Mental As Anyone

Lessons in mental health and life from acclaimed entertainment journalist Jonathon Moran Mental health issues can affect everyone, so it's crucial that you have strategies to help you combat life's ups and downs as they happen. Mental as Anyone is a brutally honest self-help book for anyone dealing with the challenges of mental health. Shared through his own personal story, journalist and host of the Mental as Anyone podcast Jonathon ‘JMo’ Moran, with the help of expert clinical psychologist Dr Jodie Lowinger, offers real-life coping strategies to break down the barrier to mental health literacy. Developed through experiencing his own trauma, Moran shares through personal stories how he built his life tool kit and, backed with strategies from Dr Lowinger, shows how you can build your own, with practical coping methods that you can implement immediately to improve your mental health. With these comprehensive mental wellness tools and techniques, you'll have the support you need for issues related to sexuality, depression, addictive substances and behaviours, self-esteem, loss and abuse. Inside the book: Actionable advice for your “life tool kit” to help you face life's inevitable challenges Extraordinary stories from Moran's personal and professional life — from meeting Madonna to spending an evening in Carrie Fisher's hotel room Universally applicable self-help strategies learned from personal experiences and professional practice, and grounded in psychology Perfect for anyone interested in becoming the best version of themselves, Mental As Anyone is a timely and personal reminder that life can be a struggle, but we all have it within ourselves to overcome the obstacles life throws at us.

About the Authors xv Foreword: Guy Sebastian xvii Foreword: Gus Worland xix Introduction xxiii Palate Cleanser: Meeting Her Majesty — Madonna xxviii Part I: Sexuality 1 1 Promiscuity 3 2 Experiencing Sexual Abuse 9 3 One, Two, Three … Like a Virgin 19 4 Kissing Boys … and the Occasional Girl 25 5 Business Potential: Penthouse Couples 31 6 Faggot: Flying Under the Radar 35 7 Conflicting Views 45 8 Discrimination 51 Your Toolkit for Sexuality 55 Palate Cleanser: Golf Course Stakeout — Robbie Williams 67 Part II: Addiction 71 9 A Wake- Up Call 73 10 Losing Control: 3 am Drunk Dialling 83 11 The Reality of Reality TV 87 12 Isolated in the House of Pancakes 93 Your Toolkit for Addiction 97 Palate Cleanser: The Ultimate Entertainer — Michael Bublé 111 Part III: Self- Esteem 117 13 Body Conscious 119 14 Hair Makes a World of Difference 125 15 From Rejection to Connection 131 16 The Things We Do for Love 141 17 Race-Car Mind 147 Your Toolkit for Self-Esteem 154 Palate Cleanser: A Visit to Narnia — Tilda Swinton 170 Part IV: Life & Death 173 18 Overdose 175 19 Listen Up: Abuse and Power 189 20 Death Rattle 195 21 Inherited Qualities: Shopping ’Til You Drop 205 Your Toolkit for Life & Death 209 Palate Cleanser: Princess Leia — Carrie Fisher 224 Conclusion 229 Resources 233 Acknowledgements 235