Doctor DILF: Extra Length 1.2: Mental Health Show Notes
Doctor DILF: Extra Length
1.2: Mental Health
Gay men chat about our health and the world we live in - uncensored and extra length!
Why you should listen to this episode…
In our overcrowded and noisy media, the voices of older gay and bisexual men often get lost. Well, no longer. Every episode of Doctor DILF: Extra Length features three elder gays talking about their own experiences of life and the topic of the week. It’s candid, honest, and very, very human. Doctor DILF: Extra Length serves as a counterpoint to expert advice through featuring the experts by experience - older gay and bisexual men themselves. By listening to both Doctor DILF and Doctor DILF: Extra Length, it is hoped that the listeners will gain many perspectives on the subject of the week, enabling them to make up their own minds, and hopefully, to provide motivation and inspiration. Warm and funny, Doctor DILF: Extra Length is your companion on a run, in the gym, or to your nice cup of tea and a sponge finger.
In this episode, Dr. Simon Fox imparts his academic and real world knowledge of LGBTQ+ aging to the issue of mental health in a frank and revealing discussion with regular panellists James and John. The lads chat about the perils of social media and how the horrible news cycle can lead to doom scrolling and negative thinking. They also consider how we all do that very British thing of saying, “I’m fine!” whether we are or not and what this says about us, and of how our society expects far too much of us all the damn time. Eventually, the boys segue into gay portrayals in film and television, meandering (as conversations tend to do) into Bridget Jones (spoilers!) and the Queen Vic in EastEnders exploding whenever anyone says, “This is gonna be the best Christmas Walford has ever had!”
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion about mental health conditions and spoilers of films. As such, your discretion is required.
Episode Summary
How are you feeling right now? Is anyone in the world really feeling alright at the moment? When someone asks how you are, do you reply, “I’m fine!” when really, you’re that gif of the dog in the burning room? What do we mentally carry with us throughout our life? What are the consequences of giving 110%? And what have Indiana Jones, EastEnders, and Bridget Jones got to do with our mental health?
Simon, James, and John share how they feel about their mental health as older gay men (slides the box of tissues towards you).
You can join in the conversation using the #DoctorDILF hashtag on social media!
Subjects Covered
How we feel in tempestuous global times, social media, sharing our mental health struggles (and not), good and bad experiences with therapy, inappropriate comments from medical professionals, and portrayals of gay men in films and television.
The Panellists
Simon is a Doctor of Public Health with a special interest in LGBTQ+ healthy ageing. You can find him at BlueSky, Instagram, and LinkedIn
James is a diversity expert working in the corporate sector. You can find him on BlueSky and Instagram
John treads the boards as an actor. You can find him on Spotlight, BlueSky, and on Instagram
Helpful Links
Helpful links to supportive organisations are given at the end of the programme and can be found here
