The Mental Wellbeing College

Media Portrayals of Mental Illness. In this video, Dr. Anna Ross and I discuss the role of the media in influencing mental representations of people with mental illness, responsible media reporting and stigma in mental illness.

Dr. Anna Ross is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Anna is co-convenor of the 2023 Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network symposium. Anna has published widely on media reporting of serious mental illness, particularly in Australia.

Chapters
0:00 Stigma in Complex Mental Illness
4:15 Stigma Perpetuated in the Media
8:30 Incentives of the Media
18:40 Responsible Media Reporting
26:15 Media Reporting in Australia

Show Notes
SANE Australia- https://www.sane.org/
StigmaWatch- https://www.sane.org/get-involved/adv...
Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma- https://dartcenter.org/
"Experiences reporting on mental illness and suicide: Findings from interviews with Australian news professionals" by Ross et al., 2024
"Evaluation of the StigmaWatch Program's Impact on Media Portrayals of Suicide and Mental Illness" by Ross et al., 2024
"Examining the quality of news media reporting of complex mental illness in relation to violent crime in Australia" by Ross et al., 2023
"“Hotspots” and “copycats”: a plea for more thoughtful language about suicide" by Owens, 2016

Exercise in Psychotherapy. In this video, Dr. Kristin Szuhany and I discuss the benefits of integrating exercise into traditional talk therapy, how psychologists can promote exercise with clients, the latest research on exercise in anxiety disorder treatment and much more...

Dr. Kristin Szuhany is a Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor at New York University Langone. Kristin is the Assistant Director of the NYU Langone Anxiety, Stress, and Prolonged Grief Program. She is a leading researcher in exercise and psychotherapy field.

Chapters
0:00 Kristin’s Research Journey
2:55 Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health
10:10 Exercise in the Therapy Space
15:20 Why Exercise May Help With Exposure Therapy
22:50 Integrating Exercise in Psychotherapy
37:20 An Example of Exercise in Therapy
45.00 Barriers to Engaging in Exercise
55:40 Making Exercise More Feasible

Show Notes
"Efficacy evaluation of exercise as an augmentation strategy to brief behavioral activation treatment for depression: a randomized pilot trial" by Szuhany and Otto (2019)
"A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor" by Szuhany et al., (2015)
"The impact of exercise interventions on sleep in adult populations with depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress: review of the current evidence and future directions" by Szuhany et al., (2024)
"Exercise for Mood and Anxiety: Proven Strategies for Overcoming Depression and Enhancing Well-Being" by Otto and Smits (2011)
"Exercise Augmentation of Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Rationale and Pilot Efficacy Data" by Powers et al., (2015)
"Aerobic exercise and consolidation of fear extinction learning among women with posttraumatic stress disorder" by Crombie et al., (2021)
"Anxiety symptom interpretation: A potential mechanism explaining the cardiorespiratory fitness-anxiety relationship" by Williams et al., (2016)
"The relationship between physical activity and anxiety and its disorders" by Utschig et al., (2023)
"Clarifying the Link Between Distress Intolerance and Exercise: Elevated Anxiety Sensitivity Predicts Less Vigorous Exercise" by Hearon et al., 2012

In this episode, we discuss the plight of mental illness and unique risk factors for mental illness in developing countries, the poverty trap and much more...

Chapters
0:00 Show Intro
1:54 Is MI a Western Problem Only?
3:10 Risk Factors in Developing Countries
8:30 Mental Health Stigma
11:30 The Poverty Trap
16:48 Possible Solutions

Show Notes
"The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development" by Patel et al., 2018
"Mental Health Service Provision in Low- and Middle-Income Countries" by Rathod et al., 2017
"World mental health report: Transforming mental health for all" by WHO, 2022
"Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017"
"Brain drain among Sri Lankan psychiatrists" by Chandradasa and Kuruppuarachchi (2023)
"Why are we still living in the past? Sri Lanka needs urgent and timely reforms of its archaic mental health laws" by Hapangama et al., 2023

In this Masterclass, we dive into all things healthy habits with 4 leading researchers and experts. We explore how to build healthy habits, the importance of intrinsic motivation, how long it takes to build a habit and much more...

The Adonis Complex. In this episode, we discuss the mental illness of Muscle Dysmorphia, otherwise known as Bigorexia, Reverse Anorexia and The Adonis Complex.

Chapters
0:00 What is Muscle Dysmorphia?
4:10 Why is Muscle Dysmorphia Increasing?
6:30 Who is At Risk of Muscle Dysmorphia?
9:35 Disordered or Dedicated?
15:30 Treating Muscle Dysmorphia

Show Notes
"Change in sociocultural ideal male physique: An examination
of past and present action figures" by Baghurst et al., 2006
"Evolving ideals of male body image as seen through action toys" by Pope et al., 1999
"‘The day you start lifting is the day you become forever small’: Bodybuilders explain muscle dysmorphia" by Underwood et al., 2022
https://youtu.be/rVHVqoXLwgE?si=gF-zRgxlr74T1ll4
"Body Image" The Mental Wellbeing College Podcast episode with Dr. Nick Galli