TABOO TUESDAY: Men's Mental Health with Co-Founder of Madhappy, Mason Spector

Emotionally Fit

Love and sex addiction aren’t issues people talk about regularly. But this week’s guest Mason Spector, co-founder of the clothing brand Madhappy, doesn’t shy away from sharing his struggles with Dr. Emily in this Taboo Tuesday episode. From infidelity and seeking self-worth through the attention of others to rehab and starting a clothing brand rooted in mental health positivity, Mason shares it all. Tune in now to hear why he says all men need to get honest with themselves and their loved ones about their own struggles with mental health.

Staying emotionally fit takes work and repetition. That's why the Emotionally Fit podcast with psychologist Dr. Emily Anhalt delivers short, actionable Emotional Push-Ups every Tuesday and Thursday to help you build a better practice of mental health, and surprising, funny, and shocking conversations on Taboo Tuesdays - because the things we’re most hesitant to talk about are also the most normal. Join us to kickstart your emotional fitness. Let's flex those feels and do some reps together!

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Follow Mason Spector on Instagram

Follow @madhappy and the @localoptimist on Instagram

Check out the Madhappy clothing brand

Listen to the Madhappy Podcast

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The Emotionally Fit podcast is produced by Coa, your gym for mental health. Katie Sunku Wood is the show’s producer from StudioPod Media with additional editing and sound design by nodalab, and featuring music by Milano. Special thanks to the entire Coa crew!

JUMP STRAIGHT INTO:

(02:04) - Battling mental health and creating Madhappy - “It's inevitable that we’ll have really sad days and go through hard times, and I think the more that we can pay attention to that and really honor those times so we can just learn so much more about ourselves, about each other, about the world, and therefore really be able to grow and evolve.”

(04:49) - The stigma around men's mental health - “Having that ability to be vulnerable is actually such a sign of courage. And I think for men especially, they will do whatever it takes to just put on that facade of being very strong and kind of being rock solid on the outside and never showing that weakness.”

(08:31) - Mason’s love and sex addiction - “I had really just built a world where I was just getting all of my self-worth from other people, and always having to be in relationships and always having to be talking to people on the side to really just make me feel like I had this web of people who needed me and wanted me so that I would really never feel alone.”

(15:58) - Mason’s work to get to the root of the problem - “Really seeing what comes up and really getting to know myself and my story, and being able to contextualize as to how these events that I might not think about on a daily basis or consciously even remember are really drastically affecting my present-day life and my behaviors, has been a game changer”

(20:01) - Advice for men who want to confront their mental health struggles - “Even if you can't see it, it's there, and for better or for worse, it will eventually rear its ugly head in some way someday. So I think it's better to just kind of be realistic with yourself and be practical and just know that it's a normal part of the human experience.”