Mid-life Men: the mental health podcast

Philip Briscoe
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated weekly

Have you ever felt like you’ve become lost in your own life? Many men struggle to talk about their problems and mental health and grew up believing that to do can be perceived as a sign of weakness or failure. There is also a lack of open discussion in society around men’s mental health, especially aimed at mid-life men.  As a result, at times many men can feel alone and lost in their own lives. In this podcast series, I talk to mid-life men about their stories; the challenges, the turning points, and the support received to help them find their way so that others who may be suffering in silence or don’t know what to do next, realise that they are not alone and there is help available. Stories will cover a whole range of challenges faced by mid-life men mainly relating to the causes of mental health issues including feelings of isolation, depression, job dissatisfaction, addiction, PTSD, and long-term illness.The podcast is NOT a replacement for professional support and we signpost to organisations and their contact details by episode. If you have a story you would like to share or any feedback on the podcasts, please email me: midlifemen01@gmail.com.

  1. Why Does My Past Still Control Me? with Paul Drugan

    3 days ago

    Why Does My Past Still Control Me? with Paul Drugan

    In this episode, we talk to Paul Drugan, who carried the emotional scars of growing up with a father who, behind closed doors, was controlling, violent and emotionally abusive. From the outside, his family looked successful and respectable. Inside the home, he was living in fear, convinced that somehow he deserved what was happening.  Like many men, Paul never spoke about it.  Instead, he buried the pain beneath achievement, alcohol, drugs and a lifetime of believing he wasn't good enough. It wasn't until adulthood that he began asking the question that changed everything: What if the person still controlling my life was someone who'd been dead for years?  In this thoughtful and deeply moving conversation, Paul explains why forgiveness isn't about excusing abuse or letting someone "off the hook". Instead, he describes forgiveness as reclaiming your own life from someone who no longer deserves to shape it.  In this episode you'll learn:  Why childhood experiences can quietly shape adult relationships, confidence and self-worth. How unresolved trauma can lead to addiction, self-sabotage and emotional isolation. Why forgiveness isn't weakness and what it really means. How shame keeps men trapped in silence. Why acknowledging what happened is often the first step towards healing. This isn't simply a conversation about abuse. It's about freedom, identity and the possibility of living a life that is no longer defined by your past. Whether Paul's story mirrors your own or not, his reflections on shame, anger and forgiveness will resonate with anyone carrying emotional baggage they no longer want to carry.  If you want to find out more about Paul, visit his website: https://pauldrugan.com/ where you can find his book ‘Forgiving Mr Jekyll’ and you can also find it online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

    44 min
  2. I've Got Everything I Wanted so Why Am I Not Happy? with Bill Williams

    15 Jun

    I've Got Everything I Wanted so Why Am I Not Happy? with Bill Williams

    Many men spend decades chasing the next thing. The next promotion. The next pay rise. The next business success. The next milestone. The belief is simple: once I get there, I'll finally be happy. But what happens when you get there and something still feels missing? In this episode of Mid-Life Men, I talk to former CEO and executive coach Bill Williams about a question that many successful men quietly wrestle with: Why don't I feel happier? Bill shares the story of a life spent striving. From the death of his father at the age of nine, through a successful corporate career and into senior leadership, he was driven by a need to prove himself. From the outside, everything looked successful. Yet underneath, joy often felt out of reach. Together, Philip and Bill discuss: Why so many men tie their identity to achievementThe hidden cost of always chasing the next goalHow childhood experiences can shape adult behaviourWhy success doesn't always bring fulfilmentThe danger of waiting until retirement to start livingThe pressure of being the provider, fixer and leaderWhat happens when the career stops and the silence beginsWhy self-awareness can be more powerful than self-improvementPractical ways to reconnect with yourself through reflection, journaling and meditationHow to experience more peace, purpose and joy in everyday lifeThis is not a conversation about giving up ambition. It's a conversation about understanding what is driving it. If you want to find out more about Bill, visit his website: https://www.bwaadvisory.com. To access the three free foundational meditations that Bill references, visit the True Freedom Leadership website: https://www.truefreedomleadership.com/ and fill in the form on the About page.

    51 min
  3. The Shame of Starting Over at 40, with Ryan McGuigan

    8 Jun

    The Shame of Starting Over at 40, with Ryan McGuigan

    In this episode, I'm joined by Ryan McGuigan, whose life, from the outside, looked like a success. He had built a thriving business from scratch, was engaged to be married, enjoyed financial stability, and seemed to be living the life many men aspire to. But beneath the surface, something felt wrong. As the physical demands of his work took their toll and cracks began to appear in his relationship, Ryan found himself facing a reality he hadn't expected. Within a short space of time, his engagement ended, he moved into a shared house just months before turning 40, and the identity he had spent years building began to unravel. In this honest and thought-provoking conversation, Ryan shares the shame, anxiety and loss of identity that followed, how he struggled with the gap between how his life looked and how it actually felt, and the surprising discovery that helped him rebuild his confidence and sense of purpose. We explore what happens when the roles, relationships and achievements we rely on for our self-worth disappear and why many men find themselves questioning everything in midlife. In this episode we discuss: Why success on paper doesn't always lead to fulfilmentThe hidden impact of identity loss after relationship breakdownHow shame and fear can keep men stuckWhy many men struggle when life doesn't go to planThe difference between external success and internal self-worthHow guided meditation helped Ryan reconnect with what really matteredWhat he learned about purpose, confidence and starting againWhy it is never too late to redesign your lifeIf you want to find out more about Ryan and listen to a free 30-minute meditation, visit his website: https://ryanpaulmcguigan.com/.

    46 min
  4. What If The Drinking Isn't The Problem? with Brad Hill

    3 Jun

    What If The Drinking Isn't The Problem? with Brad Hill

    In this episode, we hear from Brad Hill. For most of his life, from the outside, it looked like he was coping, functioning, working, getting on with life. But underneath, he was carrying things he had never really dealt with: a father who wasn't there, childhood sexual abuse, feelings of inadequacy and a growing dependence on alcohol that became his longest relationship.  In this honest and powerful conversation, Brad shares how decades of buried pain, self-criticism and addiction eventually caught up with him and why getting sober was only the beginning of the real work.  We talk about:   growing up without the validation many boys need  becoming a "functioning" alcoholic and hiding it from the world  relapse, recovery and why change is rarely a straight line  the impact of childhood trauma on adult life  learning to stop seeing yourself as a victim  writing his book No One Is Normal and why telling the truth can be healing Most of all, this episode is a reminder that the struggles many men carry in silence are often far more common than we think.   What you'll learn: Why unresolved childhood experiences can shape adult behaviour  How to identify the triggers behind self-destructive habits  Why relapse doesn't mean failure  The importance of self-reflection, journaling and honest conversations  How accepting that "no one is normal" can be the first step towards healing To find out more about Brad, his podcast and is book - both called No One is Normal - visit his website: bradhhill.com.

    36 min
  5. How Long Can You Keep Escaping Yourself? with Tom Jenkins

    25 May

    How Long Can You Keep Escaping Yourself? with Tom Jenkins

    Tom Jenkins looked functional from the outside. He held down jobs, travelled the world and kept life moving forward. But underneath, he was trapped in a cycle of binge drinking, gambling, shame, self-destruction and trying to outrun himself.  In this brutally honest conversation, Tom talks openly about:   blackouts, cocaine and waking up in places he couldn’t remember  the loneliness and low self-worth driving his behaviour  erectile dysfunction, porn and why so many men suffer in silence  why “having fun” slowly became a way of escaping himself  the moment he realised he couldn’t keep living this way But this episode isn’t just about addiction. It’s about the deeper question underneath it all: What are men really trying to numb, avoid or hide from?   Tom also shares how he slowly began rebuilding his life through honesty, changing his environment, self-reflection, healthier habits and eventually exploring psychedelics and ayahuasca in a controlled setting.  This is a raw conversation about shame, masculinity, loneliness, self-forgiveness and what recovery actually looks like when you stop pretending everything is fine. You can find Tom’s book 'The Drunk Gambler with Erectile Dysfunction: Searching for Something More' on Amazon and through other online retailers. If you want to contact Tom, you can do so via his website: https://www.thedrunkgambler.com/.

    40 min
  6. Refusing to Accept a Terminal Diagnosis with Samuel Shepherd

    23 May

    Refusing to Accept a Terminal Diagnosis with Samuel Shepherd

    When Samuel Shepherd was diagnosed with a rare terminal blood cancer, doctors told him there was no treatment, no cure, and possibly very little time left. For many people, that would have been the end of the story. For Samuel, it became the beginning of an obsession.  A physicist, engineer and inventor with decades of experience across biochemistry, environmental science and high-level government projects, Samuel turned all of his knowledge towards one goal: staying alive. What followed was years of relentless research, experimentation and a refusal to accept inevitability.  This conversation is different from most episodes of Mid-Life Men. It’s part survival story, part deep dive into inflammation, disease and the science behind Samuel’s discovery of a naturally occurring molecule called 'astaxanthin' – and why he believes it changed everything for him.  But beneath the science is something more human:  what happens psychologically when you’re told your life may be ending how fear can completely change shape why purpose matters when everything familiar falls away and what relentless determination really looks like in practice Whether you agree with Samuel’s conclusions or not, this is a fascinating conversation about resilience, mortality, curiosity and refusing to give up when the odds look impossible. If you want to find independent research on astaxanthin, go to the National Institute of Health website or the National Center for Biotechnology Information. To find out more about ValAsta as a supplement, visit Valasta.net.

    55 min
  7. Is It Too Late To Fix My Health? with Jack Clifford

    13 May

    Is It Too Late To Fix My Health? with Jack Clifford

    At 47, Jack Clifford was told he had a 100% blocked LAD “widowmaker” artery and needed emergency triple bypass surgery.  Instead, he walked out of the hospital.  Partly because he didn’t feel like the kind of man this was supposed to happen to. Partly because he’d watched his mother suffer cognitive decline after heart surgery and was terrified of losing himself in the process.  What followed was a five-year journey that completely changed how he thought about health, ageing, and survival.  In this episode, Jack explains why he chose not to follow the path doctors recommended and instead turned to biohacking, lifestyle change, and a little-known non-invasive treatment called EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation) - a therapy designed to help the body grow new collateral blood vessels naturally.  Now 52, Jack says he’s running faster than he was at 40 and living without cardiac symptoms.  This is not a reckless “ignore doctors” conversation or a miracle cure story. It’s a grounded discussion about fear, midlife health, identity, and what happens when men realise the life they’ve built has come at a physical cost.  We discuss:   The shock of being told your heart is failing  Why so many men ignore warning signs  Fear around surgery and loss of identity  Biohacking, recovery, and cardiovascular health  What EECP therapy actually is  Diet, fasting, exercise, stress, and long-term change  Why nothing changed overnight If you want to find out more about EECP, Jack and his book, then visit his website https://eecpbook.com/

    38 min
  8. What If Some Days You Just Want Out? with Graham Noble

    4 May

    What If Some Days You Just Want Out? with Graham Noble

    This episode contains an open and honest conversation about suicidal thoughts. We've chosen not to shy away from the reality of what that experience feels like because we believe that hearing it spoken about directly can help people feel less alone. If you're affected by what you hear, we'll share contact information at the end of the show notes of organisations you can reach out to right now.  For a long time, Graham Noble looked like a man handling life. Career. Family. Five children. Constantly working. From the outside thriving. But whenever pressure built, another thought would creep in: there is always a way out.  At first it was just a quiet voice in the background. As the years went on - money pressure, work stress, divorce, alcohol, trying to carry everything - that voice got louder, and sometimes it stopped being abstract.  Sometimes Graham became convinced that ending his life might be the only way to make everything stop.  This is a brutally honest conversation about what that looked like behind closed doors while outwardly still appearing to function.  Graham talks about the drinking that became routine, the isolation of spending night after night alone in hotels, the guilt of feeling he had to keep fixing everything, the day his children found him collapsed, and the point at which suicidal thoughts became not just feelings but practical planning.  He also talks about something many men will recognise: reaching for help, then pulling back because admitting the full truth feels too risky, too disruptive, and dealing with the consequences doesn't work to keep things from derailing.  What changed was not one dramatic breakthrough. It was the slow process of finding reasons to keep going.  Small goals. Future dates. Physical challenges. Honest conversations. Reconnecting with family. Eventually sharing how he left and letting other people in.  For Graham, one of the biggest turning points came through taking on Kilimanjaro, not because climbing a mountain magically solves anything, but because he found something ahead of him that required him to still be here.  This episode is about male pressure, alcohol, financial fear, carrying responsibility, hidden suicidal thoughts, and the dangerous gap between looking functional and actually being okay.  A very real and very important conversation.  If you want to contact Graham you can find him on LinkedIn just search for Graham Noble. You can also visit his website: https://www.vertical-sky.com/ to find out more about Kilimanjaro climbing trips.  If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, there are organisations you can call now. In the UK, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123. In the US, you can call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.  As always, the advice is to speak to a GP or mental health professional.

    45 min
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About

Have you ever felt like you’ve become lost in your own life? Many men struggle to talk about their problems and mental health and grew up believing that to do can be perceived as a sign of weakness or failure. There is also a lack of open discussion in society around men’s mental health, especially aimed at mid-life men.  As a result, at times many men can feel alone and lost in their own lives. In this podcast series, I talk to mid-life men about their stories; the challenges, the turning points, and the support received to help them find their way so that others who may be suffering in silence or don’t know what to do next, realise that they are not alone and there is help available. Stories will cover a whole range of challenges faced by mid-life men mainly relating to the causes of mental health issues including feelings of isolation, depression, job dissatisfaction, addiction, PTSD, and long-term illness.The podcast is NOT a replacement for professional support and we signpost to organisations and their contact details by episode. If you have a story you would like to share or any feedback on the podcasts, please email me: midlifemen01@gmail.com.

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