Starcast Join the waitlist
Happy Place

Happy Place

Adam Kay: "I was told to man up!" Coping with PTSD and mental health stigma

Jun 29, 2026 · 1h 1m

Coming soon to iPhone. Already have it? “Listen in Starcast” takes you straight there.

On this episode

About this episode

Just man up. This is essentially what Adam Kay was told when a traumatic day at work left him with PTSD. In this chat with Fearne, former doctor Adam explains why he made the decision to leave the medical profession, and puts a spotlight on the poor mental health of our NHS workers. Adam talks about how, in his case, the job left him feeling paranoid and overcautious, and how he turned to diary writing to process his emotions. They chat about how we can all chip away at any mental health stigma in both the workplace and at home with loved ones, and offer advice for how to put together your own mental health toolkits for crises of varying severity. A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay is…