Anxiety, depression and addiction touch almost every family, yet many people still struggle to talk about them. Since 2013 Brian Rose has sat down with doctors, researchers, soldiers, athletes and artists to discuss what they believe drives poor mental health and what helped them recover. These conversations cover childhood trauma, loneliness, the brain, breathwork and psychedelic research. Guests share their own views and experiences, not medical advice. Every full interview is free to watch.
From physician and trauma expert Dr Gabor Maté and Lost Connections author Johann Hari to psychiatrist Dr Daniel Amen, hypnotist Paul McKenna, former Google X executive Mo Gawdat, boxing champion Frank Bruno and former Special Forces soldier Ollie Ollerton: what harms the mind and what helps it heal.
Dr Gabor Maté has joined London Real three times. He argues that childhood trauma creates addiction, and that much illness reflects a stressful, disconnected culture rather than individual failure. Johann Hari makes a related case: that depression and anxiety are often driven by lost connections to people, meaningful work and purpose. Gary Davidge, who runs a homeless drop-in centre in east London, describes how addiction, mental health and homelessness feed each other. Jake Wood, a Territorial Army soldier, talks about living with PTSD after Iraq and Afghanistan, and Ollie Ollerton, a former Special Boat Service operator, describes hitting rock bottom and rebuilding his life.
Psychiatrist Dr Daniel Amen shares the simple daily practices he recommends to support memory, mood and focus. Paul McKenna explains the techniques he teaches to reset anxious thinking. Mo Gawdat, who wrote Solve For Happy after the death of his son, argues that happiness can be approached like an engineering problem. Monk Gaur Gopal Das offers a guide to mindful living, BAFTA-winning writer Geoff Thompson talks about the power of forgiveness, and Dylan Werner and Wim Hof explain how they use breathwork to manage stress.
Frank Bruno, the former world heavyweight champion, opens up about living with bipolar disorder. Concert pianist James Rhodes describes how music helped him through what he calls madness and medication. Other guests discuss research into new approaches. Clinical psychologist Dr Rosalind Watts explains her work on psychedelic therapy for depression and addiction, and MAPS founder Rick Doblin makes the case for MDMA-assisted therapy. Professor David Nutt argues that alcohol does more harm than any other drug. These are the guests’ views and research, not treatment advice.
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Who has London Real interviewed about mental health? Brian Rose has interviewed Dr Gabor Maté, Johann Hari, Dr Daniel Amen, Paul McKenna, Mo Gawdat, Frank Bruno, Ollie Ollerton, James Rhodes, Wim Hof, Dr Rosalind Watts, Rick Doblin, Michael Pollan and Professor David Nutt, among others.
What causes anxiety and depression, according to the guests? Views differ. Gabor Maté points to childhood trauma and a stressful culture. Johann Hari focuses on disconnection from people and purpose. Daniel Amen emphasises brain health and daily habits. Their views are not a substitute for advice from a doctor or mental health professional.
Do the episodes cover psychedelic therapy? Yes. Dr Rosalind Watts, Rick Doblin and Michael Pollan discuss research into psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics as possible treatments. They describe research and their own views; these substances remain illegal in many countries.
Are the full mental health episodes free to watch? Yes. Every full-length interview on this page can be watched free on londonreal.tv.
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