Why Aaron Stadlin-Robbie’s Podcast is Different

A New Zealander raised in Hong Kong, Aaron Stadlin-Robbie sees his new podcast, Talking Mental as a way to reach out to experts and break the stigma of men talking about mental health. Having suffered anxiety attacks for years he knows what he’s talking about; he hopes the podcast’s frank discussions will leave Hongkongers better informed.

Launched last week, Talking Mental is a podcast series with a difference, says its host, Stadlin-Robbie.

“There’s no tiptoeing around the big issues, no massaging egos, no soothing whale calls,” he says – this is mental illness talked about with necessary kitchen-sink frankness.

The South China Morning Post talked to Stadlin-Robbie, a married father of one in his early thirties who was raised in the city and trained as a TV and radio host, about the series’ genesis.

“The inspiration for this came to me a year ago when I was at a point where I realised talking about my issues was helpful. I decided to put myself in a public space for a few reasons,” he says.

“One, it was going to push me to talk more, two it gave me an opportunity to speak to experts in the field and thirdly – and most importantly – I wanted to break the stigma of men talking about their mental health. I have been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for six years and for the first three, talking about the problem was the last thing I wanted to do.

“At the beginning, it felt like I was very alone – I had no real understanding of the topic which made it difficult to explain it to others. But after educating myself, speaking to the right people, I have begun to realise how many people deal with what I’m dealing with and how much we need to air it.”

Original article by Anthea Rowan, South China Morning Post, January 31, 2019.

Photo by Aaron Stadlin-Robbie.