Depression, schizophrenia, suicidal feelings—too often, these experiences stay private. These speakers who've struggled with mental illness boldly share their stories, in hopes that others don't feel so alone.

Vikram Patel helps bring better mental health care to low-resource communities -- by teaching ordinary people to deliver basic psychiatric services.

What makes suicide one of the more common causes of death among young American men? Entrepreneur Rob Wang draws on his own experience of suicidal depression to explain how misguided notions of masculinity affected his mental health and describes his approach to helping other men in similar situations.

Legendary actor and mental health advocate Glenn Close is on a quest to change how we think about mental health, starting with her decision to speak out about her own family's struggles — a brave choice considering the stigma that pervades the topic. In a sweeping conversation with TEDWomen curator Pat Mitchell, Close shares the inspiration behi...

Dixon Chibanda is passionate about the human brain, how it influences our behavior and what we can do to make everybody happy.

How to Be a Better Human Cord Jefferson's creativity is fueled by mental health March 6, 2023 [00:00:00] Chris Duffy: You are listening to How to Be a Better Human. I'm your host, Chris Duffy. When I think about the creative people who inspire me the most, besides them all being exceptionally talented at what they do, the other thing that unite...

Writer, comic and mental health activist Kevin Breel speaks up about depression.

The Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Thomas Insel supports research that will help us understand, treat and even prevent mental disorders.

Nearly 450 million people are affected by mental illness worldwide. In wealthy nations, just half receive appropriate care, but in developing countries, close to 90 percent go untreated because psychiatrists are in such short supply. Vikram Patel outlines a highly promising approach -- training members of communities to give mental health interv...

Can the way you speak and write today predict your future mental state, even the onset of psychosis? In this fascinating talk, neuroscientist Mariano Sigman reflects on ancient Greece and the origins of introspection to investigate how our words hint at our inner lives and details a word-mapping algorithm that could predict the development of sc...

In Latin American countries like El Salvador, homicide rates are alarmingly high thanks in large part to a vicious cycle of violence -- people don't have a chance to heal from recurrent individual and collective trauma. With her team at Glasswing International, de Sola is hoping to break this cycle by equipping government employees like teachers...

Fixable How to talk about mental health at work March 18, 2024 [00:00:00] Anne Morriss: Hello, Frances. [00:00:07] Frances Frei: Hi, beautiful. [00:00:08] Anne Morriss: So, this is a show about work, but, of course, what happens outside of work can have a huge impact on our performance. [00:00:18] Frances Frei: Or, as I like to say, if it...

What is it about the teen years that puts us at risk for depression – but also helps us to build resilience? Drawing upon neurodevelopmental and clinical science, clinical psychologist Dr. Roselinde Kaiser explains how adolescence is a developmental window of both risk and enrichment and outlines strategies for teens (and the rest of us) to thrive.

Who do you turn to when panic strikes in the middle of the night — and can AI help? Psychologist Alison Darcy shares the vision behind Woebot, a mental health chatbot designed to support people in tough moments, especially when no one else is around. In conversation with author and podcaster Kelly Corrigan, Darcy explores what we should expect a...

Health care workers are under more stress than ever before. How can they protect their mental health while handling new and complex pressures? TED Fellow Laurel Braitman shows how writing and sharing personal stories helps physicians, nurses, medical students and other health professionals connect more meaningfully with themselves and others -- ...

Too busy to take care of yourself? These talks offer simple ways to stay healthy -- both emotionally and physically.

"For all that's ever been said about climate change, we haven't heard nearly enough about the psychological impacts of living in a warming world," says science writer Britt Wray. In this quick talk, she explores how climate change is threatening our well-being -- mental, social and spiritual -- and offers a starting point for what we can do abou...

School can be rife with stress, anxiety, panic attacks and even burnout -- but there's often no formal policy for students who need to prioritize their well-being. Hailey Hardcastle explains why schools should offer mental health days and allow students time to practice emotional hygiene without stigma. Follow along to learn how she and a team o...

When you report an emergency in the US, police, firefighters or paramedics answer the call. What if mental health professionals responded, too? Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod shares a straightforward and research-backed approach that brings heart and humanity to criminal justice rather than unnecessary fines and arrests -- and keeps ...

These powerful stories shatter preconceived notions about mental illness, and pose the provocative question: What can the world learn from different kinds of minds?

TED Fellow Tom Osborn wants more young people to have access to the mental health support they need. With the Shamiri Institute, he and his team are training 18- to 22-year-olds to deliver evidence-based mental health care to their peers in Kenya -- which has only two psychiatrists for every million people. Hear how their community-first, youth-...

The global refugee crisis is a mental health catastrophe, leaving millions in need of psychological support to overcome the traumas of dislocation and conflict. To undo the damage, child psychiatrist and TED Fellow Essam Daod has been working in camps, rescue boats and the shorelines of Greece and the Mediterranean Sea to help refugees (a quarte...

Anxiety is a normal part of life, so why are we so afraid of it? Psychologist Lisa Damour breaks down how to recognize when anxiety is helpful and when it's harmful, offering simple solutions for calming yourself and taking back control when you feel it slipping away. (This conversation, hosted by TED science curator David Biello, was part of an...

Could the tech industry's complex algorithms support people during their darkest times, rather than just deliver targeted ads? Drawing from his own experience with depression, global mental health researcher Sandersan Onie shows how internet search behaviors can provide valuable insights into suicide risk and potentially help save lives by reach...

Lots of people talk about the need to be physically fit, but mentally fit? Not as much. In a powerful talk, mental health advocate Gus Worland shares how an experience of deep grief from his own life sparked his mission to advocate for suicide prevention -- and shows why "looking after your own village" can be as simple as sending a text message...

Depression is an illness that many suffer alone. These speakers bravely share their own stories -- and how they recovered.

Loneliness is one of the more widespread and dangerous conditions affecting human beings, capable of damaging our physical and mental health in numerous ways. Mental health researcher Olivia Remes shares some insights about this all too common state of being and discusses some actionable strategies that can help cope with it.

Through his lab at the California Institute of Technology, David Anderson seeks to find the neural underpinnings of emotions like fear, anxiety and anger.

Andrew Solomon writes about politics, culture and psychology.

Sue Klebold has become a passionate agent working to advance mental health awareness and intervention.