Tales from the Amygdala

This episode Meredith and Zeynep discuss all the creative ways in which well-meaning folks gave them advice they didn't ask for.

Fellow amygdala fan (and Meredith’s mom) therapist Jill Smith joins us to chat about what actually goes on in therapy, what your therapist is thinking, tips on how to support partners with anxiety and what therapy has meant to her.

Zeynep found a letter she wrote at 15 describing her hopes and dreams—and it inspired us to discuss advice we’d give our younger self. Tune in to laugh about candy cigarettes, butterfly clips and lofty report card goals.

Ever sat down to relax with a movie or TV show and it just taught you something new to be anxious about? Well, it’s happened to us! In this episode we share those tales, laugh at ourselves, and close the chapter on 2020.

Surprise! Meredith had a baby! In this episode (recorded the day before she gave birth to her daughter) Meredith shares what being pregnant in 2020 has been like, what gave her anxiety, what made her laugh, and her tips for other pregnant mamas.

This is a "Tales from Zeynep" episode. She has had a helluva month. In this episode she takes us through a myriad of events, how she coped, and the times when again anxiety is appropriate. PS for trustworthy COVID-19 updates check out the CDC.

We share our favorite tips courtesy of our therapists throughout the years. Having seen many therapists with different styles and approaches, we've heard a lot of advice. We've each picked our top 3 take aways to share with you!.

Despite how it may seem with our podcast and our funny stories, we want the world to know we aren’t anxious all the time. Often people confuse other things for anxiety like rule following, heated debates or just not following the crowd. If you’re unsure if you’re giving us or someone else anxiety, just ask! P.S. for trustworthy COVID-19 updates check out the CDC

Quick update from your hosts Meredith & Zeynep

We're hoping to brighten your week by sharing our most embarrassing stories. Tales of high school, tales of internships, tales of social media mishaps. We hope you're all staying safe during this time and enjoy some laughs at our expense.

We’re both staying at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19. So this week we’re on our phones chatting about mental health in this uncertain time, how we're entertaining ourselves at home, Netflix recommendations and how we’re coping in general. Stay safe everyone and wash your hands! P.S. for trustworthy COVID-19 updates check out the CDC

This week is a smörgåsbord of topics relevant for March 2020. We chat coronavirus, ski season, gardening masks, and Zeynep’s inadvertent discovery of her therapist’s notes!

Curious what our podcast is about? We've made a trailer just for you.

We love our anti-anxiety meds (SSRIs)! We share tales of medicine love, side effects, stress in our stomachs and #myfavoritemeds. 

With NYE resolutions about bodies and gyms everywhere, we’re chatting about our history of body image starting with being kids/ teenagers. Next week we’ll talk about body image as adults, but first we’re sharing stories about being tall, shoe sizes, class plays and gym class.

We’re ending the year (slash decade!) by reading our favorite listener stories inspired by our episodes. We also discuss the darkness, holiday-induced anxiety and how if this time of year stresses you out, you are not alone!

We share the entertaining times our amygdalae went into overdrive and we panicked when nothing was wrong—including single tick encounters, hedges that were too high, salt, and imaginary bed bugs. PS sorry old roommates!

Confrontations can be anxiety inducing. Zeynep and Meredith share their best tips including how to prepare, avoiding telling people what do, “I statements”, and acronyms that are far too long to remember mid-fight.

We're diving into our pet peeves--some of which cause anxiety and some are just fun to complain about. Join us as we discuss Alan Rickman (not a pet peeve), ridiculous rom coms, ice cream tastings, instagram and apples.

This week we're letting the world know having anxiety doesn't mean you can't think clearly. Anxiety is sometimes 100% appropriate. P.S. never say to your anxious friend, "is it your amygdala again?"

We're back! Season two is here after our summer break. This week we’re discussing the anxiety/depression that can naturally occur after hangovers and how your brain’s GABA is to blame (and those gin and tonics you had last night).

While we're sweating in separate countries, we discuss Climate Change Anxiety over the phone (through Anchor.fm), small steps we're taking to help the earth, and ways to stay positive.

We’re sharing amusing stories about what little Meredith and Zeynep were anxious about (spoiler includes birthdays, cat scratches and their own front yards).

Our trilogy on dating ends with break ups. We discuss why break ups are so difficult, the lies our amygdalae can tell us, and our funny/sad break up tales.

The second of our three-part series on relationships is here! We discuss bringing up serious conversations, telling your partner about your anxiety, tips for how partners can help, and how to be confident and own our anxious amygdalae. 

This week is all about dating in the first of a three part series on relationships. Zeynep and Meredith talk rejection, texting, sex health, the dangers of hugging, and topics to avoid on first dates.

We go through the great feedback we've received from the first episode, share medical definitions of anxiety, our personal detectors for anxiety, ambiguous lead paint tests and curling into a ball when we feel bad.

Your podcast hosts Meredith and Zeynep discuss their first anxiety diagnoses, their parallel lives, the imaginary pressure of good grades, childhood worries, how they could contribute knitting skills in a disaster bunker situation, health anxiety and demanding passwords before getting into cars.