JustMates: Recent Episodes

JustMates

Hello and welcome to the Just Mates podcast where we discuss the effects of mental health on men. This podcast is hosted by Nafees Akhtar and Sam Mitchell.

Whatever is discussed can relate to all ages and genders BUT our objective is to remove the stigma behind men not being able to speak up about their thoughts, emotions and other related issues.

You can find us on all socials at JustMatesPod - Youtube - Youtube.com/justmatespod Facebook - facebook.com/justmatespod Instagram - instagram.com/justmatespod Twitter - twitter.com/justmatespod

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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.

Whether you’re a pessimist or optimist by nature, having some form of hope can be crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We, in this podcast often refer to ourselves as optimistic pessimists. Be confident of what the future might hold, but prepare yourself for things not playing out as planned. That is life at the end of the day.

Hope gives us the determination, and sense of empowerment that allows them us reach our goals. Set your objectives straight, envision where you might want to be and surround yourself with people who want the best for you. We hope you enjoy this episode of our podcast!

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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

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Youtube - https://youtu.be/as1TARIh8jU

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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

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Youtube - https://youtu.be/Li-imOaA5T4

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

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

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

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Youtube -  https://youtu.be/IO7RePhVSuU

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

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

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

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According to the NSPCC, “Bullying is behaviour that hurts someone else. It includes name calling, hitting, pushing, spreading rumours, threatening or undermining someone. It can happen anywhere – at school, at home or online. It’s usually repeated over a long period of time and can hurt a child both physically and emotionally.”

In this episode we discuss our experiences of bullying and how it has affected us to this day. Bullying not only occurs in the school playground, but it can follow us to social media and even the workplace. There’s various methods and techniques you can employ to stop this behaviour from happening. The key thing to remember is that you’re not alone and there’s always somebody who can relate or help you in that situation. Understand that bullying on any level is not acceptable, so you shouldn’t have to tolerate it. Understand when to seek help and report incidents when they occur.

“Hurt people, hurt people.” That’s a mindset everybody should employ for empathy, even to the bully. There’s a reason for negative behaviours and sometimes all it can take is a little compassion to sort things out. We hope you enjoy this one and we welcome all feedback.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees AkhtarUse the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Maintaining positive energy involves more than merely thinking happy thoughts. It is the anticipation of good and it is the belief that all things will work out favourably in the end. In this episode we focus on the positive elements of life and how bad things...well... don’t always end up so bad after all. There’s lessons to be learnt around every corner. Instead of saying, “why is this happening to me?”, try to think “why wouldn’t this happen to me?” We know in most difficult situations that this is mostly quite hard to turn into practice. We struggle to take our own advice and that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up.

We cannot simply pray for an easy life. We can only pray for the strength to endure a difficult one. Whatever doesn't challenge you, will not change you. We are strong because we have been weak. We are fearless because we have been afraid. We are wise because we have been foolish. Enjoy.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees AkhtarUse the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Youtube - https://youtu.be/fuFGPjmPtrQ

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We must issue this episode with a warning that content in this podcast is explicit and may be unsuitable for some viewers.

This podcast was majorly difficult to record for both of us.

When people look at us doing a podcast, they might assume that we know all the tips and tricks to keep on top of mental health. The reality is, we are equally as ill prepared as the majority of people when it comes to dealing with these issues. It takes a lot of courage to come forth and speak about these issues, which in return helped one of us begin to heal from trauma. This episode details an experience of recent self-harm and the reason as to why it came to that point. Please do not think that this episode is a cry for help, it's not. We recorded this to show our audience that it's ok to speak up and get help. It's ok to not feel ok. Some days are bright and some are dark. There's always light at the end of the tunnel. Share your experiences with others and seek professional help when necessary. Message us if you are also struggling with self harm.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees AkhtarUse the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Setting goals trigger new behaviours, helps guides your focus and helps you sustain that momentum in life. Whether your goals are short or long term, they will deliver you structure to help shape you as an individual. Simply put, goals give you a starting point and a destination. To reach that destination, you often have to make sacrifices in other areas. Therefore it is vital to set goals that align with who you want to become. We hope you enjoy this episode! 

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Youtube - https://youtu.be/sSnl1nJJjPs

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We can't believe we're at episode 20! Celebrations all round 🎉🍾 It feels like just yesterday that we came up with the concept of Just Mates Podcast 👀 Now we're 20 weeks in and have been consistently uploading every single Friday! 📆 It's been a crazy journey so far, but we've only just begun 📈 We've had some truly amazing guests and discussed numerous crucial topics in the world of mental health 👥 To keep things simple, this a video which encapsulates the past 19 episodes👌 Use this video as a focal point to discover any video content you might like! 📱 If you've been tuning in every week, we'd really appreciate if you'd be an advocate for our cause and share our page! We could be just one share away from breaking the internet, you never know 😉

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar 

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As most of you know, being a parent is no easy task. According to the CPAG, the cost of raising a child (excluding housing, childcare and council tax) from birth to 18 is now: £75,436 for a couple family. £102,627 for a single parent/guardian. That may seem black and white, but it is something potential parents must consider before bringing a life into this world. We always want to make improvements to our child's life based on our childhood experience. We suggest you must be in a positive mental state before having a child. Perhaps you want to be in the perfect location to raise children so that their environment is safe and supportive. Maybe you want your relationship with your spouse to be solid enough so that your kids learn what a loving family truly can be. Obviously, there is no perfect time to have kids. But we strongly suggest you are in the right state in your life to make that decision. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Just Mates Podcast.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees AkhtarUse the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Youtube - https://youtu.be/Pz2z-2nKujM

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Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. SAD can affect you during any season or time of year, but it is most common during the winter months as there is less sunlight. Interestingly enough, when light hits the back of your eye, messages go to the part of your brain that controls sleep, appetite, sex drive, temperature, mood and activity. If there isn't enough light, these functions can slow down and gradually stop. This leads to a disrupted body clock, high melatonin levels and being uncomfortable in colder temperatures. If you have SAD, you might experience some symptoms such as lack of energy, finding it hard to concentrate, sleep problems, diet changes and other symptoms of depression. What can you do to help alleviate these symptoms? Expose yourself to as much sunlight as possible during the day. Peer support, talk therapy and keeping a diary of your mood can be a huge support. Include a structure to your day and create tasks for yourself. Eat and sleep well, maybe even purchase a light clock or seek medication such as SSRIs (Anti-depressants). Remember that this coming Autumn and Winter will be increasingly difficult, bearing in mind the situation with COVID. It is vital that you look after yourself and prepare for the months ahead. There is light at the end of the tunnel. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Just Mates Podcast.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Buildings and the environment can affect our senses, moods, emotions and behavior. This is exactly why good quality design, colours and the use of nature is so important for our mental health.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju6SAawwMUs

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Overthinking is just part of everyday life. You might worry about things like health, money, or family issues. Excessive thinking is linked to numerous psychological problems, like depression and anxiety. Thus, it is at the core of many mental health issues we face today. We often fail to recognise that we are addicted to thinking. Your mind will have a tendency to snowball one thought into another, causing more excessive thinking which exacerbates to original issue presented in your head. Think of your mind like a balloon. Your thoughts represent the air and the physical material (the balloon itself) being your head. If you fill that balloon with too much air, it will eventually pop. This is not to say you're going to actually explode... but in real terms, it could mean you have a mental breakdown or other issues consequentially become present such as depression. It is therefore up to you to let go of some of that air (thoughts) and ensure your head doesn't get overwhelmed. So, what can we do about it? We recommend finding a focus point to concentrate your mental energy so your mind doesn't wander into oblivion. Whether this is meditation, a hobby, going for a walk or even socialising, you might find that a distraction once in a while can help put your mind into order. We acknowledge that the topic is rather broad, but the core of the topic is something that needs to be addressed. Now, for a philosophical question... who is it that is aware that I am thinking? Are you really your thoughts? Let us know your thoughts. We hope you enjoy this episode.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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The rise of social media has meant that we are now connected more than we have ever been before. The speed and exchange of information has numerous ways of benefitting us. From keeping us updating with what's going on in the world, from sharing our ideas, to connecting with the right people. However, social media can be counterproductive to our mental health. Issues such as anxiety, isolation, self-esteem, flash connection, sleep and desensitisation. As young males, we must become aware of the raising concern regarding instant gratification stemmed from consistent use of social platforms. It's hard to recognise that some of the most beautiful and rewarding things in life take patience. Let's be aware of how social media can impact your mental stability and move forward.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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The 5 stages of grief and loss are: Denial/isolation; Anger; Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. People who are grieving do not necessarily go through the stages in the same order or experience all of them. Losing something close to you, whether it be a person, animal or any form of attachment can be a heart wrenching experience. Grief is a natural response to losing someone you care about. There's no right or wrong way to grieve. In this episode we talk about our own experience with the grieving process and how we eventually overcame that obstacle. You must understand that death is a natural process in life. Without sounding too morbid, the death is inevitable for everything and everyone. Often that can be a hard concept to grasp for most individuals and can consequentially cause depression and/or anxiety. The fear of death or "Thanatophobia" is a topic that we believe isn't discussed enough amongst most mental health advocates.

When Steve Jobs was dying from a terminal illness, he stated, “Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent; it clears out the old to make way for the new.” - If you really examine this take on death, you begin to see the real beauty of life. Without death, life has little meaning. If we all coexisted for eternity, wouldn't this just make people nihilistic? Wouldn't your existence just be mundane? Perhaps if immortality was a part of our universe, this would create unnecessary suffering. We agree that this topic is quite involved and can cause a copious amount of head scratching. But we perceive acceptance of passing to be vital in achieving inner peace.

Yes, you have a time stamp on this earth, we all do. But that doesn't mean you can't live your life to the fullest. Without sounding cliche, you do only live once. So, make sure to follow your dreams and passion to have a fulfilled, loving life. You are ready to do beautiful things in this world. We hope you enjoy this episode, and we appreciate any feedback.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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*Please note that we encountered some audio related issues in this episode. Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages their body. We usually do it because something else in your life feels wrong. It may seem like self-harm is the only way to let those feelings out as an outlet for the pain you feel inside. There are various reasons we do this, from escaping memories to punishing ourselves based on past experiences. This short-term release can often bring up incredibly difficult emotions and can make you feel worse because of inflicting damage upon yourself. A study from Young Minds found that 24% of boys age 16 - 24 in the UK self-harm. Shockingly hat is 1 in 4 young males that inflict damage upon themselves in various ways. Warning: it can be upsetting and potentially triggering to read information about how people self-harm. Please proceed with caution upon reading the text below if you are particularly vulnerable at the moment: Cutting, poisoning, over/under eating, burning, hitting yourself or objects, drug/alcohol misuse, pulling hair, unsafe sex and fighting. Knowing how people self-harm is one of the first steps we can take to find comfort in opening up. You are not alone. In this episode we invite Ben Hodgkins on to the podcast to talk about self-harm and how it has affected his life. This is an incredibly heart wrenching topic that so many of us can relate to. We'd like to take a moment to thank Ben for opening up his experience of self-harm as this wasn't exactly an easy topic to discuss. This will hopefully open the door for people alike to share their story. Together we can really get under the skin of the causes of self-harm and what we can do to stop it. We really hope you enjoy this episode. Feedback is always welcome.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Evidence indicates that nutrition may play an important role in the prevention, development, and management of mental health problems. What we eat may also affect the way we feel. Hence, improving your diet may help to help your mental health alongside physical competent of weight loss or gain. In this episode we delve into our personal experiences related to nutrition and how we best recommend you overcome obstacles related to eating disorders.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Anger is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and hostile response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. We all feel angry at times... it's part of being human. Anger is a normal, healthy emotion. It only becomes a problem when it gets out of control and harms you or people around you. That is why it is important to transfer this energy into something positive and productive. In this episode we talk about our own personal experiences with anger and how we've grown to accept it and turn it into something useful. We have some useful tips that will truly help you contain your anger when it's really needed. Learn to make peace with your inner beast - "If you have no teeth, you become too easily pushed around." Become resilient and motivated. Let's do this!

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in mental or physical health problems. The reason we drink, and the consequences of excessive drinking are linked with our mental health. Mental health problems not only result from drinking too much alcohol, they can also cause people to drink too much. A major reason for drinking alcohol is to change our mood or our mental state. Alcohol can temporarily alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression and people often use it a form of ‘self-medication’ but in return it can have a cataclysmic long-term impact on your life and health. In this episode we talk to Simon Mitchell (Sam's Uncle), who's had his fair share of battles with alcohol for many years. Simon goes in to discuss his personal experience relating to alcohol abuse and the best methods of resolution. Simon is the perfect example of an addict who's come out of the other end a better person. From prison to recovery followed by achieving an MBA, selling a highly successful business, to now studying an MSc in Psychology to one day focus on helping addicts. Simon is a real inspiration to all of us. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we are here to raise awareness of substance abuse in relation to mental health.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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Men do feel pressure to be physically fit, successful and on point for most things in life. Both societal and internal pressures inherent this ‘perfect man’ ideal that leads to stress and unnecessary social strain in your life. In today's episode we discuss a number of these pressures and how we best recommend overcoming them. We believe toxic masculinity and pressure on males is not discussed enough in comparison to similar ideals like the feminist movement. It is our job to raise awareness of this since the outcome of these pressures can be detrimental the mental health of you and countless others around you. Let's fight this together.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Toxic people are everywhere in your life. Draining, unsupportive, disrespectful and difficult people are one of life’s greatest challenges. In this episode we discuss 7 types of toxic people and how to deal with them.

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This week we discuss dissociation. If you dissociate, you may feel disconnected from yourself and the world around you. Dissociation is one way the mind copes with too much stress and trauma. As a result you may have an out of body experience and amnesia. You can potentially feel your identity shift and change which a doctor or psychiatrist might call these experiences identity alteration. Depersonalisation may occur, making you feel disconnected from your own body. Derealisation might also happen, which makes you feel disconnected from the world around you. This is your mind's way of trying to protect you from the current environment as it perceives it as a threat. In this episode we talk about methods of reducing dissociation and out experiences of having gone through it.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar  Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Youtube - https://youtu.be/PY7uAurv6tw

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This week we discuss the physical Side-Effects of mental health. Often, we overlook the side effects of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Side effects can range from severe to non-existent. Each and every one of us is different, therefore how we feel may not be exactly the same as how other individuals feel. We can, however, find common ground with the most frequent side effects from these mental illnesses. Self-awareness is of vital importance. Detection of side effects like panic attacks, sweating and dissociation can help identify if there is potentially something wrong with you or people you know. For example, if your spouse has become reclusive, it may be a sign of something which stems from a form of mental illness. It is best not to self-diagnose, but to seek professional medical guidance as the best route forward. Compassion and empathy go a long way.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

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Facebook - facebook.com/justmates

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Youtube - https://youtu.be/fjMUG7qNq7Y

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This week we discuss the impact of University on mental health. If you've got pre-university anxiety, university stress or post university blues, please recognize that you are not alone. Adapting to change can be uncomfortable in any circumstance. You may see that your friends seemingly to have it all together and you are the only one who is experiencing this pain. The university or educational 'bubble' is something that is not widely understood within the field of mental health. Yet, so many of us go through this difficult period not speaking up. We are here to tell you that you're most certainly not alone and we can openly talk about these things. We are here to be your voice and speak for you! 

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

Instagram - instagram.com/justmatespod

Facebook - facebook.com/justmates

Twitter - twitter.com/justmatespod

Youtube - ‬ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBTM_9iQk3c&t=849s‬ 

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This week we discuss the impact of suicide and mental health. We named this episode purpose for the simple reason that this is our vision of the podcast. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. We understand this is a highly sensitive subject. So please be aware that we are merely trying to raise awareness. Our condolences to Greg and his family during this difficult time. Please speak up!

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar Use the hashtag #JUSTMATESPOD on socials and share your thoughts and comments with us!

Instagram - instagram.com/justmatespod

Facebook - facebook.com/justmates

Twitter - twitter.com/justmatespod

Youtube - ‬ https://youtu.be/_1fH3kg-hOM

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In today's episode we discuss Karma. By definition Karma is good or bad luck viewed as resulting from one's actions. We relate this to mental health through our own personal experiences, good and bad. Everything you put into the universe will in some way or another come back in full swing. 

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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

Instagram - instagram.com/justmatespod

Facebook  - facebook.com/justmates

Twitter - twitter.com/justmatespod

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D93AZudS9NU

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In today's episode we discuss the effects of Military life on Mental Health in the UK.  Featuring special guest Lance Corporal Dominic Ezard from the Light Dragoons. The Light Dragoons is a light cavalry regiment in the Adaptive Force. It used to be fast horses that helped these multi-skilled soldiers to cover the battlefield quickly – today it's the Jackal 2 armoured vehicle. Dom has been in the military for close to 7 years. In this episode he delivers a detailed account of what military life is like and how it has affected him.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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

Instagram - instagram.com/justmatespod

Facebook - facebook.com/justmates

Twitter - twitter.com/justmatespod

Youtube - https://youtu.be/zMuIy0KHnKE

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In today's episode we discuss the effects of lockdown on Mental Health in the UK. From recent studies to our own personal experiences, we aim to deliver insight into how lockdown is affecting our lives.

Hosts: Sam Mitchell & Nafees Akhtar

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

Instagram - instagram.com/justmatespod

Facebook - facebook.com/justmates

Twitter - twitter.com/justmatespod

Youtube - https://youtu.be/JeIOuelRdbM‬