The Psychology of Depression and Anxiety - Dr. Scott Eilers

Scott Eilers

There are people who understand depression and anxiety on a personal level and there are people who understand depression and anxiety on a medical level. There are relatively few people who understand both, and I’m one of them. As a clinical psychologist I have a doctorate degree and thousands of hours of professional experience providing treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. I also have 39 years of personal experience managing mood and anxiety disorders as I myself deal with these struggles. This podcast is my attempt to synthesize my personal knowledge with my professional knowledge.

  1. 12h ago

    Are you subconsciously sabotaging your mental health? Here’s 6 reasons why:

    Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://growtherapy.yt.link/rDN1csO to find your dream therapist today!What if part of you is afraid to get better? It sounds irrational, but resistance to healing is one of the most common things I see in people struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health conditions.In this episode, I explain why improvement can feel terrifying, why getting better often changes relationships and identities, and why the unknown can feel scarier than staying stuck.If you've ever wondered why you keep pulling back just as things start improving, this conversation might help you understand what's really happening beneath the surface. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    23 min
  2. May 25

    These 7 simple habits are utterly destroying your mental health

    Thanks to Monarch for partnering with me! Start your free trial and get 50% off your first year of total money clarity using my link or code drscott50 for 50% Off Monarch Core tier. Most people are following lifestyles that are quietly destroying their mental health. I'll break down 7 deeply “normal” habits that I believe are making people more depressed, isolated, anxious, exhausted, and emotionally disconnected from their own lives. I talk about self-neglect, isolation, overspending, overconsumption, excessive screen time, and why living in fantasy worlds can slowly disconnect you from reality without you even noticing it. My core message is simple: if “normal” keeps producing misery, maybe the goal shouldn’t be normal anymore. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    25 min
  3. May 18

    Depression That Never Ends - Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)

    Thank you to Quince for sponsoring this video! Explore all of Quince's vitamins and supplements at https://quince.yt.link/zoj14IS to get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. #QuincePartnerDaily Superfood Greens: https://quince.yt.link/1q7YpIMEveryday Zero Sugar Hydration: https://quince.yt.link/EeQD9Nw100% Organic Cotton Quarter-Zip Sweater: https://quince.yt.link/JNiPTOQWhat if your depression never really “goes away”… it just becomes your normal? Persistent Depressive Disorder (formerly dysthymia) is a chronic form of depression that can make life feel emotionally flat, exhausting, and hopeless for years at a time.In this video, I break down the difference between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, plus the treatments, lifestyle changes, and mindset shifts that tend to help people living with chronic low mood.And most importantly, I talk about something I think matters deeply with long-term depression: how to keep building a meaningful life even during periods where joy feels out of reach.If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionType Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    28 min
  4. May 11

    Why are so many autistic people depressed and suicidal?

    Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://growtherapy.yt.link/USz9Has to find your dream therapist today!Why are autistic people so much more likely to experience depression, burnout, and suicidal thoughts? In my experience, it’s not because autistic people are “broken”—it’s because the world is often painfully hostile to the way they naturally experience it.In this video, I talk about autistic burnout, sensory overload, social exhaustion, masking, interoception, and why simply existing in modern society can feel overwhelming for many autistic people.I’m not autistic myself, but I care deeply about this topic—and I hope this helps autistic people feel seen and helps non-autistic people understand what life can actually feel like on the inside. If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionType If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    18 min
  5. May 4

    The Disturbing Links Between High Functioning Depression and Maladaptive Striving

    What if working harder is actually making your depression worse? I used to believe I could achieve my way out of depression—and it nearly destroyed me.In this video, I break down the overlap between high-functioning depression and maladaptive striving—why chasing success, perfection, and achievement can leave you feeling empty no matter what you accomplish.If you feel like your life looks good on the outside but feels terrible on the inside, I want to show you why—and how to start getting out of that cycle. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    27 min
  6. Apr 27

    No matter how hard I work, I never feel like I’m getting anywhere (bucket theory)

    🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. https://bit.ly/DrScottBucketTheoryWhy does your life never feel “good enough”… no matter how much progress you make? I spent years chasing the feeling that everything would finally click—and it never did.In this video, I explain my Bucket Theory—why one part of your life always feels broken, why that feeling keeps shifting, and how your attention, time, and energy are constantly being pulled in different directions.If you’ve ever felt like you can’t keep everything together at once, this might finally explain why—and what to do about it. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    25 min
  7. Apr 20

    But, Why Exist?

    If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionTypeWhat if your depression isn’t caused by trauma… but by the simple fact that you exist? Existential depression is real—and it can make life feel meaningless, pointless, and impossible to engage with.In this video, I break down existential depression, depressive realism, and the hidden flaws in the beliefs that tell you your life has no value, no meaning, and no impact.If you’ve ever felt like nothing matters—or questioned whether life is worth it at all—I want to challenge those beliefs in a way most people won’t. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    25 min
  8. Apr 13

    People tell me I should talk to somebody, but no one wants to listen

    Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://growtherapy.yt.link/MLuzdkd to find your dream therapist today!Ever tried opening up… and felt like no one actually heard you? If talking about your depression, suicidal thoughts, or emotional pain leaves you feeling worse—or completely unseen—there’s a reason for that.In this video, I break down why “just talk to someone” often fails—and the difference between first-person vs third-person understanding, plus 6 ways I’ve learned to feel heard when no one seems to get it.If you’ve felt like you’re screaming into a void, I want to help you find ways to be understood—even if it doesn’t come from where you expected.If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionTypeNext Steps:If my videos have helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperhttps://bit.ly/DrScottTheLightSFYTNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    19 min
4.8
out of 5
220 Ratings

About

There are people who understand depression and anxiety on a personal level and there are people who understand depression and anxiety on a medical level. There are relatively few people who understand both, and I’m one of them. As a clinical psychologist I have a doctorate degree and thousands of hours of professional experience providing treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. I also have 39 years of personal experience managing mood and anxiety disorders as I myself deal with these struggles. This podcast is my attempt to synthesize my personal knowledge with my professional knowledge.

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