No Judgement

Preserving Your Mental Health as an InfluencerInfluencers spend a lot of time on their devices, planning, creating, executing and promoting. There is also “chasing the bag”. It sounds exhausting but this is the high and fast paced world of brand or digital influencers. How does an influencer unwind? How do they take care of their mental health?. On this episode of NO JUDGEMENT, Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts - Ibrahim Salawu (Unilag Olodo) and Owen Je delve into the subject of mental health and how it impacts an influencer.The positive aspect of this intersection is that many GenZ and Millennial influencers are championing the mental health cause and have the basic understanding of mental health. However, a huge part of mental wellness is making crucial self love decisions. There is no peace without boundaries. Your mental health journey does not only have to do with overcoming depression, managing stress, meditation and what not, it involves self awareness, identity, inner dialog, purpose actualisation and taking conscious actions to evolve and better yourself and your wellbeing.Guests: Ibrahim Salawu (UnilagOlodo)Brand Influencer / Digital StrategistOwen JeMusic Enthusiast

It comes as no surprise that childhood trauma can impact one's mental health but what is surprising is the staggering amount of people that have been affected by childhood trauma. Millennials are adopting the culture of healing generational trauma yet however has a lot to do with the trauma and experiences they've encountered as a child.From physical and sexual abuse to verbal/emotional abuse to loss, these are deemed some of the high risk causes of Childhood Trauma. However, a child experience caregivers, guardian or loved ones endure trauma can in fact affect the child's mental health. Seeing your parents fight all the time (Domestic Abuse), being in a high stressed environments or conditions these things are contributing factors to a child's mental wellbeing.Childhood trauma has became a major social public-health problem worldwide. Every year, in high-income countries, about 16% of children are experiencing physical abuse and one in ten is neglected or psychologically abused. While in African countries like Nigeria, the stakes are high. There are many sides to Childhood Trauma that no one talks about because we have been conditioned to not express our emotions or communicate our feelings. When a child experiences a traumatic event, it can impair their physical development. The stress can impair the development of their immune and central nervous systems, making it harder to achieve their full potential.On this episode, Sheifunmi and his guest co-host (Owen) share parts of their experience with childhood trauma. Taking on the heavy subject, Sheifunmi shares “I may have spent my 20s going about this healing thing all wrong, I tackled a lot of surface problems, symptoms and unhealthy coping mechanisms instead of the root cause. I am 30 now and I have only just began healing wounds from my childhood”.

Men are more likely to die by suicide in comparison to women. There has been the perpetual doctrine that Men should be strong, you carry the family, you are the provider and the protector, people are looking up to you, you cannot be weak or express emotions, men don't cry. From parents who don't know how to express themselves to growing up in society that places unnecessary expectations and stress these are some of the few conditions that makes it difficult for Men to seek help when it comes to their mental health. Men's Mental Health is more internalized.Men are more than likely to experience conditions such as Substance Abuse, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Schizophrenia and Suicide Ideation. Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts,  Clinical Psychologist - Chris Abojei and Music Enthusiast - Owen Je delve into the subject of Mental Health amongst men. With Shei, Owen and Chris sharing their own personal experience with their mental health and management, they dissect the topic and touch on the issue of toxic masculinity.

From a millennial's perspective, do Gen Z make their mental health a priority? For Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts (GM & Owen) it is a strong YES! The common ground is that Gen Z are more than likely to be self aware, expressive and explore as they exist in this world but for many, these naturally gifted and young disrupters are very well known for setting boundaries and equipped with the basic knowledge and awareness of mental health/wellness.From championing the conversation in the workspace, to about 40% of Gen Z are more than likely to have received mental health care compared to Millennials. While both are raising awareness to this cause, Gen Z's are still at the forefront of the conversation. However, in this part of this world the numbers and probabilities are very low. For one elite/suburban or city Gen Z that you meet, there are 10 in rural and underserved communities who are completely obvious and uneducated about Mental Health.GM believes Gen Z's are the drivers of the Mental Health conversation. Sheifunmi thinks there is a polar opposite perspective to Gen Z's mental health management due to the increasing statistics of substance abuse. Owen commends Gen Z for being vocal and expressive.“I personally, I'm grateful for the Gen Z's that I know, they've taught me a lot about boundaries and self expression by being an example. They've championed the conversation, driven the market of self care but it is still a small fraction compared to all the Gen Zs in Nigeria” - Sheifunmi.

Nearly a decade ago if not more, I had a mental health crisis, it was silent and debilitating. Being self aware, I caught on to what my mind and body were going through not to mention that quiet and subtle voice that guides you through the storm was incessant in my mind space that I should go to my community mental health center and address what I was feeling.I showed up at the closest NHS Mental Health Centre and spent hours in a closed room with my psychiatrist at the time. Excruciating hours of answering questions and evaluations being done. Mind you, I already knew what my diagnosis was - Bipolar Disorder. We both knew that. So, what's with the re-evaluation? I never asked. All that happened after was being put on different cocktails of medication and rigorous therapy treatment plan. This didn't make any sense at that time until I saw a copy of the psychiatrist assessment and there was this remark: “Bipolar Disorder with traits of BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER”.Now, the first can be managed with medication but the latter, many therapists don't even want to deal with clients living with BPD. Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder which can be treated with medication. However, BPD is a personality disorder which cannot be managed with medication and YOU as the patient must be committed to your wellness through CBT/Talk Therapy which is barely a Hail Mary.Borderline Personality Disorder (also known as Emotional Dysregulation) is a mental health condition that is characterized by unstable moods, behavior and relationships. People living with BPD have an intense fear of abandonment and instability, as well as inappropriate anger, impulsiveness, frequent mood swings that may push others away. BPD patients deeply want to have loving and lasting relationships. While this is achievable, as someone with a lived experience, you may want to get out of your way first and commit to your healing process.On this first episode of season 2, my guest co-host is Dr. Michele Finneran, a Psychotherapist and Author in the United States. We dissect the topic ‘BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER'. The cause, how it's diagnosed, associated trauma and triggers, push and pull effect and WHY most therapist won't take a BPD case.Welcome to SEASON 2 of NO JUDGEMENT! I have missed you!

Your very therapeutic podcast is here again!Meaning that you don't have any reason to sleep on it.Join Sheifunmi and his guests every Thursday in dissecting topics ranging from mental health to spirituality and creativity.Listen to more amazing episode on Jamit.app

On this episode of NO JUDGEMENT, Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts (Matthew Blaise & Owen) discuss the unique experiences of living as one of the alphabet mafias in Nigeria. The struggle, the bad, and the ugly. They tell it all.

On this episode of NO JUDGEMENT, Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts (Owen & Bigma) discuss these three identities; Religion, Spirituality and Atheism. Can these three co-exist? find out on this episode.

The education of the importance of mental wellness is not talked about in this part of the world especially in show business. Being a celebrity and being famous has its perks but no one prepares you for the ups and downs that come with fame. Many celebrities suffer in private, battling with their mental health while keeping up with the joneses and putting up a front for their fans and their public persona.In this episode, Sheifunmi shares his experience being a poster boy for mental illness in the entertainment industry. In 2012 he shared his lived experience with Bipolar Disorder in an article published on Bella Naija, which was his first time telling the public his diagnosis and the struggles with his mental health. On-Air & Media Personality, Vien shared her experience with suicide ideation and attempt and how she was able to overcome that dark period of her life.Mental Health should be a priority in the entertainment and media industry. Sheifunmi stated that Industry executives need to start providing a mental health structure and resources for creatives and talents in other to live a life of mental wellness and be able to function at their maximum potentiality.

Sexual consent is a very controversial topic yet necessary. It is important to normalize the conversation about consent. Several cases have brought the conversation of consent to the fore. One of the many cases has New York actor, Asia Argento accusing popular Hollywood Director Harvey Weinstein of rape. Asia Argento is one of the leading voices behind the #metoo movement. This case has brought up an important issue of consent and when can it be revoked. There have been many cases when people state that they did not give their consent for certain actions to happen and then they are accused of rape or sexual assault. What is consent? Consent is permission given willingly and knowingly by someone. Consent is the permission given for something to happen or an agreement to do something.In this episode of NO JUDGEMENT, Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts (Biola, Bigma & Owen) discuss the importance of consent, why it needs to be normalized, and talked about as well as ways to ask for consent, direct or casually.

On this episode of NO JUDGEMENT, Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts (Bigma & Owen) talk about the thin line between mania and psychosis. Discussing the similarities and the difference between the two mental health conditions.Sheifunmi shared his experience with full-blown mania when his relapse occurred in 2019. He talked about no being coherent when it came to his thoughts and actions, maxing out his savings and going on impulsive road trips through West Africa, thinking what he needed was a breath of fresh air and change of scenery without realizing that he was experiencing a manic episode. While he wasn't proud of his actions during his relapse (which included him sending cryptic messages to his colleagues and contemporaries in the media industry), he is grateful to be alive because he attempted suicide after having several suicide ideations during his relapse with bipolar disorder.Bigma talked about sharing similar experiences with Sheifunmi. She recalls reaching out to her colleagues in the entertainment industry for money, feeling entitled, isolating herself from her loved ones, and cutting them off amongst other things. She credits rehab for saving her life and mental health when she was dealing with her manic episode.

In this life, it can be concluded that heartbreaks are inevitable. Heartbreak is the term used to describe the intense emotional and physical stress or pain that one feels after a failed relationship.In this episode, Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts (Vien & Owen) share their personal experiences with coming to terms with the end of past relationships, nursing heartbreaks and how they were able to overcome the searing pain called ‘Heartbreak'. Owen points out the fact that it is not only in romantic relationships that you experience heartbreaks, he goes on to say; Your dad, mum or best friend can break your heart. Sheifunmi adds by saying, the way we handle heartbreaks is a result of how we handled disappointments as children. Vien shared her first heartbreak experience with her high school sweetheart. The break-up was unexpected and it took her some time to get over the end of that relationship.

What your being/container attracts on default and unconsciously is a result of your love blueprint. There are two types of love blueprint, the healthy and unhealthy one. Whichever type we possess reflects in our interpersonal and romantic relationships, how we communicate, emote down to how we respond to compliments. Our love blueprint stems from our childhood, our relationship with our caregivers/parents growing up. They say your relationship with your parents is the foundation of every other relationship you have. This is quite true because our parents and caregivers were our first contact to love, care, safety, trust, and vulnerability. Sadly, not all of us have a healthy love blueprint where it is safe, feels like home, self-love for two, and vulnerability is okay. Instead, many are products of unhealthy love blueprint where there is a lack of trust with one's self as well as others, unhealthy attachment styles like people-pleasing, avoidant personality, emotional addiction (to fear, rejection, anxiety, abandonment), lack of boundaries, and emotional depth. There are lots of highs and lows when in a relationship with someone with an unhealthy love blueprint. One's past trauma reflects and that goes on to shape how we move in the world as adults and the impact we have on other people around us and society as a whole.In this episode of NO JUDGEMENT, Sheifunmi and his guest co-host Owen, discuss their love blueprint and how they were able to heal and grow from a place of an unhealthy love blueprint to a healthy one. They talk about co-dependency, trauma bonding, not feeling safe enough to be vulnerable, and things they suppressed as a child which went on to influence their love blueprint as adults. Sheifunmi credits therapy and self-awareness for helping him with his inner work and confronting past traumas which helped him turn his love blueprint around to a healthier mind space and blueprint.

Sobriety is the state of not being drunk or high or influenced by any substance. It is completely abstaining from illicit or recreational drug use as well as being solemn and observing your reality in its true state or course of nature.In this episode, Sheifunmi and his guest co-host, Bigma talk about embarking on their journey to sobriety. BigMa shared how substance abuse and dependency impacted her mental health which led to her going to rehab after a brief manic-induced psychosis. Since embarking on the journey of sobriety, Sheifunmi recalls having flashbacks to when he was an anxious user. He went from abusing anti-anxiety and sleeping pills as a teenager to excessive use of codeine and alcohol while self-harming then to being dependent on marijuana. Substance use impacted his mental health drastically especially with the fact that he already had a pre-existing mental health condition - Bipolar Disorder II. In the beginning, it was hard every day to stay sober but Sheifunmi remained steadfast because he believes the path of sobriety is what is best for him. “I knew my life would change dramatically if I stopped smoking weed, sobriety was always on my mind even while I was using drugs” Sheifunmi shared.

Hypersexuality, also known as Compulsive Sexual Behavior is the excessive fixation on sexual fantasies and ordeals, increased sexual urges, and erratic behaviours that are difficult to control. Hypersexuality can cause distress in the lives of persons living with that experience. Negatively affecting their health, interpersonal relationships, and other areas of their lives. Examples of hypersexuality include excessive masturbation, cybersex, multiple sexual partners, porn, paying for sex, and engaging in risky sexual activities.In the mental health community, hypersexuality is not really talked about and not a large portion of people are getting help when it comes to this disorder. Dealing with bipolar disorder is already complex enough, one of the symptoms that make the disorder complex is hypersexuality and we don't talk about it. It's almost like it is taboo and shameful to talk about it. Imagine the stigma that surrounds mental health disorders and the increased stigma when hypersexuality is singled out.Sheifunmi shares his experience with hypersexuality and talks about how it intersects with bipolar disorder, he said “It is the way you respond to stress, trauma, and your mood episode”. Bigma shared how hypersexuality is different for women and it is difficult to talk about it because the woman would be perceived as a whore/prostitute. “It became an insatiable thing that every time I was looking for more after one. Like okay, no, I'm not satisfied,” she said.Owen talks about identifying hypersexuality, “It's an awkward conversation that people do not want to have” he shares. Getting very candid, “If I have two weeks off work, all I want to do is chill and be active (sexual activities)” Owen added.Listen to this educating episode of No Judgement exclusive on Jamitfm

Sheifunmi has lived and dealt with his mental health diagnosis for nearly 12 years now. He has been through the wringer with medications, therapies, and other treatment options while living with Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety. He was initially diagnosed when he lived in the United States during his teenage years but he didn't start feeling the impact of his mental health until he relocated to the UK for university. There are many sides to living with a mental health condition that people don't get to see. The difficulty waking up in the morning or going to sleep at night, the feelings of loneliness or helplessness, the lack of hope, and self-alienation to name a few. Added to these, a person with a mental health challenge still faces stigma and discrimination as a result of their condition. Sheifunmi experienced these stigmas through his friends, family, and work environment.Interestingly for Owen (singer/songwriter), he had a preview of what dealing with a mental illness is like through his flatmate, Sheifunmi. He helped Sheifunmi through difficult moments of self-harm, deep depression, and hypomania without realizing that he was going to have his own encounter with his mental health. At the time he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorder, he and Sheifunmi had already started a non-profit for mental health called LPM Foundation, with one of their popular programs being ‘Project Get Naked' a mental health awareness campaign. Similar to Sheifunmi, Owen had to persevere through his mental health by himself and this impacted his day-to-day life and activities. It wasn't until he started his healing journey that he started opening up to his loved ones about his lived mental health experience.BigMa (Media personality & publicist) was part of Sheifunmi and Owen's team for @ProjectGetNaked campaigns. While BigMa watched Sheifunmi go through his own lived experience, she was having difficulties with her mental health. Her relationships appeared to be the trigger for her mental health but didn't realize the mental health condition was already there, it was just illuminated by her triggers. Eventually, BigMa got diagnosed at the Neuropsychiatric hospital in Lagos, popularly known as YabaLeft, after noticing the trigger patterns and how she felt emotionally. She was placed on medications but stopped using it after a month or two because she didn't like how it made her feel. Years later, a familiar trigger emerge and ignited the manic episode that was waiting to happen which made her end up in a mental health facility for 2 months undergoing treatments and therapy.On the premiere Episode of No Judgement, Sheifunmi and his guest co-hosts (Owen & Bigma) share their Survivor Stories as Nigerians with mental health lived experiences, their journey to mental wellness, and the experience with mental health stigma. Listen in.

'NO JUDGEMENT' touches on personal and social issues with a bit of pop culture where it intersects. Topics range from Mental Health to Spirituality to Love, Creativity and more.Hosted by Sheifunmi and his recurring guest co-hosts, No Judgement is a place without prejudice. Just enlightenment, expanding one's consciousness as well as a place for the authenticity of our truth and stories.