Recovery is the single most important part of any process that requires performance. Whether it be in the gym, at work or recording a podcast, taking time out is vital. We initially stood down for a number of weeks to catch our breath and focus on other things.

But it seems life swept us up from our feet and we were dragged into other things that consumed our time. This is not a bad thing, in fact it’s just setting goals and priorities straight for the time being”  During this time we’ve had an opportunity to reflect and above all...chill out.

There’s no shame in taking a time out for your mental health. We couldn’t recommend it more.   Now we’re back with more energy than ever before! We hope you enjoy this week’s podcast! Love x

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Studies have shown that having hope for the future helps build our resilience. Whilst losing hope can result in anxiety and other related mental health problems.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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How can I build my confidence and self-esteem? These are often two very difficult questions which most of us face at some point in our life. Confidence levels can change throughout your life and across different areas of your life. Many things can influence your confidence, for example your thoughts, feelings, actions and past experiences. 

That is why we as humans vary from person to person in how confident we feel in ourselves. There is not one size fits all answer to improve your self esteem. However, in this podcast we touch upon several suggestions as to how you can improve your confidence and rise above issues that causes lower self esteem. Enjoy! 

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Bipolar disorder is portrayed as extreme shifts in mood. Symptoms can include an extremely elevated mood, often referred to as mania. On the other end of the spectrum, you can have episodes of depression. This is an incredibly complicated mental illness which is often very difficult to pinpoint its route cause. We may throw around the term bipolar to describe somebody who’s mood shifts on the occasion. When in reality, somebody with this disorder is truly suffering for weeks and perhaps even years on end. We advise you don’t throw that word around a lot as it can really devalue people who are struggling. In this episode we talk through types of bipolar disorder and treatment. Obviously, we are not qualified to speak about this stuff and perhaps some things we say could be wrong. However, we chose to discuss information from accredited sources and speak up about this vital mental health problem. We hope you enjoy this one just as much as we enjoyed recording it. 

Reference Links to Bipolar Disorder:

• https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/medication/about-medication/

• https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

Friendships are something you never outgrow. They are integral to sustaining your mental health. Having strong friendships can increase your sense of belonging and purpose. They can boost your happiness, reduce stress, Improve your self-confidence and self-worth. This is why it is vital to invite the right people into your circle as we strongly believe your friends will shape who you are. Good friendships should not only challenge you, they should encourage you to flourish. Welcome to the 30th episode of the just mates podcast and the 1st episode of 2021.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

Simply put, this has been a tough year. Chances are, it’s probably not going to get any easier anytime soon and life will never be the same. Take from that what you will, since the pandemic a lot of things have changed. But you don’t need us to tell you that. 

We wanted to take this time to reflect on 2020 and the good things to come out of it. We’ve realised above all that we as humans are stupidly tough and resilient. Be thankful for hardship as it shapes you into the person you are today. Nothing worthwhile in life comes easy. Although we cannot predict if this mayhem will come to a close in 2021, it’s worth mentioning that you can get through whatever is thrown at you. Thank you for taking the time to listen to our podcast throughout 2020, we love you people. This is only the beginning.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

Using the right methods to treat mental health is perhaps one of the most important topics of our generation. From medication to mobile apps, there’s always a solution for everyone. In this episode we dive into these topics with accredited research from various sources to give you the right advice. Note that some of the things we talk about on here are very taboo. We are only advising you conduct the appropriate research before taking any form of treatment. We hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast. *In this episode we incurred some recording issues causing the speech to overlap*

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

Burnout is defined as, “the extinction of motivation or incentive, especially where one's devotion to a cause or relationship fails to produce the desired results.” The routes to burnout are linked to excessive stress that eventually leads to complete mental and physical exhaustion. There are numerous things you can do to avoid burning out. Such as talking to friends, hitting the gym or even doing absolutely nothing. Allow your brain to relax and take time to slow down. We hope you enjoy this episode.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

Holding on to regret can be all-consuming and destructive. A lot of regret involves blaming ourselves for a bad outcome, feeling a sense of loss at what might have been, or wishing we could undo decisions we made. Handling emotions caused by regret is often a difficult obstacle to overcome. You may find yourself losing confidence, not wanting to be around people, and being more self-deprecating than necessary.

This is all part of the process of becoming wise enough to make sense of the past and learn from your mistakes. Doing this has the power to improve the future. All professionals were once amateurs. Think about that for a second. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Just Mates Podcast.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

People with depression and anxiety are three times more likely to be in debt. Other studies have even found a link between debt and suicide. Poor mental health can mean managing your money is harder. 

Worrying about money can make your mental health worse. It’s a vicious cycle. Keeping in control of your finances is therefore vital to ensure your mental health is stable. In this episode we talk about our suggestions for keeping a lock on your wallet for a brighter future.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar