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In a new episode of well enough podcast GP and TV medical expert Dr Amos Ogunkoya discusses the cycle of burnout, loneliness and disconnection faced by the British public and the interventions needed to promote wellbeing.
This episode, which explores whether our corporate careers are taking us too far and whether the distractions and dependencies of modern life – like social media and competition with colleagues and friends – may be doing us more harm than good, also featured zoe klaarFounder and CEO of WeAre8,
Dr Ogunkoya painted a compelling picture of the state of UK stress levels and explained how as a GP he sees so many patients in clinic who hide high levels of stress and anxiety. He also explains how burn out – a state of emotional exhaustion in which life’s challenges exceed our ability to deal with them – is now an official term used by medical professionals. So why, Emily Lavinia asked, do we not notice this until it’s too late?
Dr Ogunkoya, who is also a Premier League doctor supporting some of the world’s most talented athletes, also shared personal experiences that recently led him to take a deeper look at the mental health and well-being of some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.
“I had one of the most profound experiences I’ve ever had with a patient yesterday,” Ogunkoya told podcast host Emily Lavinia. “There’s a GP practice that’s set up to look after the homeless. So I ran the clinic there yesterday. I’m not afraid to admit I shed a tear afterwards, which was really weird for me. When you deal with medical stuff, it’s like, bang bang bang, antibiotics, OK. And I had a few minutes left and I said, OK. ‘So, what happened? Tell me what. What’s happening, and how are you feeling?’
“He used the phrase during the consultation, and I thought it was so real, I thought everyone could describe it. He called it ‘soul pain,’ he called it ‘deep soul pain,’ and he said, ‘You’re asking me, doctor, what, exactly, has brought me here? Such deep soul pain.’
“And then I was like, ‘Well, I don’t know how to make it better.’ Finally, he gets his stuff, as he’s fast asleep, and he says, ‘Thanks for listening, Doctor.’ And then he shook my hand and he went out.
“The way he explained it, he was a little philosophical. […] ‘This is what happened to me, deep in my soul, and I know about it and thank you for listening.’ And I was shocked by it. There are a lot of people just hanging around in that position, waiting for someone to ask them.”
The two guests also discussed how screen time and social media echo chambers contribute to increased stress levels and how often, the people experiencing stress most intensely hide it.
“Fear and anger are very strong emotions and our brains are not designed to be in that state constantly,” says Ogunkoya. “People are often asked if they feel tired but they are on top of their business and flying really high. They feel tired but technically, it has not affected their performance.”
Klar talks about his experience as a tech entrepreneur and how this cycle inspired him to create WeAre8 – an AI-powered social media platform that blocks hateful content, gives agency to users and donates its profits back to communities and non-profit organizations.
“Whether we pay attention to it or not, big tech is global governments, they are taking money out of people’s time and value, and they are not putting it back into society. […] $200 billion to Meta,” she says.
“If you have to keep people scrolling to make more money, to distribute it versus shareholder returns, you have to make it toxic. So the algorithms have gotten worse and worse and worse and worse. It’s all money. It’s money, and it’s greed and power and control.
“We have forgotten what it’s like to live in a world where we are not abused.” Kalar says. “We want to inspire you for ten minutes a day and to do that we have to stop the hate.”
Dr Ogunkoya and Kalar took the opportunity to discuss the impact of social media on children, life before smartphones, the long-term health effects of loneliness, mental health resources in the UK and how to have difficult conversations with friends, family and your manager at work.
listen to the episode Here And watch the full episode HereWell Enough is available wherever you get your podcasts.
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