Mind theories

The Big Bang Theory actor Mayim Bialik has a lot to say in her podcast series Breakdown that tackles topics related to mental health with takes from popular names

Mayim Bialik has almost mastered the art of asking the right questions. When presented with a set of guests to interview, predominantly Hollywood-types that grace covers and walk down red carpets, many shows and their hosts might succumb to the temptation of throwing entirely gossip-related questions at them. But not Bialik. In her weekly podcast series titled Breakdown, Bialik along with co-creator Jonathan Cohen, aims to shake this narrative up a bit, inviting guests to share their experiences with mental health, in an open, honest and extremely vulnerable manner.

Bialik is no stranger to such topics, as she makes abundantly clear throughout the series. Before her stint on the TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory, she secured her PhD in neuroscience, which we feel shapes several of her interesting perspectives in each episode. The first episode we discovered of the series was an in-depth chat with actor Oliver Hudson, son of popular actor Goldie Hawn and brother of Kate Hudson. We have only good things to say about this episode, mostly because of how increasingly raw and vulnerable the conversation got. Bialik digs into Hudson’s experiences with his family, how growing up with famous parents and siblings shaped his childhood and what effect it eventually had on his mental health and relationships. The episode had no mention of otherwise arbitrary gossip or scandals. 

What stood out right off the bat was Hudson’s willingness to have his guard down around Bialik, detailing his experiences in a recovery centre, his marriage and his relationship with his sister. Ever heard an actor openly discuss what medication they’re on for anxiety? It was a first for us, as Hudson went on to comfortably talk about his mental health and what he does to keep it in check.

Tackles several mental health topics on her weekly podcast show titled Breakdown; (top,left) Guest Oliver Hudson spoke of his relationship with his sister Kate Hudson. Pics/Instagram

Vulnerability is an important factor; while we will never really be able to entirely empathise with struggles that stars experience, the episode can be a lesson in understanding why mental health must be seen through multiple lenses, as the root cause of Hudson’s angst-filled experiences seemed to stem from raw human emotion. Our praises to the episode with, in Bialik’s words, ‘cool Rabbi’ Steve Leder, where Bialik opens up about her own experiences with faith and identity, and how Judaism aided her in mourning the loss of her father. The episode sits at the intersection of mental health and religion, and how one factor inevitably shapes the other.

Now, here’s why we feel a podcast or show like this from a person like Bialik matters — it normalises many conversations we’re afraid to have. Every episode has a nugget or two of wisdom to take home. Although it is a podcast, we’d highly recommend tuning in to the video format available on YouTube, for a far more engaging and informative hour of content. 

Our picks from the series

>> Rabbi Steve Leder: Clearing out the clutter, nonlinear grief, and finding gratitude  
>> Leslie Jordan: Gay, sober and fabulous
>> Dan Matthews: PETA, prostitutes and a schizophrenic success story

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