The New Mental Health Landscape

Know the signs of depression. Recognize symptoms of anxiety. Pay attention to your friend’s changing moods. There’s been a push to raise mental health awareness for decades, and now, the topic is everywhere. It’s leading the charts on social media sites, and everybody from celebrities to politicians to sports superstars are talking about it more openly. At the same time, it seems like our overall mental health is declining, as more and more people report having mental health issues. On this episode, we explore how the field of mental health is changing and adapting. We’ll find out what traditionally trained therapists make of mental health advice on social media, why some experts argue that too much awareness can backfire, and why mental illness can be so tricky to diagnose. Also, one woman’s quest to stay on her ADHD medications as shortages drag on.

ALSO HEARD:

• Mental health advice is abundant on social media sites like TikTok, and much of it comes from people who don’t have traditional training or credentials. Why are users flocking to this advice and what do therapists think about it? We’ll hear from TikTok life coach Samantha Chung and social work professor Jonathan Singer.
• Psychiatrists diagnose patients based on their symptoms. But what happens when none of those labels fit? Writer Sarah Fay brings us her multi-year diagnostic journey, which she also wrote about in her two books, “Pathological,” and “Cured.” We hear her story, and about the movement within psychiatry to study conditions based on biological measures rather than observed symptoms.
• Reporter Chloe Irving has recently found herself running all over Brooklyn to find a pharmacy that can fill her ADHD medication prescription. But often, as her symptoms get worse, that chase becomes more challenging. She explores the ADHD medication shortage from a personal perspective and gets some advice on getting by.
• Mental health advocates have been pushing for more awareness for decades, to make sure people can get help, and don’t feel ashamed. Now that mental health issues are discussed more openly and frequently than ever before, some experts wonder about unintended consequences. We hear from psychologist Darby Saxbe and psychiatrist Jonathan Slater.