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Mental As Anyone

A podcast to promote and raise awareness of mental health issues in comedians and entertainers by exploring views on mental health (from personal experience, or observations of peers and loved ones, or society in general).
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Mental As Anyone
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Now displaying: 2017
Feb 25, 2017

Interview with Adelaide Comedian Georgie Carroll, who very graciously made time for a chat during her flying visit to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago.  Georgie started comedy about 6 years ago, and now travels all over Australia to perform.  Georgie has a 2017 MICF show called Gauze And Affect, which you can see at Fort Delta from 28th March to 8th April.

We discuss: How Georgie got started in comedy, the origins of her comedy festival show, the martyrdom of nurses, the lack of mental health support in Australia, kids with anxiety, episodic nature of depression or anxiety, restrictions on hospital patients, problems with ice, patients presenting with hopelessness, improvements in the Adelaide health system, lack of funding for “unfashionable disorders”, Melbourne moving the homeless, The Melbourne Look, having a strong sense of adventure, assimilating into Australian culture, having a happiness barometer, swimming in the sea on NYE to gather perspective, preparing for her kids to enter teenage years, Georgie’s super power, and her message to be kind to others.

Feb 11, 2017

Interview with Sean Bedlam, who is a Melbourne Comedian and Political Activist.  Sean is currently doing his comedy via social media, and has a video series called The Furore coming out soon.

We discuss: The love of performing vs reality of performing, being informed to inform others, having a breakdown in his 20s, the limits of mental health support provided by Centrelink, classism and mental health treatment, Sean’s sunstroke episode, self-care by stopping what he’s doing, choosing not to fight negative thoughts, acting on things in his control, the problem of paranoia about what others are thinking, family issues, receiving the message that sadness is weakness, reconnecting with his Mum later in life, having to let people go and managing guilt, challenges from childhood and from growing up in a war service area, secrecy/violence/suicides/shut-downs, enjoyment from pointing out injustices, having the gift of the gab, showbiz people always trying to fit in, emerging signs of fascism, some dos and don’ts of self-care, the importance of daily exercise, the joys of Nexflix and reading, message that if you don’t want to meditate, don’t!, and to take stock of life every now and again.

Feb 10, 2017

Interview with Cherie Smith, who started comedy about 2 years ago as a way to meet people after moving to Melbourne. You will often find Cherie at open-mic rooms or the Comic’s Lounge, and she appeared on the ABC’s Hard Quiz last year. Cherie also co-runs the Comedy Women’s Association room every 3rd to 4th Tuesday in Footscray – follow the page on Facebook for upcoming dates.

We discuss: the pros and cons of taking a redundancy package, burn out, feminism and making a point with her comedy, awareness of triggers, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, situational mental health issues, running her own race, the ebb and flow of emotions, acting in accordance with values, workplace injury and emotional abuse, handling suicidal thoughts, the benefits of counselling, not apologising for tears, hating vulnerability, the 7 habits of highly effective people and the circle of influence, Facebook misery and hope, confirmation bias, the Mr Rogers meme, the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, love of Tai Chi, comedy & socialising, the benefits of cutting back on alcohol, the ice epidemic in country Victoria, Cherie’s super power, and her message that you are never alone and make sure you talk to someone if you're struggling.

Jan 28, 2017

Interview with Comedian Sharon Andrews, who started comedy pretty much by accident a couple of years ago at Aireys Pub.  Sharon now performs regularly in Melbourne, and also co-runs the Red Door comedy room in Geelong (on the first Thursday of the month) for the Surf Coast community as well as visitors from Melbourne.  You can catch Sharon’s first solo show in May at the Butterfly Club – it’s called People With Glass Dildos Shouldn’t Throw Stones.

We discuss: Sharon’s academic approach to start comedy, her fear of public speaking but being up for the challenge, being diagnosed with depression 12 years ago, consciously considering how to actively look after her mental health, teething problems with anti-depressants, the absence of information about how to come off anti-depressants, research and views on medication, the issue of people tending to stay on anti-depressants for the long-term, the contested view of prescribing anti-depressants with people expressing suicidality, awareness of protective factors, listening carefully to herself and her needs, reframing unhelpful/anxiety-provoking self-talk with reassuring thoughts and worst-case scenario planning, mindfulness at the beach, Sharon’s super power, and her general message that you are more powerful than you think – you have great capacity to contribute to your wellbeing and seek out people and things to bring you joy and enhance your life, and also to choose to avoid things that do not.

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