Returning to Normalish

And so we reach the final episode in this series of Brain Yapping, and after 12+ weeks of discussing how the brickbats and misfortunes of life have affected them, what have Dean and Rachel learned? They’ve learned, basically, that shit happens. But also, you aren’t obliged to find 'deeper meaning', or 'silver linings', or 'positive outcomes' from it. Not every trauma has to have an upbeat spin, and while it’s fine to acknowledge and accept that bad things happen, it’s also fine to wish they hadn’t. The modern obsession with focussing on the positives may be doing us more harm than good overall. N.B. This isn’t meant as a general review of the series. Thanks for listening. We’ll be with you again soon. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content!

Since the last episode, Rachel has gone on two trips, and Dean has attended his father’s wake, more than 18 months after his passing. As a result, our hosts discuss the importance of rituals and ceremonies for our wellbeing, the cons and unexpected pros of long intervals between, and whether the pandemic has presented us with an opportunity to rejig traditional customs, to make them more beneficial for everyone. Also includes the worst wedding tribute of all time. Support the podcast and The Cosmic Shambles Network by becoming a subscriber at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

Throughout the pandemic and lockdown, a lot of attention and emphasis was placed on exercise, and keeping fit. Countless people insist that it’s a key facet of good mental health. But, is it? Can regular exercise really be such a potent benefit to Mental Health? If so, why? If not, what’s the deal there? And can it end up doing more harm than good? With both of them engaging in their own efforts to be fitter, Dean and Rachel explore this issue in depth. ​Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content!

Dean and Rachel return to their podcast after an unplanned hiatus, during which they genuinely forgot they were in the middle of doing a podcast. But problems with memory and thinking are thing that many have complained about during the pandemic. What’s going on there? Why would having a more predictable life make you less able to remember it? Our intrepid Brain Yappers explore. And Dean, who has a PhD in memory formation and retrieval mechanisms, finally gets to be an actual relevant expert for once, rather than just blagging it while Rachel humours him. Support the podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

The return to normal life continues apace, and having run out of everything else to talk about, Dean and Rachel fall back on the classic British standby: the weather. But for a good reason; with travel still restricted and indoor pursuits only tentatively available, the weather plays a bigger role in our day-to-day lives than ever. How does this affect our moods and mental wellbeing, and why? Support the Brain Yapping podcast and the CSN as a whole by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

With vaccine rollouts proceeding apace, weather improving, and lockdown restrictions easing, it seems like life is returning to some sort of normality. But what’s it like to go from prolonged lockdown to in-person socialising? Are we going back to normal, or is it some strange new reality, with new rules and expectation? And what effects can this have on us on our wellbeing, and why are some people likely to find the process surprisingly stressful. Support the podcast, and the Cosmic Shambles Network as a whole at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

If there’s one thing that Covid and lockdown hasn’t been stingy with, it’s criticism. All the new rules, regulations and expectations introduced by the pandemic has inevitably led to many more opportunities to condemn people for getting things wrong. Why do we do this so readily? And why is criticism often so impactful, to the extent that it can interfere with our mental wellbeing? And what is it about Tinder that can lead to so much of it? NB: If you leave negative feedback about this episode, that’s just proving our point. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content

The COVID 19 pandemic is a global problem. Climate change is an even bigger one. But people are individuals, and can rarely make meaningful interventions on such scales. This has many implications for our wellbeing and mental health. To mark the launch of her new book 'Everyday Activism - How to Change the World in Five Minutes, One Hour or a Day', Rachel leads the discussion for a change, as she and Dean explore exactly how much influence a single person can have, and how they can maybe change feelings of helplessness against seemingly insurmountable problems. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content!

The current mantra of protecting the NHS at all costs is logical and helpful, but nothing comes without cost. A listener reports that he’s been far less rigorous about seeking help for his health issues during the pandemic. This spurs Dean and Rachel on to discussing the possibility that, particularly with regards to mental health matters, the fixation on protecting the NHS could lead to increased stigma, judgement, and people enduring harm to their own health to spare any burden on the system that exists to prevent that exact thing. Support the podcast and the CSN writ large at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

Dean has young children. Rachel doesn't, but knows many people who do, and it seems they’re all somewhat concerned about exactly what long periods of lockdown, isolation, and lack of school is doing to them, both in the short and long term. Dean and Rachel delve into the practicalities, science, and general misconceptions of just how vulnerable and fragile children are (or aren’t), in the third episode of Brain Yapping Battle Damaged. Support the podcast at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of exclusive extras!