Dr. Paul Conti: Tools and Protocols for Mental Health | Huberman Lab Guest Series
This is episode 4 of a 4-part special series on mental health with Stanford and Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr. Paul Conti, M.D. Dr. Conti explains what true self-care is and how our mental health benefits from specific self-care and introspection practices — much in the same way that our physical health benefits from certain exercise and nutrition habits. He describes how the foundation of mental health is an understanding of one’s own mind and the specific questions to ask in order to explore the conscious and unconscious parts of ourselves. He describes how this process can be done either on our own, through journaling, meditation and structured thought, or in therapy with the help of a licensed professional. He also explains how unprocessed trauma can short-circuit the process and how to prevent that, and the role of friendships and other relational support systems in the journey of self-exploration for mental health. People of all ages and those with and without self-introspection and therapy experience ought to benefit from the information in this episode.
#HubermanLab #Science #MentalHealth
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Dr. Paul Conti
Website: https://drpaulconti.com
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Resources
Guest Series | Dr. Paul Conti: How to Understand & Assess Your Mental Health (Episode 1): https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/guest-series-dr-paul-conti-how-to-understand-and-assess-your-mental-health
Guest Series | Dr. Paul Conti: How to Improve Your Mental Health (Episode 2): https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/guest-series-dr-paul-conti-how-to-improve-your-mental-health
Guest Series | Dr. Paul Conti: How to Build and Maintain Healthy Relationships (Episode 3): https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/guest-series-dr-paul-conti-how-to-build-and-maintain-healthy-relationships
The Iceberg Model: https://bit.ly/3LDNCn1
Pillars of Mental Health: https://bit.ly/48y0cOo
Timestamps
00:00:00 Self Care
00:02:37 Sponsors: BetterHelp & Waking Up
00:05:34 What is Self-Care?, Foundation, Self-Understanding
00:13:18 Life Narratives
00:15:24 Journaling, Self-Inquiry & Therapy
00:24:41 Unconscious Mind, Salience & Journaling; Panic Attacks
00:28:20 Self-Inquiry; Grief & Death
00:33:23 Sponsor: AG1
00:34:39 Self-Harm, Hopelessness & Therapy
00:37:27 Apprehension of Unconscious Mind Exploration
00:42:34 Mental Health Map: Cupboards, Agency & Gratitude, Generative Drive
00:54:18 Structure of Self, Unconscious Mind, Abscess Analogy
01:01:57 Exploring the Unconscious Mind, Curiosity, “Question the Givens”
01:10:48 Conscious Mind Exploration; Self Curiosity, Busyness
01:19:20 Exploring Defense Mechanisms, Character Structure
01:24:54 Self & Character Structure, “Tending the Garden”
01:32:45 Function of Self Cupboards
01:35:50 Self-Awareness Exploration, Mirror Meditation
01:38:34 Defense Mechanisms in Action & Self-Inquiry, Patterns
01:47:15 Salience Exploration, Grounding Meditation
01:52:37 Behavior & Self-Reflection; Phantom Driver Analogy
02:00:14 Self & Strivings; Empowerment & Humility
02:09:07 Challenges in Certain Life Domains
02:17:49 Friendships & Support, Social Media
02:23:50 Anger & Self-Care
02:34:18 Self-Care & Challenges
02:38:43 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Social Media, Momentous, Neural Network Newsletter
Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac – https://www.blabacphoto.com
The Huberman Lab podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
Thank you very-very much!
I listened to this one and another one with James Hollis today, and now I can’t remember who said this particular thing, but I wrote down the question "What does this action/thought serve in my life?" I just got back from Costco, and as usual, I was tempted to get some ice cream after shopping. I asked myself what that choice was in service to though, and didn’t end up buying it. Dammit Huberman! Seriously though, that is a really effective way to give my brain just enough pause to rethink whatever situation I am in. I really appreciate you sharing life tools that are so easy to add into daily life. I look forward to more podcasts!
34:55
Can you please make short episodes to make it easy to keep up with and easy to understand.
Excellent- enriching session. Thank you –
Drs P & A,
Thank you both very much. Dr Andrew .. I appreciate your vulnerability… for me, the way and the specific focus of these podcasts land precisely. Thank you for your commitment to link people like me to a conversation like this. 🙏 Dr Paul .. what a beautiful intelligent, deep compassionate soul you are. What you have shared with me through this series is one of the biggest learnings and recreations I have experienced.
Humanity has a future with people like you guys leading by example.
Thank you both 🙏
Loved listening to the first 3 episodes. Just starting the 4th….I am thoroughly enjoying them. Thank you both so much for this gift
Rating: 8.7/10
In Short: Self ‘Critical’ Care
Notes: ‘Knowledge is power’-~20min, love this. Conti talks about his own experience with his brothers suicide and connects it to the general principle that someone is addressing and going through ‘Self Care’ Abscess analogy is great–similar to things in our brain. Agency and gratitude (again)–are ‘ways of living’ are ‘being’ and are’ Loops back to these points multiple times. A good ending to this series, but not quite the best cus it’s a bit repetitive at times–feels like I’ve heard some of the points multiple times (especially listening to conti on Lex and Peterson).
This series has left me crying, and exhausted, from the realizations I have experienced while listening. I know that’s a good thing.
Thank you so much Dr. Conti, and Dr. Huberman. So much. So very much.
No matter how well your mental health is, once you lose your one and only love, your everything – you will never be the same again, and then worrying about your mental health seems like a pointless luxury.
Lots and lots of talk, zero actionable items. Just incredible.
Dr huberman I have to apologize I just noticed I have not like this vidoe. Thank you for your hard work.
Simply being aware of coping mechanisms and paying attention is so helpful like he said. I suffered a violent SA event by strangers years ago and was happy that I had opted to join a program to get me into counselling (which also pays for test kits and ongoing medical treatment if needed) in my state because the counsellors could at least educate me on what I might find myself doing and how to pay attention to symptoms of PTSD. I ended up switching to a better fit therapist to work on processing but it was so helpful to just be aware while my mind started say fearing men who looked like those who attacked me, or fearing being in the part of town I was last conscious, or making generalizations, or having somatic responses. They’re all normal human responses from evolution but I managed to never test very high for PTSD from it and to at least have good healthy internal dialogue about whether it was reasonable and being aware of my bodily responses.
Mindblowingly useful content. I listened on podcast addict bit decided to like and comment here as well because I DID derive tremendous benefit from it. The 8 out of 9 roads metaphor will stick, just like the relationship advice of having similar generative drive
Thank You this Series 1 2 3 4 is the only place I have found a full understanding of what is going on in my Mind Your Warning to stop digging came at the exact right time was I saved by the bell in that round . I will be watching this again . . "Like going 4 rounds with Mike Tyson" heavy stuff but worth it .
I would love to talk about my 2 books on. Mental Health and PTSD
What did Dr Conti mean by we could be cursed? Is he saying that this self reflection can help overcome even if someone else has sent bad vibes our way?
On anger — I rarely feel it (consciously, I suppose), but when I do, it is one of the few times I feel energized enough to get things done. In a strange way, I’d rather be angry than depressed.
Very good❤
could you please give examples on how to navigate through the 10 cupboards ?
I’ve lived it because I was in phycology unit in. WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER FOR A YEAR
This series has been one of the most useful lectures I’ve heard in decades. It makes me want to study with Dr Conti. I work in somatic therapy (ecstatic dance) and this has really enriched my understand of the psyche. It is so true that "it’s hard to be a human." We could all use more compassion. Thank you professor Huberman for offering this to the world.
Thank you, I watch everyday ❤
He looks like younger dr. Jordan B peterson
HOLY SHINOLLI. Those 9 words arepotential game changers!!
WOooow
Thank you for this great series… but (as always) Andrew’s inputs on this one were fascinating 🫂
Answering the question about who we would want to see in the podcast:
– It would be extremely interesting to see Andrew’s approach to one of the high/best representatives of the legacy of the psychology of the book "A Course in Miracles". There’s the religious side of it that (unfortunately) couldn’t be avoided, but… well… fortunately there’s more than that…
– And it wasn’t even necessary to be an interview. Just listening to Andrew dissecting the book would be a wonderful thing (during 3, 4 or 5 hours 🤭). I’m sure it would mindf* him 😊
– Buddhism – It would be fascinating to listen to how he would approach an important Buddhist persona that could match Andrew’s questions.
🧟♀️🦋🫶🏽
I Listened to all 4 episodes and feel that I could benefit from exploring these concepts. I’ve been in therapy 20 plus years and have tried countless medications. I’m at the point were I’m suffering immensly with anxiety and depression. So much so I can barely eat. I’m fighting panic attacks daily and I am done with the approach of here is a new pill and therapy to help you practice radical acceptance and distress tolerance. I know CBT had is place and helps in some cases. But fuck radical acceptance I can’t live this way anymore. Can you direct me to some books and resources so I can learn more ?
I want to ensure the following comments do not come first without the incredibly deserved recognition of the truly god-like work I believe Andrew is doing and the gift we all have of accessing such phenomenal content.
I am without doubt that he has / is radically transforming countless lives.
However, I wonder if at any point in these (absolutely incredible) conversations Paul detected what I suspect to be a deep rooted narcissism in Andrew – the discussion(s) regarding his rather intense aggressive drives, the intense mate guarding toward a previous partner(s?) etc. I think it’s also an interesting question to ask what fuels someone to attain such a position in life as Andrew has (in many realms), with a seemingly unending drive for ‘expansion’ (one would assume intellectually by his academic pursuits, his business growth etc).
I say all of this out of pure curiosity and a desire to understand, precisely.
This series with Dr Conti is the best series you’ve ever done!
Thank you for this series and these tools for a more aware self
12 hours marathon of Andrew and Paul today.
I have actually learnt some really good actions to put into effect. I’ve been married twice, and have run away from both of them. I now realise it’s due to unhealed childhood trauma. Ty both 🕊️🩷🤍💜💙🩵💚💛🧡❤️
What would happen if we shot a Lazer aimed at the moon? Would there not be a crackling as the small Lazer explodes the gas and dust in the way. Before the tunnel of vacuum caused by the first a second Lazar of ten times the energy is fired into this vacuum tunnel and so it goes increasingly intense until a shinny pool of glass begins to boil on that service. Shall we let it cool and bounce our signals from there?
I love the concept of making a file to segment my memories by the year they occurred. Thank you Dr Huberman. You are the best podcast out of them all. (Shhh don’t tell Lex Fridman I said that)
While going through medical school; I learned the concept of "minimum threshold for conscious awareness" for physical sensations – and equated that to emotional/psychological events as well. It allowed me to uncover/confront the unconscious "abscesses" in 2021/2022.
I extrapolated that backwards to a similar model of consciousness. I’d be curious to learn the sympathetic/parasympathetic role in relation to yours?
I’ve got an idea that primarily the left side of the brain, is pushed to "sympathetic" awareness; where the "parasympathetic" would traditionally be "aware" at night.
Allowing one to be awake while sleeping, to be aware of outside danger as an evolutionary defense mechanism. With rest and optimization of evolutionary traits it integrated into this idea of "self" or "I" with multiplicity.
❤
Every narcissistic girl on Instagram finding any excuse to sexualize herself n call it “self care” needs this episode.
Dispassionate is a deep word. Is it really a lack of passion? It is a choice, choosing to not be controlled by this emotion. It’s power.
Amazing and priceless information. Thank you both for leading us to be part of a better world, mentally and physically…and learn how to heal ourselves and help others… I have nothing but gratitude… blessings! 🙏🏽
I used make many of my decisions based on emotions. And I didn’t understand my emotions. You can imagine what kind of gong show that turned out to be. At a point in my early 40s my occasional coping vices turned into full time problems when life presented me disaster after disaster and before I knew it I’d lost 8 years of my life. Almost lost my life. I had no choice but to figure it out and look at all of the things that were causing this nightmare situation. This included taking responsibility for the my part in this and more importantly to forgive myself and realize that I had factors working against me as well that contributed to the maladaptive behaviours. All I can do now is learn about myself with my eyes wide open. And that requires vulnerability. Which was almost impossible. It’s hard to be vulnerable when you struggle with even feeling safe. Ever.
This series is brilliant and it helped me immensely in my journey to healing. And I’m sure I’m not the only one. Thanks so much for providing such valuable information to those of us that can’t afford therapy! Keep up the good work both of you!
Thank you!
Thank you so very much Mr. Huberman and Dr.Conti for graciously sharing this incredible series of podcasts and model for mental health and self care. Understanding the resources within me are essential and I feel very grateful for this knowledge and clarity. Thank you again Andrew and Dr. Conti for stimulating helping me recapture my well-being.🙏❤️🩹🌱
Where would I find the mirror excercise?
Concerning ego related mirror exercises, one particularly helpful one I found is recognizing that you aren’t the person in the mirror, you are the person looking at the mirror.
What’s your and Dr. Conti thoughts on EMDR therapy?
Wow Wow Wow!!!
Best of best!
This set of 4 will be on loop for a long time! ❤
Dear Dr. Andrew Huberman,
I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible impact your podcast has had on my life. Your insightful discussions, grounded in neuroscience and real-world experience, have been a source of inspiration, guidance, and growth for me.
Your ability to break down complex concepts into accessible and actionable advice has been truly transformative. Your podcast has become a cherished resource, offering life lessons that I reflect on and apply daily.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, expertise, and passion with the world. Your dedication to educating and empowering others is a gift, and I feel fortunate to be a beneficiary of your work.
Please continue sharing your wisdom and inspiring others to live more fulfilling lives.❤
Much to chew on and move on. Several listens. Great time stamps help. Thanks
I appreciate the 4 podcasts Andrew and Paul, these initially felt like the most helpful and amazing pieces of work, and had a big effect on me. Anyway as i have revisited the episodes many times in an effort to improve my mental health, I have began a process of looking inside the cupboards, but tbh i am not proud of many of the things inside. I know its a tough process and youmentioned it can be a long one, but i am at a point where i wanna try and get some professional help as its having a pretty negative spiral on me. Can Paul recommend any online people to contact who are using the agency /gratitude model for helping people navigate their roadmaps ? If not can i request a further episode on addressing the issue of unpacking stuff your ashamed of, losing self confidence and finding a way to navigate back to postive agency / gratitute ? thanks in advance
The kindness here is so inspiring. Blessings to everyone!