092 The Importance of Establishing Good Mental Health.

As I am recording this it’s coming up to the end of May and in case you don’t know May has been Mental Health awareness month.    Earlier this month I hosted a room on Clubhouse that we recorded and the topic was “Hairdressers and mental Health”.    Many people shy away from discussing mental health openly as there are often stigmas attached to doing so but I am fortunate enough to have two wonderful human beings join me on this Clubhouse recording to talk openly and honestly about the importance of establishing good mental health.    They are Nina Kovner from Passion squared in the United States and Neil Moodie a high profile London based editorial stylist and both of them have like many of us grappled with their own mental health issues and are sharing their experiences today to help create better awareness and understanding of issues around mental health.   It’s an important podcast so I hope you take the time to listen and I hope you enjoy it…    In This Episode: [03:55] Welcome to the show, Nina and Neil! [05:34] Nina shares her background and answers how you know the difference between feeling low and genuinely depressed? [09:27] Neil shares his background and his experience with mental health. [15:07] Are mental health issues hereditary? If your parents suffered from it, does it mean you will too? [19:15] Nina discusses being a workaholic and how burnout was a trigger for her depression. [23:17] Neil speaks about how his anxiety shows up in his life daily and how he deals with it. [27:48] Do you take medication to even out the chemical imbalance? [30:23] Nina adds her insights into what the medication does for her. [32:17] Nina believes that alcohol and illegal drugs are a way to mask the issues. [36:28] They discuss how marijuana has changed over the years and how strong it is now because it's being grown chemically instead of naturally. [38:21] They talk about the psychedelic drugs produced in the 60s and 70s to help people but then were criminalized. [41:35] Nina says that it is one day at a time that allows you to take the next step. [41:58] What role does diet and exercise play in good mental health? [46:36] Nina says there is no question that food and movement affect your chemistry. [48:58] Neil shares some things that might work for people who have a mental illness. [51:53] Nina discusses how social media can worsen mental health if you don't shut it down. [53:37] Social media is a tool, but it's not a 24/7 thing. [54:47] Neil says he has a love-hate relationship with social media and shares that sometimes it can trigger his anxiety. [58:15] Nina speaks about how a hairdresser can reach out and signs that can identify folks who need help. [1:01:43] Neil talks about how important it is to have a safe space for people to talk about their feelings. [1:06:38] Nina agrees with Neil that talking about things is helpful as long as you have healthy boundaries. [1:09:00] Thank you so much for talking about this with us. Links and Resources Grow My Salon Business Club House @antonywhitaker  Nina Kovner Passion Squared Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Neil Moodie Neil Moodie Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter