Ask Mayim Anything #6: Earworms, Love’s Effects on the Brain, Outgrowing Your Therapist, ADHD & Age, The Breastfeeding Bond

This week we are re-releasing a Substack Live from our Breaker community! Mayim and Jonathan unpack their recent conversation with Dr. Paul Conti, psychiatrist and author of Trauma: The Invisible Epidemic, and the clinician who assessed Lady Gaga during her psychiatric crisis. His central argument: the lens through which you approach your own suffering may be the very thing keeping you stuck in it - and psychiatry needs to evolve to help you see that.Mayim breaks down one of Dr. Conti’s most profound suggestions — that if a diagnosis becomes your sole identity, the brain will actually reinforce it. Every time you return to a problem as the primary fact of your existence, you deepen the groove that rumination is creating in your brain. He’s offering a clinical framework for redirecting attention toward what is functioning, and why that reorientation affects real mental health improvement.More than half of the physical complaints that walk into a general practitioner’s office originate in the mind not as fabrication, but as the body’s honest response to unprocessed psychological overload. Mayim and Jonathan sit with what that actually means: your back pain, your gut issues, and your chronic fatigue may not be separate problems requiring separate specialists; they may be indications of a system under pressure that needs focused psychological care.They also explore:- Why internet self-diagnosis and social media labeling can be dangerous, and what the actual clinical criteria are for knowing when something needs professional attention versus when you’re just wired differently- The case that many mental health challenges are spiritual in nature, and what it means that our healthcare system lacks a framework for treating them that way- How chronic background stress erodes your capacity to handle normal life, and why you often can’t see it happening, because your baseline keeps shifting without your awareness- Practical takeaways from the recent episode with Dr. Stacy Sims, Exercise Physiologist and Nutrition Scientist, on women’s health, protein timing, and what actually happened when Jonathan snuck a bolus of protein into Mayim’s bedtime routineFollow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we’re revisiting an episode from last year with Dr. Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. in biomedical science, expert in nutritional biochemistry and aging, and founder of FoundMyFitness. She takes us through the cutting-edge science behind living longer, feeling sharper, and preventing disease with evidence-based lifestyle changes.In this powerful conversation, Dr. Patrick uncovers the hidden nutrient deficiencies that may be driving depression and anxiety, and how your daily habits could be quietly accelerating inflammation, cognitive decline, and chronic illness. Learn why creatine may be the brain-boosting supplement you’re missing, the 2-minute “exercise snack” can rewire your brain and boost metabolic health, how running may outperform antidepressants for mood regulation, why living near a golf course might increase your toxic exposure and how alcohol affects women’s brains more severely than men’s. She also breaks down how much protein you really need (especially for vegans), coffee’s health benefits and how to brew it for maximum antioxidants, the role of nutrigenomics in disease prevention and personalized nutrition. If you’re curious about longevity science, biohacking, or how to boost your brain and body without overhauling your life, this Dr. Rhonda Patrick interview is packed with practical, science-backed tools to upgrade your healthspan and feel better starting today.Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if dying revealed the truth about who you really are?After suffering a heart attack fueled by years of rage, trauma, and inner conflict, David A. Williamson says he left his body, heard doctors' thoughts as they fought to save his life, traveled through deep space, encountered "the Void," witnessed a mysterious hidden Grid beyond the universe, and received a life-altering message:"You killed yourself with your personality."In this extraordinary Near Death Experience (NDE) episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, David describes hovering above his body in the operating room, watching medical personnel work on him while somehow knowing their private thoughts. He then says he shot through space, encountered what he believes may be connected to black holes, witnessed a star-forming region, transformed into an orb of light, and saw an asteroid that NASA would later confirm actually exists.But that's only the beginning.David shares childhood experiences that he believes prepared him for this encounter with death, including an NDE at age six, powerful intuition, ESP abilities, lucid dreaming, sleep paralysis, and a lifelong sense that reality was far more mysterious than most people realize. He also reveals why he eventually asked God to take his intuitive gifts away.In one of the most unique life reviews we've ever heard, David says he was shown profound truths about identity, race, trauma, love, and the destructive power of unresolved anger. Growing up in a small, impoverished Southern town, witnessing KKK marches as a child, and carrying years of racial pain and resentment would eventually culminate in the heart attack that changed everything.He also discusses startling past-life memories of witnessing the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, his views on reincarnation, Earth School, and why he believes we are already choosing future lifetimes based on the lessons we are learning now.We cover:- His detailed out-of-body experience during cardiac arrest- Receiving the profound realization that he was fundamentally "love and light"- Traveling through space and encountering "the Void"- Witnessing a star-forming region and becoming an orb of light- Mysterious Grid beyond space and what it may mean about reality- Angels and their role in humanity's development- Reincarnation, soul evolution, & Earth School- Why he believes souls cycle through many lives- Emotional and physical challenges of returning to life after death- Why he experienced severe depression after his NDE- How sharing his story 3.5 years later helped rewire his brain and accelerate healing- The dramatic personality transformation that followed his experience- Psychedelics vs. NDEs: key similarities and differences- What religion gets wrong about spirituality- How his NDE changed the way he parents and approaches relationships- Role of imagination, creation, & possibility in human lifeWhether you're curious about consciousness, life after death, reincarnation, spirituality, psychic phenomena, black holes, or the transformative power of profound human experiences, this conversation challenges conventional assumptions and explores some of the deepest questions we can ask about existence!Please consider donating to David A. Williamson’s GoFundMe if you are able: https://gofund.me/ecdf2577bFollow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if dying revealed the truth about who you really are?After suffering a heart attack fueled by years of rage, trauma, and inner conflict, David A. Williamson says he left his body, heard doctors' thoughts as they fought to save his life, traveled through deep space, encountered "the Void," witnessed a mysterious hidden Grid beyond the universe, and received a life-altering message:"You killed yourself with your personality."In this extraordinary Near Death Experience (NDE) episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, David describes hovering above his body in the operating room, watching medical personnel work on him while somehow knowing their private thoughts. He then says he shot through space, encountered what he believes may be connected to black holes, witnessed a star-forming region, transformed into an orb of light, and saw an asteroid that NASA would later confirm actually exists.But that's only the beginning.David shares childhood experiences that he believes prepared him for this encounter with death, including an NDE at age six, powerful intuition, ESP abilities, lucid dreaming, sleep paralysis, and a lifelong sense that reality was far more mysterious than most people realize. He also reveals why he eventually asked God to take his intuitive gifts away.In one of the most unique life reviews we've ever heard, David says he was shown profound truths about identity, race, trauma, love, and the destructive power of unresolved anger. Growing up in a small, impoverished Southern town, witnessing KKK marches as a child, and carrying years of racial pain and resentment would eventually culminate in the heart attack that changed everything.He also discusses startling past-life memories of witnessing the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, his views on reincarnation, Earth School, and why he believes we are already choosing future lifetimes based on the lessons we are learning now.We cover:- His detailed out-of-body experience during cardiac arrest- Receiving the profound realization that he was fundamentally "love and light"- Traveling through space and encountering "the Void"- Witnessing a star-forming region and becoming an orb of light- Mysterious Grid beyond space and what it may mean about reality- Angels and their role in humanity's development- Reincarnation, soul evolution, & Earth School- Why he believes souls cycle through many lives- Emotional and physical challenges of returning to life after death- Why he experienced severe depression after his NDE- How sharing his story 3.5 years later helped rewire his brain and accelerate healing- The dramatic personality transformation that followed his experience- Psychedelics vs. NDEs: key similarities and differences- What religion gets wrong about spirituality- How his NDE changed the way he parents and approaches relationships- Role of imagination, creation, & possibility in human lifeWhether you're curious about consciousness, life after death, reincarnation, spirituality, psychic phenomena, black holes, or the transformative power of profound human experiences, this conversation challenges conventional assumptions and explores some of the deepest questions we can ask about existence!Go to https://surfshark.com/mayim or use code MAYIM at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark!Use code BREAKER at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase! #JonesRoadBeauty #adFor a limited time, get $250 off Cove Pure water filtration at http://www.covepure.com/breakdownReceive a free LMNT Sample Pack with purchase. Just visit https://drinklmnt.com/mayimVisit drinkag1.com/BREAKDOWN and get a FREE AG1 Flavor Sampler and a FREE bottle of Vitamin D3 + K2 in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order.Get your annual IANDS Conference tickets at https://conference.iands.org.Watch the Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Official Podcast on HBO Max, the HBO Max YouTube channel, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. https://link.mgln.ai/StuartGo to https://tidd.ly/4uVltMe and use the code MAYIM50 to get $50 off your Elastique order.Please consider donating to David A. Williamson’s GoFundMe if you are able: https://gofund.me/ecdf2577bFollow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we’re sharing something special that was previously only available on Substack: Jonathan’s conversation with Meredith Sprengel, Research and Program Director for the Subtle Energy Funders Collective and Fellowship Director for the Biofield Fellowship Research Program. Meredith studies what most people would call energy healing — someone holds their hands over you, or sends an intention, and the body drops into a deep state of rest. In that state, curious and sometimes miraculous things start to happen.Science can already measure the electrical field your heart and brain give off, and the faint light your cells emit. But what about a field that connects all of us? And what if it’s the missing piece in how the body heals itself?Meredith walks us through a preclinical study at MD Anderson Cancer Center where a specific energy healing practice stopped the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. She also describes her own research in the Netherlands, where people receiving healing showed an exponential rise in biophoton emissions — the faint light our cells give off when they’re metabolically active. A mitochondrial researcher who reviewed the data said it resembled what you see in someone who just went for a run.Meredith has interviewed many healers who describe scanning the body and feeling spots that are heavy, hot, or stuck — places where old emotional pain is believed to be held. What her research has found is that healing rarely looks like pain suddenly disappearing. More often, a person’s relationship to that pain changes, and connection to other people and a sense of meaning seem to play a role in that shift.So how does it actually work? Some healers say they’re channeling god, source, or consciousness. Others describe clearing blockages of stuck energy. And others say they’re not doing the healing at all — just giving the body space to do what it already knows how to do.Meredith and her co-host Ivy Ross explore all of this in their six-part podcast series, Phenomena: The Science and Stories of Energy Healing, sitting down with healers, people who’ve received healing, and the scientists studying what’s actually happening.Energy healing has been practiced for centuries. Science is finally starting to catch up!Watch the Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Official Podcast on HBO Max, the HBO Max YouTube channel, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. https://link.mgln.ai/StuartVisit drinkag1.com/BREAKDOWN and get a FREE AG1 Flavor Sampler and a FREE bottle of Vitamin D3 + K2 in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order.Get your annual IANDS Conference tickets at https://conference.iands.org.Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.