host this podcast. This one is a bit more heavy-handed in nature, relying less on a comedic aspect and is inherently more serious and scientific in tone and execution. I would describe this podcast as more of a tool and resource than entertainment. It is very focused on providing tips, methods, and resources to deal with anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD and more. I also couldn’t help but notice the ASMR aspect, which is apparent simply from the way the audio is presented. This is definitely a useful podcast that one can use if you want to learn about tactics to deal with setbacks that come hand in hand with mental illness, or even if you just want to be more informed about some of these illnesses.
The Hilarious World of Depression
Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Host John Moe explores this concept by interviewing comedians, and discussing the way mental illness can be approached and coped with using humour. It is extremely candid, and John artfully references various interviewees in a way that brings together his discussions very cohesively. There is nothing disingenuous about this podcast, and though humour is a major element, John Moe is careful not to poke fun or make mental illness seem to be less serious than it is. The concept of “depression being funny” is extremely bold, and Moe himself opens up a discussion as to what exactly this means. Humour is used as a means to cope with intense darkness; Moe and other comedians lighten up the topic while simultaneously exploring the gravity of it. Moe does exactly what I referenced before, and that is treating mental illness with the same seriousness as physical illness is dealt with and talked about. Personally, I can’t wait to hear more episodes of this one.
Let us know what some of your favourite podcasts are in the comments below, and if you have any suggestions for podcasts that centre on mental health!
~ Z ~
Feature photo by Alphacolour on Unsplash
