School. That smell of anxious teenage fear, disinfectant, plastic chairs and wooden floors.

For many it invokes stress, more fear, anxiety, deep-seeded trauma. For others it was the time of their lives.

Today, Tim & J introduce a new game to go through the highs and lows of school life, and how it shaped our adult selves: Formative or Traumative?

From rogue teachers who really needed sacking, to years of bullying, the positive life experiences and the lifelong lessons learned about self-assurance, they go through it all... they needed a therapy cat in the room for this one.

And in Man vs Mind Uncut – J tells us how a house party he went to as a teenager resulted in all of the house's doors getting lost... seriously.

YOU can get in on the Uncut (and ad-free) action by signing up to the Man vs Mind community on Patreon! Just $5 a month – just something to consider (and click on). www.patreon.com/manvsmindpod

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Get in touch! Email us with your questions or comments at [email protected], send us a message (or a voice note!) on Instagram @ManvsMindPod, and head to www.manvsmindpod.com for our full list of episodes.

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We all get angry. In context, controlled anger is normal, and a healthy expression of having a balanced state of mental health.

But what about when that anger is disproportionate? What do you do if your day is ruined by stubbing your toe, or stepping in a puddle, or if someone cuts you up on your drive to work?

Today, Tim & J go into the trials and tribulations of the Red Emotion. From outbursts to introspection, they explore the range of emotions that exist between pure happiness and a state of rage. Tim explains how he tries (tries) to keep a lid on the little things that wind him up, and how he does his best to take a beat and reflect when he can feel his blood pressure rising.

J, meanwhile, is like a still breeze on an open lake. Just calm AF, baby. Except when there's a sandwich press nearby, then all hell breaks loose.

Get ad-free and extended episodes by becoming a Friend of the Show on Patreon, for just $5 per month!

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Become a Friend of the Show on Patreon to listen to Man vs Mind Uncut (!) every single week... and without the annoying ads, all for just $5 a month! Click here to sign up today

Well, it was smooth sailing for Tim this week, riding the crest of a wave as a monumental life event nears...

... until one thing sent him spiralling while sitting on the toilet.

Today, Tim & J go through the inevitability of trying to remain relentlessly positive and happy. It works, to an extent, but eventually crippling reality finds a way of coming back to bite you in the---

But, they talk it out, the highs, the lows, the everything, and reflect on why we do, in fact, need those fallow periods.

And if you become a Friend of the Show on Patreon, you'll hear about how J spend 3 glorious hours living a life from 300 years ago. Sort of. But it's worth it, so sign up now!

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Get in touch! Email us with your questions or comments at [email protected], send us a message (or a voice note!) on Instagram @ManvsMindPod, and head to www.manvsmindpod.com for our full list of episodes.

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Become a Friend of the Show on Patreon to listen to Man vs Mind Uncut (!) every single week... and without the annoying ads, all for just $5 a month! Click here to sign up today

I'm in the mooooood for [insert appropriate activity here].

Today we're exploring why a good mood can feel suspicious to an anxious brain and how our state shifts across an ordinary day: from the joy of the school run to the hard switch back into dad mode after a day at work.

Tim’s been on top of the world, and J’s smashing through a lesser-spotted productivity streak, so while they're both freakishly optimistic they decide to question it, and unpack mood triggers, how therapy and meds can widen the gap between feeling and reaction, and why refusing to let road-rage or stray comments set the tone can save your entire mood.

We also revive our “fake it till you make it” experiment — not toxic positivity, just testing whether behaviour can nudge emotion without turning you into that insufferably chirpy colleague. Plus, there's a nod to spreading good vibes at work (through an unrelenting abundance of high-fives).

Oh, and Lewis Capaldi, if you're listening, we'll give you a high-five mate.

If you’re enjoying the show PLEASE consider leaving us a 5* rating and a few words to review the show - the algorithm loves it and it’ll help more people find the show ❤️❤️

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Sometimes you don’t need to take a flight. You just need five days where no one emails you.

This week, Tim’s on annual leave – the holy grail of rest and recovery – except it’s somehow turned into a DIY bootcamp that's causing him and his wife too much anxiety.

We’re talking all about what it really means to take a an actual break from at least one major responsibility. We go over the guilt, the need, and the bit where you realise “resting” often means doing all the jobs you’ve been putting off for six months. But hey, being a fully functioning adult is fun, isn't it... right?

From burnout warning signs and therapy analogies to toddler chaos and varnishing planter boxes, this episode is a reminder that rest isn’t laziness — it’s maintenance.

Elsewhere, Tim explains how he repeatedly ended up in hospital, J describes his dream break (surprise, the pub is involved) and to all you October Christmas music players: we see you, and J has a few choice words...

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In the words of the great Catatonia: you give me road rage.

Who they sang about is anyone's guess. But as far as Tim's concerned, it's basically every other road user.

Today, Tim & J give wildly contrasting opinions about attitudes towards their fellow drivers and what pure, unrelenting anger says about the broader state of their mental health. Does driving angry equal living angry? When (if ever) is it justifiable to drop the C-bomb at another driver? And what if there's nothing wrong with us, it's just that everyone else is an idiot?

Meanwhile, Tim gets tailgated by a grannie on the A30 out of Cornwall; J gets banged up by, you guessed it, an idiot; Tim cries (again); and J has a traumatic week chasing copious amounts of bodily fluids, getting into a car accident, and getting taken to hospital in an incident that has nothing to do with the car crash. His wife couldn't get back fast enough...

If you’re enjoying the show PLEASE consider leaving us a 5* rating and a few words to review the show - the algorithm loves it and it’ll help more people find the show ❤️❤️

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What happens when your mind suddenly turns against you?

In this powerful episode of Man vs Mind, Tim shares the story of the day his life changed and his mental health collapsed – the exact moment that sparked nearly a decade of anxiety, self-doubt, and (eventually) recovery.

From a life-altering mental breakdown at work to months of fear, depression, medical confusion, and a lost identity – this is the raw, unfiltered account of how one morning changed everything forever.

It’s about vulnerability, diagnosis, therapy, medication, and the courage to finally ask for help.

If you’ve ever felt “not yourself,” or wondered where your anxiety began, this episode is a must-listen.

(Warning: This episode contains particularly strong language, and detailed descriptions of mental distress.)

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Ahead of World Mental Health Day – 10 October, we sit down with Mark Rowland, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation, for an honest conversation about why men struggle to ask for help — and how we change that. Mark shares a deeply personal story that shaped his life’s work, and we dig into the cultural, generational and biological forces that keep men silent, the cost of staying on autopilot, and the payoff of doing the hard thing: vulnerability.

We talk practicals — how to spot the signs you need support, the “safe first step” to opening up, what to do if you’re not ready to talk yet, and the mindset shift toward intention and psychological flexibility. We cover mates, families, workplaces and services; why strong relationships are the biggest protective factor; and how to move from minimising feelings to naming them and acting.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and self-harm.

Resources & Links

• THAT film from Brighton & Hove Albion FC https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO0YkToDbAV/

• Mental Health Foundation — initiatives and WMHD info: mentalhealth.org.uk

• Contact us: [email protected] · Instagram @ManvsMind

If you’re struggling right now (UK): Samaritans 116 123 (free, 24/7). In an emergency, call 999. You’re not alone.

If you’re enjoying the show PLEASE consider leaving us a 5* rating and a few words to review the show - the algorithm loves it and it’ll help more people find the show ❤️❤️

Head to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content! Just click here or search for Manvsmindpod on Patreon today!

Get in touch! Email us with your questions or comments at [email protected], send us a message (or a voice note!) on Instagram @ManvsMindPod, and head to www.manvsmindpod.com for our full list of episodes.

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We all need it — that little bit of personal space. Alone time. Breathing room.

This week on Man vs Mind, Tim and J dive into the craving to just be left alone for a while. From panic attacks sparked by being constantly “on,” to carving out an hour to decompress after bedtime routines, they explore why personal space is essential — and what happens when you don’t get it.

But can too much alone time tip into isolation? Is it a slippery slope into avoidance or even agoraphobia? The lads unpack the balance, the guilt, and the subtle line between restorative solitude and shutting yourself off from the world.

Along the way:

– Sandwiches, video games, and “prescribed” PlayStation therapy

– Why partners often struggle to take space without guilt

– How alone time shapes identity beyond parent/partner/employee roles

– The extroverted introvert paradox

– And the Non-Certified Therapy Club returns, with raw listener feedback on panic attacks, masculinity, and the models of modern masculinity (dad bods included).

If you’re enjoying the show PLEASE consider leaving us a 5* rating and a few words to review the show - the algorithm loves it and it’ll help more people find the show ❤️❤️

Head to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content! Just click here or search for Manvsmindpod on Patreon today!

Get in touch! Email us with your questions or comments at [email protected], send us a message (or a voice note!) on Instagram @ManvsMindPod, and head to www.manvsmindpod.com for our full list of episodes.

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After a recent, explosive episode, we break down the anatomy of a panic attack. And, crucially, how to break out of one.

What can set one off (stress, overstimulation, caffeine, loss of routine), what’s happening in your body and brain, and what it actually feels like in the moment.

J shares a raw first-hand account of a huge attack that hit him during his recent travels – from racing heartbeat and pins-and-needles to the unshakable feeling of “I’m dying”.

Then there are the aftershocks: how the fear of it happening again can make it happen again, the avoidance traps we fall into, and why anxiety is sticky until we reach the deeper why.

We also cover practical tools to break the cycle — grounding, paced breathing, and the cold-water/ice-cube reset — and how the ideal First Responder helped walk J out of it all unscathed (relatively).

If you’re enjoying the show PLEASE consider leaving us a 5* rating and a few words to review the show - the algorithm loves it and it’ll help more people find the show ❤️❤️

Head to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content! Just click here or search for Manvsmindpod on Patreon today!

Get in touch! Email us with your questions or comments at [email protected], send us a message (or a voice note!) on Instagram @ManvsMindPod, and head to www.manvsmindpod.com for our full list of episodes.

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