For Mental Health Awareness Week, we speak with Charlie Mackesy about anxiety, grief, loneliness and the quiet struggles so many of us carry alone. The bestselling author of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse speaks openly about anxiety attacks, loss, vulnerability, male loneliness and why asking for help matters. In this open and honest conversation, Charlie reflects on the dark periods that shaped him, the friends he has lost, and the inner critic so many of us live with. He also shares the practical tools that helped him through anxiety, and why connection, honesty and feeling loved matter more than perfection. We're Talking Mental Health If you’re struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. We’ve included support charities below: Samaritans - call on 116 123 or visit https://g2ul0.app.link/xghDmmYV4Wb Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): https://g2ul0.app.link/npaQKXUV4Wb (00:00) Intro (00:42) Charlie Breaks Down the Darkest Period of His Life (04:36) How Paul and Charlie Actually Deal With Anxiety (12:48) Charlie’s ADHD Diagnosis and What It Changed (14:39) How Drawing Became Charlie’s Escape (16:12) Paul and Charlie on Grief and What Actually Helps (20:39) Charlie on the Loneliness Epidemic and Why It’s Growing (23:17) How to Silence Your Inner Critic and Build Gratitude Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices