Hug 199 📚 "the bell jar": breaking free from mental traps 💡

Welcome back to Consider Yourself Hugged! Today, Michelle and I are diving into The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath—one of the most hauntingly personal books on mental health, identity, and societal pressure.

From the weight of expectations on women to the stigma surrounding depression and treatment, this book is filled with themes that still hit home today. But, as ChatGPT pointed out when I was researching, Michelle and I tend to approach heavy topics with a lighter touch—so we’ll do our best to balance depth with relatability in today’s conversation.

📖 In this episode, we explore:

✔️ The Bell Jar metaphor—what it teaches us about depression
✔️ Esther Greenwood’s journey—from New York to a psychiatric hospital
✔️ Societal expectations for women in the 1950s vs. now
✔️ Key quotes and moments that left an impact
✔️ How mental health treatment has evolved since Plath’s time
✔️ Lessons we can take from this book to better understand ourselves & others

We also share some personal reflections, unexpected moments of humor, and insights from our own experiences with mental health.

See show notes at:

Thanks for joining!
**Not intended to be therapy or replace therapy - If you need further help, please reach out to one of the resources:
General Resources National Alliance of Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org Mental Health America: https://mhanational.org Mental Health First Aid Resources: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/ Celebrate Recovery: https://www.celebraterecovery.com/ About AA: https://www.aa.org/

Tami West, PhD Stress and Mental Health Expert
Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges.

Connect with me:
https://www.tamiwest.com/
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tamiwest@tamiwest.com