The inspiration for starting a podcast is intrinsically personal – Tom Davies has used his own journey as the foundation for his highly regarded Proper Mental Podcast, a show which leaves no stone unturned for mental health. Tom has always been beautifully open about his own experiences:

“I started Proper Mental to create the sort of platform that I needed when I was struggling. Initially it was going to be a short series of conversations but it seemed to resonate with so many people it made more sense to start making a weekly show.

In 2016 my mental health declined to the point of collapse and I experienced a breakdown. I didn’t tell anyone what was happening to me. Mental health just wasn’t on my radar and I’d never heard anyone I could relate to talk about being poorly. I didn’t have the words to describe what was going on, I didn’t know who I could tell if I did. I thought I was going ‘Proper Mental’.”

Tom’s audience continues to grow and the national award nominations are also starting to roll in – but Tom makes it clear that the outreach of the podcast is the most rewarding part of the process.

“It wasn’t until I started speaking openly about my mental health and listening to others talk about their own experiences that I could really start working towards recovery. Speaking to so many people has given me an incredible understanding of my own mental health journey and a fascinating insight into what other people are going through.

I make the podcast so that anyone who listens might feel less alone, get a better understanding of their own experiences or gain insight into the experiences of others and maybe find out about organisations, support systems or self-care techniques that they might not know much about.”

As with any aspect of mental health, Tom has to skilfully and humbly steer the conversations with his guests.

“It feels like a real privilege to be able to hold space for my guests and the fact that they trust me with their stories is an honour I will never take lightly. I recently recorded an episode with a street artist, and former soldier called Jay Wheeler, who was medically discharged. It was incredibly moving and I couldn’t be prouder of how we navigated such a challenging story. Another episode that was an incredible experience was one I recorded with my wife. We talked through my experience with mental ill health from her perspective and the effect it had on our family and that resonated with a massive amount of people.”

The Proper Mental Podcast has plans to continue, and Tom is also putting a lot of time into further outreach efforts.

“I did my first live show last year, it was really well received and a lot of fun. I’m currently in the process of pulling together everything I’ve learned from almost 100 conversations about mental health and putting it all into a talk that I’d like to deliver to schools, workplaces or at events. I try to introduce my listeners to charities and organisations that they might not be aware of and speak to experts about different aspects of support and self-care so anyone listening can get a better idea of what’s out there.”

Listen to Proper Mental on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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I’ve curated (or should I say ‘prescribed’) a selection of seven podcasts that cover different conditions. Whether you’re personally affected by an invisible disability or know someone who is, these shows serve to raise awareness and cultivate understanding.

Invisibly Ill

In 2023, three Kiwi women in their thirties started a podcast on the ups and downs of their respective experiences with invisible illnesses simply because they couldn’t find one. And in fact, there aren’t a lot of shows out there that don’t focus on one specific disability, or that aren’t affiliated with charities or support groups, which is why I think this is an ideal starting point for anyone seeking understanding and connection in their journey. Laura, Jenny, and Maeghan cope with separate illnesses (post-surgery chronic back pain, GERD, and triple-positive breast cancer), but what is great is that they always find common ground in the challenges they face daily. From diagnosis to recovery and coping with side effects, they openly share personal stories and mental health updates, creating a safe space through sometimes hopeful, sometimes raw talk. If you’ve ever heard the dismissive phrase ‘but you don’t look sick’, or any of its variables (‘it’s all in your mind’ and ‘you’re probably just stressed’ being strong contenders), you’ll love this as much as I do. Listen now >>

The Sick Gaze

Healthcare can pose extra challenges for women, particularly those with chronic illnesses. That’s precisely why we need more podcasts like The Sick Gaze, which explores how long-lasting invisible disorders affect women’s well-being, relationships, and self-identity. The cover art is what first drew me in—because it literally is just that: art. The more I look at it, the more it reminds me of a pop art, female version of Edward’s Munch ‘The Scream’. The title of this show is inspired by Laura Mulvey’s feminist concept of male gaze, which I also think is brilliant. Hosted by Molly Dickerson, a student in Public Health and Medical Humanities, the show centres mostly on young people and opts for interviews over casual conversations. This podcast advocates for a fairer healthcare system by tackling not just gender but also racial disparities, another issue that is unfortunately frequently overlooked. I thought the ‘Hear Black Women!’ episode was a powerful and very important account on that topic. Listen now >>

The Neurodivergent Woman

About 15-20% of people are neurodivergent, so there is a good chance you might know someone who is. Michelle Livock, a clinical neuropsychologist, and Monique Mitchelson, a (neurodivergent!) clinical psychologist, reached a pivotal moment in their careers when they recognized the disparity between the high number of patients seeking their assistance for neurodivergence and the limited education they had received on the matter. When I listened to the first episode of the podcast, I found this take very refreshing, as it’s something of a rarity to witness health professionals openly acknowledge their limitations. I truly believe anyone who goes out of their way to learn something because they’re genuinely curious about it is likely to be great at passing on that knowledge in a way that will actually stick to your brain. There is evidence that women are more likely to be misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed for neurodivergence, and Michelle and Monique focus on bridging the gender gap by helping women to embrace their brain’s distinct wiring rather than feeling constrained by it. From Autism to ADHD and beyond, they delve into topics like identification, sensory regulation, education and expression. Listen now >>

Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking

Who said people with learning disabilities couldn’t be some of the smartest in their field? Dyslexia is often portrayed in a negative light, and it’s a real shame that we don’t hear as much about the unique strengths that come with dyslexic thinking. Lateral thinking. Visual memory. A knack for creative problem-solving. All things I could use more of, to be honest. Hosted by Kate Griggs, the founder of global charity Made By Dyslexia, Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking explores how dyslexic thinking can be harnessed to bring about positive change in our world, offering an uplifting perspective on this invisible disability. In every episode, Kate interviews accomplished individuals spanning a wide array of fields, ranging from chefs and make-up artists to CEOs and celebrities you might not have known were dyslexic, like Hollywood actor Michael Provost. One of the first episodes even focuses on how UK intelligence agencies use dyslexic thinking to protect the country! Need I say more? Listen now >>

A Bipolar, a Schizophrenic and a Podcast

A winning combination indeed! Just as the podcast title suggests, Gabe grapples with bipolar disorder while Michelle battles schizophrenia. On paper, this already sounds like an explosive cocktail personality-wise. But just wait until you hear Gabe and Michelle tease each other for 40 minutes straight. The two have known each other IRL for a long time, so together, they have the type of ‘frenemies’ banter (their words, not mine) that’s sure to keep you laughing. If you’re anything like me and serious discussions about difficult topics tend to exacerbate your pre-existing worries, this show is for you. The high energy and sense of humour brought by the co-hosts really balances out the gravity of the matters being tackled. Both of them are champions for mental health awareness on and off the mic, so they are also very knowledgeable and encouraging. You can really tell they have been doing this weekly podcast for many years—if you want to dig up the first seasons, you’ll find them tucked away in their website’s archive section! Listen now>>

CUTI

We’re all familiar with UTIs, but what about chronic UTIs? CUTI is a narrative, short podcast about Chronic Urinary Tract Infections, an illness predominantly affecting women that is often misconstrued or questioned by medical practitioners due to its recent acknowledgment. First of all, it’s really rare to find health podcasts that aren’t conversational. CUTI has a mix of heartfelt patient’s accounts, pretty ground-breaking expert insights considering how under the radar this disease is, and well-written scripted voiceover. I don’t have any links with the topic, and yet that storytelling element dragged me from the first episode, and I found myself wanting to learn more about this condition. Not only does this series underscore the misconceptions surrounding chronic UTIs, but it also addresses the significant waste of time and energy resulting from them, between misdiagnoses, dismissive treatment, and delayed recognition—an endless cycle that anyone with an invisible disease can relate to (yes, we’re all traumatized). Listen now >>

This Podcast Will Kill You

Ever wished to delve into the historical backdrop of a disease and unravel how it shapes our current understanding of it? If you’re a science nerd, or even a history nerd, you’re bound to love This Podcast Will Kill You. While not exclusively focused on invisible illnesses, this conversational podcast features numerous episodes addressing conditions like long COVID, vision impairment or lupus—lesser-known/more ‘recent’ diseases your GP might not be so knowledgeable about. Each episode of this show kicks off with a firsthand account from a patient and concludes with an exploration of the current global status of the disease and promising new treatments, ending on a positive note. Co-hosts Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke, both accomplished scientists, do a fantastic job at making medical research accessible, and even manage to sprinkle some humour along the way. When I first listened to the podcast, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities in dynamic and format with iHeart’s Stuff You Missed in History Class, and that’s a compliment because it’s one of the first podcasts I fell in love with. Listen now >>

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Eloïse Bertil is an emerging French-English bilingual podcast producer, marketer and writer from Reunion Island, now based in London.

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Content Warning: these podcasts talk about the real experiences of living with mental illnesses. Content includes addiction, post-partum psychosis, depression, hearing voices, bipolar disorder and living in a secure psychiatric hospital.  

I wanted to offer a long list of recommendations for podcasts about mental health. But as I began writing the article, I became a bit overwhelmed by how many there are! It’s fantastic to see that mental health and wellbeing podcasts are becoming more mainstream.

For general mental health conversations, I definitely encourage you to go and listen to amazing shows like Happy Place, Griefcast, Terrible, Thanks for Asking and of course Scroobius Pip’s mental health specials.

There are, however, far fewer podcasts focused on mental illness – which is slightly different to mental health. We all have mental health on a spectrum of ‘good’ to ‘bad’. But around 1 in 4 of us will also have a clinical mental illness at some point in our life. Conditions such depression, psychosis, bipolar disorder can still hold a lot of stigma, but podcasts are great way to learn more about the realities of such conditions.

So for this article, I want to highlight some podcasts about specific mental illness diagnoses, where we can listen to the people that live with them. I hope you find these episodes useful.

OLOGIES WITH ALIE WARD
Addictionology (ADDICTION) with Erin Parisi

In the Ologies podcast, science communicator Alie Ward talks to different scientists (or ‘ologists’) about their field of expertise. Whilst many episodes are whimsical (Pumpkins! Jellyfish!) others are more serious. I wasn’t expecting this episode about addiction, but it has been one of the most useful. It covers both substance and behavioural addiction in a non-judgemental way. Knowing someone with an addiction myself, it was a real insight into the behaviours and interventions. Listen on your podcast app >>

ON THE WARD
S1:Ep5 | On the Ward: Your questions answered

Created by St Andrew’s Healthcare, this podcast is hosted by staff nurse John-Barry Waldron, who has worked there for 15 years, ‘On the Ward’ challenges some of the myths and taboos around complex mental illness in the UK today, as it explores what really happens behind the walls of a secure psychiatric hospital. This episode is a good point of entry, as it answers some common listener questions – which cover everything from electric shock therapy, to the routine of the hospital. Listen on your podcast app >>

THE HILARIOUS WORLD OF DEPRESSION
Movies That Get Depression Right

“A show about clinical depression…with laughs?” Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, and yet it is still often stigmatised by society. The Hilarious World of Depression tackles it with laughs. Hosted by comedian John Moe, he talks to other comedians who have lived with depression. Unsurprisingly, putting multiple comics on a podcast makes anything funny! This episode is the opposite of Mad Chat, and looks at the films that give an accurate portrayal of depression. Listen on your podcast app >>

ZOMBIEMUM
Catherine Cho | ‘I’d better act sane’

For illustrator and writer Laura Dockrill, becoming a mum was life-changing in a very unexpected way. After a traumatic delivery Laura was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis. It’s a serious mental illness that affects around 1 in 500 women, yet people rarely talk about it. In Zombiemum, Laura talks to other parents about aspects of motherhood that aren’t discussed enough. In this episode, she speaks to writer and literary agent Catherine Cho. They discuss their shared experience of postpartum psychosis, the cultural and familial pressures she faced when having a child, and the ways she explored this through writing her memoir ‘Inferno’. Listen on your podcast app >>

MENTALLY YOURS
Mental Illness in Literature

A weekly mental health podcast from Metro.co.uk, journalists Ellen Scott and Yvette Caster chat to people who have lived with mental illness. What adds to the authenticity of this podcast is the fact that Ellen has OCD, depression and anxiety, whilst Yvette has bipolar disorder and binge eating disorder. ‘Mental Illness in Literature’ is an interesting look at the way culture adds to stigma around conditions. Listen on your podcast app >>

MENTAL
Transition Plus Anxiety, labels and finding the real you with Miss Peppermint

Mental was created by Bobby Temps to break down mental health stigma and discrimination, and does not shy away from the true experiences of living with a diagnosis. In this episode Bobby speaks to singer, host and drag icon Peppermint to explore gender transition as a factor in mental health. But the talk also goes into alcoholism as a sickness, how it affects the family and much more. Listen on your podcast app >>

MINDCAST
Bryony’s story

MIND is one of the most prominent mental health charities in the UK and is a great resource for information, support and help. Their website has resources on a wide range of mental health problems… Their podcast is much harder to find! But it’s worth it to listen to the first-hand accounts of what it feels like to live with specific mental health problems. There are nine episodes in total, covering a range of topics such as OCD, crisis, bipolar, psychosis and more. I would recommend Bryony’s story where she talks about the challenges of being a full time carer and managing her bipolar disorder. Listen on the MIND website or  listen on your podcast app >>

MAD CHAT
Six Feet Under

Mad Chat is one of those genius podcasts that was sadly short-lived.  Host, Sandy Allen, invites a guest to discuss a piece of pop culture through the lens of their lived experience of mental illness. You quickly find out how wrong media’s portrayal of ‘madness’ is. The show discussed classics such as Dawson’s Creek, BoJack Horseman, Killing Eve and Donnie Darko. In this episode, they unpack the TV show Six Feet Under in context of Hearing Voices activism. The RSS feed for this show seems to be no more, but you can still listen on YouTube >>

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I got my start in life as a personal trainer over two decades ago and woke one day to find myself as the CEO of a $1 billion dollar company living in Chicago! After a massively adventurous childhood my life lost its adventurous edge, work and other commitments quickly took priority and my passion and desire for adventure was suppressed. After a series of life changing moments something had to change. Soon my family and I were heading home to the UK to hit reset. I am a father of 4, in my mid-40’s and I had just discovered I was seriously depressed despite all the trappings of success. I was suffering with anxiety and knew I needed to change trajectory. I began reconnecting with nature, in the great outdoors, to make space to think and soon began to reignite that adventurous joy from my childhood. In 2020, to share how transformational it had been for me, I launched the 28 Summers podcast – inspired by an interview with Jesse Itzler on the Impact Theory podcast. What started as a passion project quickly evolved – my story and those of my inspirational guests is already helping people from all walks of life reignite their spark and passion for adventure. After launching in July 2020 I have just released my 25th episode!

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I don’t really recall the first ever podcast I listened to but I do remember the first one which had a really profound impact on me. It was 2018 and Tom Bilyeu was interviewing Jesse Itzler, a super successful serial entrepreneur and author. They were discussing where Jesse’s zest for life and passion for optimising every moment came from. Jesse explained that he had just turned 50 and that the average life expectancy for a male in the USA was 78 years. He shared with Tom that he had recently become fixated with the idea he might only have 28 summers left. For days after watching that interview I grappled with the idea that our individual atomic clock is counting down and we have no idea when it will hit zero. But what if we did? If we did know, what decisions might we make? How might we live our lives differently? In that moment the idea for my podcast was born – in its simplest form, it’s focused on the idea of living everyday adventurously and embracing the wonder of life; as we never know when the ride may be over.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I wanted to share inspirational stories of people doing incredible things to help others looking to live more adventurously. For me, recapturing my adventurous inner child has been genuinely transformational in terms of both my physical and mental health and I felt that others might feel the same. So far the feedback has been incredible and listeners are already sharing amazing feedback with me.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

My go-to podcasts are the Toughgirl Podcast (with Sarah Williams) and Chatting to a Friend (by Catie Friend) – both interview exceptional and inspirational women and help spotlight their stories; as a father of two girls I love that these incredible women have these platforms to share their stories. I also love the High Performance Podcast with Jake Humphreys and Damian Hughes which gives an amazing insight into the minds of some of the world’s best performers.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

It’s so hard to pick one! I’d love to have Ben Fogle, Jason Fox, Ranulph Fiennes or Laura Bingham join me to chat all things adventure!

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Probably that consistency is key. I have only been going since July 2020 but I am now up to 25 episodes and hitting a regular weekly cadence of releasing the podcast and am finding that rhythm is really good for growing the audience and meeting their expectations. When I find a podcast I love I always get disappointed if they miss a release day so I’ve tried to keep that top of mind with my own podcast.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

I would say the interview with Max Woosey (Season 2, Episode 13). The episode with Max is actually quite short but it perfectly sums up the notion of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Max is 11 years old and was given a tent by his terminally ill neighbour under the promise he had to have an adventure in it. Max has slept outside in his garden for a whole year inn that tent and raised £500K for the hospice that cared for his friend. It’s the perfect example for the podcast; Max has had an incredible adventure and done something truly exceptional, all from his back garden!

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

The best place to connect with me is on Instagram @1dayadventurer and @28_summers – but you can also find out more about the podcast, find my blog and much more at www.28summers.com.

Listen to 28 Summers on SPOTIFY or your favourite podcast app.

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Mental health is an issue that we’re all beginning to talk more about, but what exactly gave Yvette and Ellen the seeds of inspiration to start a podcast about mental health?

Yvette: Both Ellen and I have long term mental health issues, we know how isolating it can feel. We’ve both written about mental health and this felt like the next step. We’ve covered everything from schizophrenia to anxiety and borderline personality, and we’ve had celebrity guests including Ruby Wax, Audley Harrison, Kelly Holmes and Rose McGowan.

Ellen: Back in 2017, when we started the podcast, I was in the middle of a personal series about my own mental health journey, called Getting Better, and the response was incredible. I was getting messages every day from people thanking me for speaking up and saying that as a result of my articles they had gone to the doctor and finally asked for help, so podcasting felt like the perfect medium because it’s intimate. You can hear people telling their stories in their words.

Collecting memories along the way, the podcast has also taken to the stage:

Y: I’ll never forget our first Mentally Yours Live – a panel event in which top speakers Natasha Devon, Matthew Todd, Carl Anka and Dr Pragya Agarwal discussed mental health and work. We had a great turnout and it was brilliant to meet listeners in person. One listener in particular said it had really helped her when she was off work, which meant a lot.

E: My favourite episodes are always the ones where we talk to someone with a radically different experience to our own. Talking about mental illness when you yourself are struggling can bring up a lot of emotional stuff and it can be draining. I’ve recorded some episodes then gone home and cried because it resonated too much. I’ve had to learn how to decompress after each episode and be aware that listening is emotionally challenging.

As ever with podcasts, there can often be guests and topics that the hosts would love to get stuck into, so what would those topics be fore Mentally Yours?

Y: I’d love to have Mariah Carey on. She has bipolar disorder and it would be interesting to hear how she’s managed it throughout her life and career. I’m a huge fan too, so I’d just like an excuse to talk to her to be honest.

E: I would love to cover psychopathy. It’s another area that I have preconceptions about that I would love to have challenged, and ‘psychopath’ is such a strong label that it would be so powerful to have someone come on, say they identify with that label, and explain what it means to me

And what may the future hold for the podcast?

Y: As well as more great guests and interesting topics I’d love to host more live events and to also do some episodes out on location too. There’s a lot of great projects going on and it would be good to go to them if we can.

E: I’d like to chat to someone in the government and funding side of things to get their perspective on why on earth mental health care still isn’t being properly funded. We’ve had a mental health nurse, and someone who set up a ‘poetry pharmacy’ to prescribe poems to people struggling – I like what we’re doing at the moment, which is coming at mental illness from different angles.

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