Renegade Ape - Psychology, Philosophy, and the Overton Wasteland

Steven C. Hayes joins us to discuss the foundations ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and the limits of CBT.

What exactly is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and how does it differ from, and improve upon traditional CBT? We discuss the concept of psychological flexibility and its role in either preventing or provoking the development of mental health issues, whether or not there is value in addressing issues from your past, the importance of self-compassion during periods of psychological distress, how to discover your own personal values, and putting it all together, in Steve’s own words: "How to back out of the war within, come into the present moment, focus on what we care about, and get on with the business of living".

*** BOOKS MENTIONED ***

Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: http://amzn.to/2jRZFPy

The Happiness Trap: http://amzn.to/2jxJPbZ

The Mindful Way Through Depression: http://amzn.to/2jxG0mQ

Radical Acceptance: http://amzn.to/2jpWWOK

DISCLAIMER: My Own Worst Enemy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

How does procrastination relate to things like depression and anxiety? Today Dr. Tim Pychyl helps us explore the emotional factors that initiate and drive procrastination, how procrastination can affect not only our mental, but our physical health and wellbeing, and increase our chances of things like coronary heart disease.

We discover why we’re terrible at forecasting our future moods and why you’ll never “feel like doing it tomorrow”, how to grease the wheels of productivity and boost your willpower, and why Homer Simpson might have something very profound to teach us about how we treat our future selves.

*** BOOKS MENTIONED ***

Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: http://amzn.to/2je6FWi

Backsliding, Understanding Weakness of Will: http://amzn.to/2jdTvZf

The Courage to Be: http://amzn.to/2ieyiQh

The Courage to Teach: http://amzn.to/2jyXzqr

Man's Search for Meaning: http://amzn.to/2iexESY

The Slow Professor: http://amzn.to/2ic3Cw3

The Art of Procrastination: http://amzn.to/2iXUih7

Getting Things Done: http://amzn.to/2ieAQyc

DISCLAIMER: My Own Worst Enemy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

What are panic attacks and why do they happen? Can panic attacks kill you? Can they make you lose your mind? Or are they just a completely harmless, albeit horrendous natural bodily function?

In today's episode Prof. Vijaya Manicavasagar joins me to discuss the twin topic of panic disorder and agoraphobia. We discuss how panic disorder and agoraphobia are related, how and why the one develops into the other, and most importantly the various treatments options available, including a couple of self-help suggestions.

*** BOOKS MENTIONED ***

"Overcoming Panic" https://amzn.to/2N86n4a

DISCLAIMER: My Own Worst Enemy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

Professor Elyn Saks is an award winning academic, best selling author, and lives with chronic schizophrenia.

In today's episode we explore what it like to have schizophrenia, the nature and content of delusions and hallucinations, Elyn's experience as a patient in psychiatric hospitals in both the US and UK and how they differ, the stigma associated with the illness and whether the name of schizophrenia should be changed to something less stigmatized. We also talk about Elyn's study of high-functioning people with schizophrenia, such as PhD candidates, teachers, and CEOs, and how a parrot played a pivotal role in Elyn eventually finding love.

*** BOOKS MENTIONED ***

"The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness" https://amzn.to/2K1cQfw

DISCLAIMER: My Own Worst Enemy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

What does it really mean to have OCD? In today's episode Professor Paul Salkovskis explains the various manifestations of OCD and their corresponding behaviours, we discover why OCD is an “affliction of the nice”, why the average sufferer waits 11 years before seeking treatment, why the media and general public think it’s okay to mock the condition, and why ultimately OCD is "an unnecessary illness".

*** BOOKS MENTIONED ***

"Break Free from OCD" https://amzn.to/2MsKooz

DISCLAIMER: My Own Worst Enemy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

Today I speak to best-selling author of "Feeling Good" and pioneer of the cognitive therapy movement David D. Burns M.D.

We discuss the origins and trajectory of his career, the chemical imbalance "myth", his phenomenally successful self-help book "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy", the 10 cognitive distortions, his development of a new approach to cognitive therapy known as T.E.A.M therapy, and much more.

*** BOOKS MENTIONED ***

"Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" http://amzn.to/2gezmC0

DISCLAIMER: My Own Worst Enemy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

In today's episode I talk with Professor Alison Yung from the University of Manchester about psychosis, susceptibility and early intervention.

What is psychosis? How real are hallucinations and delusions? Are the likes of Fight Club and Mr Robot accurate depictions of psychotic episodes, or just Hollywood hyperbole? Who is most susceptible to this illness, and what can we do to intervene?

In this episode I talk to Professor Chris Dowrick from the University of Liverpool about the topic of depression and the problems of diagnosis.

How do we define depression? Is depression the result of a "chemical imbalance"? Can you be genetically predisposed to it? Why are doctors so quick to prescribe medication? And is your GP even trained to spot depression?