GUEST SERIES | Dr. Paul Conti: How to Improve Your Mental Health

This is episode 2 of a 4-part special series on mental health with Dr. Paul Conti, M.D., a Stanford and Harvard-trained psychiatrist currently running a clinical practice, the Pacific Premiere Group. Dr. Conti explains specific tools for how to overcome life’s challenges using a framework of self-inquiry that explores all the key elements of self, including defense mechanisms, behaviors, self-awareness and attention. We also discuss our internal driving forces, how to align them and ultimately, how to cultivate a powerful “generative drive” of positive, aspirational pursuits. Dr. Conti also explains how to adjust your internal narratives, reduce self-limiting concepts, overcome intrusive thoughts, and how certain defense mechanisms, such as “acting out” or narcissism, show up in ourselves and others. The next episode in this special series explores how to build healthy relationships with others. For the full show notes, including articles, books, and other resources, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Improve Mental Health (00:02:19) Sponsors: BetterHelp & Waking Up App (00:05:26) Structure & Function of Healthy Self  (00:16:25) Agency & Gratitude (00:21:14) Aggressive Drive, Pleasure Drive, Generative Drive (00:30:00) Physical & Mental Health Similarities, Verb States (00:37:05) Sponsor: AG1 (00:38:32) Lack of Motivation, Drives (00:43:06) Video Games/Social Media & Distraction, Generative Drive (00:51:46) Asking Better Questions, Psychiatric Medicine, Physical Health Parallels (00:59:10) Sponsor: Eight Sleep (01:00:30) Self-Reflection & Structure of Self “Cupboards”, Trauma & Agency (01:08:53) Feeling Stuck, Defense Mechanisms & Sublimation, Character (01:13:58) Self-Reflection & Function of Self “Cupboards”, Self-Awareness (01:19:24) Defense Mechanisms & “Acting Out” (01:26:43) Salience, Intrusive Thoughts (01:31:24) Self-Reflection, Behaviors & Strivings; Roadmap Forward (01:38:25) Internal Narratives, Childhood (01:44:44) Internal Narratives: Self-Scrutiny & Overcoming; Trauma (01:55:18) Time Required for Change, Understanding Intrusive Thoughts (02:03:13) Self-Reflection on Internal Drives; Envy (02:09:56) Generative Drive; Strong Aggressive Drive & Envy (02:21:50) High Aggressive Drive & Social Relationships, Narcissism (02:28:43) Narcissism, Destruction, Envy (02:37:18) Narcissism & Childhood, Change (02:41:26) Engaging with Narcissists, Disengagement (02:44:47) Demoralization, Learned Helplessness (02:49:34) Self-Inventory of Drives, Optimization (02:56:09) Social Media & Salience, Generative Drive (03:03:21) Rational Aspiration (03:13:16) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Social Media, Momentous, Neural Network Newsletter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Om Podcasten

The Huberman Lab podcast is hosted by Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. The podcast discusses neuroscience and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. Huberman has made numerous significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function, and neural plasticity, which is the ability of our nervous system to rewire and learn new behaviors, skills, and cognitive functioning. He is a McKnight Foundation and Pew Foundation Fellow and was awarded the Cogan Award, given to the scientist making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision, in 2017.  Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford School of Medicine has been published in top journals, including Nature, Science, and Cell, and has been featured in TIME, BBC, Scientific American, Discover, and other top media outlets. In 2021, Dr. Huberman launched the Huberman Lab podcast. The podcast is frequently ranked in the top 10 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of Science, Education, and Health & Fitness.