Published: Jan. 10, 2022, 9 a.m.
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Episode Description:
Paul\\xa0Conti, a\\xa0returning guest\\xa0on\\xa0The Drive, is a practicing psychiatrist and recent author of\\xa0Trauma: The Invisible Epidemic: How Trauma Works and How We Can Heal From It,\\xa0in which he offers\\xa0valuable\\xa0insights\\xa0on\\xa0healing\\xa0from trauma. In this episode,\\xa0Paul\\xa0explains how his personal experience with trauma and his many years seeing patients have\\xa0shaped his understanding of\\xa0trauma\\u2019s\\xa0impact on the brain,\\xa0its\\xa0common patterns and manifestations, and how often people don\'t recognize the implications of trauma in their own life. He discusses major challenges\\xa0in\\xa0recognizing trauma, including the lack of biomarkers in psychiatry and psychology, as well as the misguidance of the mental health system in\\xa0targeting\\xa0symptoms as opposed to root problems. He talks about shame as the biggest impediment to healing from trauma and offers solutions to how, as a society,\\xa0we\\xa0can start to change the stigma of mental health and allow more people to receive help. Finally, he concludes with a discussion about the potential role of psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA in treating trauma.
We discuss:
- Paul\\u2019s background and unique path to psychiatry [2:30];
- A personal tragedy that shaped\\xa0Paul\\u2019s understanding of trauma and resulting feelings of shame and guilt [5:30];
- The current state of psychiatry training and need for improvement [20:15];
- The over-reliance on outdated metrics and lack of attention to past trauma as impediments to patient care [28:30];
- Defining trauma: various types, heterogeneity, and effects on the brain [34:30];
- Importance of finding the roots of trauma and understanding the \\u201cwhy\\u201d [47:00];
- The major challenge of recognizing trauma in patients [55:15];
- How shame and guilt are barriers to treatment and healing [1:06:00];
- How treating trauma compares to treating an abscess\\u2014a powerful analogy [1:11:30];
- How evolutionary survival instincts create problems in modern society [1:15:15];
- First step toward healing: overcoming the fear of talking about past trauma [1:19:00];
- Shame: the biggest impediment to healing [1:25:15];
- The antidote to shame and the need for discourse and understanding [1:34:15];
- The emotional health component of healthspan [1:41:15];
- How to reframe the conversation about mental health for a better future [1:52:00];
- The growing impact of trauma on our society and the need for compassion [1:58:45];
- Society\\u2019s antiquated way of treating manifestations of trauma rather than root issues [2:04:15];
- Potential role of psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA in treating trauma [2:11:15];
- Parting thoughts and resources for getting help [2:16:30];
- More.
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