Andrew Solomon on Mental Health Amid the Pandemic

Hosted by Paul Holdengräber, The Quarantine Tapes chronicles shifting paradigms in the age of social distancing. Each day, Paul calls a guest for a brief discussion about how they are experiencing the global pandemic.

On Episode 114 of The Quarantine Tapes, Paul Holdengräber is joined by writer Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression. Paul and Andrew consider the psychological effects of the pandemic, wondering about the impact this moment of isolation and fear of one another will have on all of us. Andrew has written a great deal about the stigma surrounding depression and mental health issues. In their conversation, he and Paul discuss grief, risk, and how this pandemic is leaving more people vulnerable to mental health issues than ever.

From the episode:

Andrew Solomon: I think there’s an almost universal experience of loss that is devastating to many of the people who have lost not only their connection to the friends they no longer see and the places they no longer go, but to their sense of stability and security in the world.

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To listen to the episode, as well as the whole archive of The Quarantine Tapes, subscribe and listen on iTunes or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts.