004 - Dr. Kathy Says - Facing Depression and Enhancing Mental Health with the Five Core Needs

In this episode of Facing the Dark, Dr. Kathy starts by venting her frustration at the focus solely on the causes of the mental health crisis without discussing potential solutions. She challenges the popular narrative of blaming COVID for issues like loneliness and isolation, urging listeners to move forward and not give it too much authority. Drawing from previous episodes where she tackled technology's impact and the link between loneliness, isolation, and mental health, Dr. Kathy introduces the concept of the five core needs related to mental health: security, identity, belonging, purpose, and competence. Dr. Kathy emphasizes security as the most crucial need and stresses the importance of trusting people rather than external factors. The current culture of lying and the prevalence of falsehoods in society greatly impact young people's sense of security, Dr. Kathy explains. Encouraging listeners, specifically parents and individuals, to focus on what they can control, she advises becoming a source of security for their loved ones. Touching briefly on the importance of identity, Dr. Kathy mentions that without security, one's sense of identity can become uncertain and easily influenced by outside factors. She further shares that the Celebrate Kids podcast has had an intriguing week, delving into dark topics, and Dr. Kathy has been exploring similar themes in Saturday morning sessions.