Over the last decade, there's been an increase in the number of people, particularly young adults, who struggle with low moods, distractibility, and anxiety and consequent difficulties with getting their life on track and making progress in work, friendship, and romance.
In addressing these difficulties, people are often given or adopt a mental health diagnosis, and look for a solution in therapy and/or medication.
My guest isn't opposed to these remedies. She is herself a clinical psychologist who's maintained a practice for a quarter century that specializes in treating clients in their twenties. But Dr. Meg Jay, who's also the author of The Twentysomething Treatment, believes that a lot of what young adults, and in fact adults of all ages, struggle with, aren't disorders that need to be treated, but problems that can be solved.
In the first half of our conversation, Meg explains what's behind the decline in mental health for young adults and how it's bigger than just smartphones. We discuss the dangers of self-diagnosis, the potential downsides of using medications to treat mental health issues, and why she advocates for "skills over pills." In the second half of our conversation, we talk about how mental health gets better when we get better at life, and what skills twentysomethings, and many older adults, need to develop, including the skills of thinking, feeling, working, socializing, and even cooking. We also discuss how porn is affecting the young men in her practice and an alternative to being a self-assurance junkie.
Resources Related to the PodcastDown With Pseudo-Productivity: Why We Need to Transform the Way We Work
The 5 Factors for Crafting Simple (Read: Effective!) Messages
The Misconceptions of HIIT (And the Role It Can Play in Your Fitness Routine)
The Making of a Stoic Emperor
The Secrets of Supercommunicators
7 Journaling Techniques That Can Change Your Life
Busting the Myths of Marriage — Why Getting Hitched Still Matters
Chasing Shackleton — Re-creating the World’s Greatest Journey of Survival
Night Visions — Understand and Get More Out of Your Dreams
Shakespeare on How Leaders Rise, Rule, and Fall
Launch a Million-Dollar Business This Weekend
The Case for Minding Your Own Business
The Mundanity of Excellence
A Guide to Protecting Yourself Against Unexpected Violence
Come Alive Again by Having More Fun
An Insider's Guide to the Rise of the American Mafia
How Curiosity Conversations Can Supercharge Your Success
Feeling Depressed and Discombobulated? Social Acceleration May Be to Blame
The Power of NEAT — Move a Little to Lose a Lot
The Feel-Good Method of Productivity
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West