Episode 5: Dr. Josephine McNary - Navigating Mental Health Issues
September is Suicide Awareness Month. As someone who's experienced suicidal ideation and mental health challenges through the years, I feel this is the best time to have some bold conversations around complex mental health issues.
You see, a few brave souls reached out to me after watching my story of struggle on the World's Toughest Race. And those raw conversations with them have put me in a place where I feel the need to understand these topics beyond my own experiences.
Today, I’m bringing in an expert, Dr. Josephine McNary, a board-certified general psychiatrist. She and her entire team at CalPsychiatry specialize in medication management, particularly focusing on the use of complementary medicine for mood and anxiety disorders.
I wanted to dive deeper into those issues to raise awareness, especially how we, as athletes, need to think about mental health and wellness.
In this episode, you will hear:
The mental health stigma within ourselves
Why it’s hard for society to accept mental illness
The hierarchy of struggle
The collective trauma people are experiencing during COVID times
Is my struggle worth it?
When to start seeking help and how to navigate the first step
Who to go to: psychiatrists vs. psychologists and other therapists
What is the best therapy out there?
Defining depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and passive suicidal thoughts
Depression and anxiety among athletes
The role of coaches and training partners
Join the adventure!
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If you really enjoyed this episode, we've created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at https://gosonja.com/podcast to download it.
Supporting Resources:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/calpsychiatry-presents-mindstories/id1501515784
https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-weight-of-gold
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provide free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please keep their number in your wallet, in your drawer, or at your bedside. You may not need it, but you might need to give it to a friend.