Bryony Gordon on OCD, Overcoming Addiction and Building Mental Resilience #314

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Health & Fitness, Medicine, Alternative Health, Mental Health

4.8 • 10.9K Ratings

🗓️ 23 November 2022

⏱️ 115 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

CAUTION: Contains swearing and themes of an adult nature. Today’s guest has a remarkable life story which includes addiction, mental health struggles, eating disorders, guilt, shame and so much more. Bryony Gordon is a prominent mental health campaigner, a journalist and a bestselling author. Bryony’s latest book, Let Down Your Hair, is a novel about social media, mental health, self-esteem and body image. She’s also recently released a Sunday Times bestseller, No Such Thing As Normal: What My Mental Illness Has Taught Me About Mental Wellness in paperback form. You may be familiar with Bryony from her Telegraph column, her many books, or her Mad World podcast. Perhaps you’re one of the 206,000 people who follow her updates on Instagram. Or, maybe you know her as the Founder of peer support group Mental Health Mates. Even if you’re new to Bryony and her work, you’re about to get to know her pretty well, thanks to her hallmark honesty and authenticity when it comes to telling her story. We begin this conversation by talking about Bryony’s experience of obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. This condition is often misunderstood, with people reducing it to being ‘just’ about excessive tidiness or needing things in order. But Bryony shares the reality of the dark, obsessive thoughts that ruled her life from her early teens. She’s unflinchingly honest about how it led her into alcoholism, drug addiction and bulimia. We also talk about her surprising relationship with marathon running, her new-found commitment to exercise for how it makes her feel, not how it makes her look and the coping mechanisms she uses to deal with the negative voices inside her head. Although she would be the first to say she’s a ‘work in progress’ – as all of us are – Bryony passes on some real gems of practical advice and encouragement throughout this conversation which is fun, uplifting and inspiring. Trigger Warning: This episode discusses eating disorders and may not be suitable for everyone. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/314 DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You can be better. You should be better. You are not enough or you are too much.
0:05.5	That is what most women have gone through their whole lives thinking that, watching their own parents, who have watched their parents, who have watched their parents.
0:14.3	It genuinely is one of the few things in life that makes me really angry.
0:19.4	How many women have grown up up just it never occurring to us
0:24.0	that we could like ourselves. Hey guys, how you doing? I hope you having a good week so far.
0:32.6	My name is Dr. Ronggan Chatterjee and this is my podcast, Feel Better, Live More.
0:41.4	My long-held belief is that we can learn something from every single person we meet.
0:48.4	And when it comes to our health and happiness, I don't think we just learn through acquiring
0:52.9	more information.
0:57.6	We also learn through hearing people's stories,
1:00.9	and today's guest has a quite remarkable life story,
1:08.4	which includes addiction, mental health struggles, eating disorders, guilt, shame, and so much more.
1:12.2	Brianne Gordon is a prominent mental health campaigner. She's a journalist and a best-selling author.
1:15.0	Her latest book is called Let Down Your Hair.
1:17.4	It's a novel about social media, mental health, self-esteem, and body image, which promises
1:23.1	to be a brilliant read for young adults.
1:26.2	She's also recently released her Sunday Times bestseller,
1:29.8	No Such Thing as Normal, what my mental illness has taught me about mental wellness in paperback
1:36.0	form. Now, some of you may be familiar with Brynie from her telegraph column, her seven published
1:42.0	books, or even her Mad World podcast. Or perhaps you're one of the
1:47.0	200,000 plus people who follow her updates on Instagram. Or maybe you know her as the founder of
1:53.7	peer support group, Mental Health Mates. But even if you're new to Brani and her work,
	...

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