Introduction: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Wellness Surge Podcast with Dr. Adeola Oke. Each week we discuss our wellness journey with real people like you and me. We have conversations about food, fitness, mental health, financial wellness, and much more so you can get back to the real you. To make sure that you’re up to date with this and other wellness topics, visit wellnesssurge.com. Information presented here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. Please do not apply any of the information presented here without first speaking with your primary care provider. Now let’s head onto the show.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:00:36] Hello everybody! Welcome to the Wellness Surge Podcast. My name is Dr. Adeola Oke. I am your host for today and I have right here, the wonderful Dayo Adeyemo. Say hello to everybody, all right.

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:00:49] Hi, everyone. Excited to be here.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:00:52] Awesome. And so today we’re going to talk about “How you can thrive with this pandemic of loneliness.”

So let me give you a little bit bio about Dayo Adeyemo. She’s a U.S. based Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and an advocate who trained both in Africa and the United States. And has almost 15 years of nursing and public health experience. That’s good. She is a mental health, stress management, and productivity expert.

She helps local and international organizations, businesses, NGOs schools, and government departments, groups, and individuals improve the mental wellness of their leaders. We all need that! She also helps teens, employees, and partners as well as help them with their productivity. She has had the privilege to travel to many countries in Africa, Europe, North America, for various public health organizations, facilitations, and training. So thank you for coming on the show. We’re really pleased to have you here today.

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:01:58] Thanks for having me.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:02:00] Yeah, we’re going to be discussing a really important topic. Um, it’s we keep talking pandemic, pandemic, pandemic, but what is this pandemic doing to us? And what loneliness is it bringing into our lives? Right. So as a mental health provider, what are you noticing more frequently during this pandemic, compared to before the pandemic came up when it comes to people’s mental health?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:02:23] So that question I’d like to answer it but first ..Let’s, let’s define the audience, or let’s define the group we’re talking about. And I think generally, globally, we can divide ourselves into four parts. The first group of the group of those whom the pandemic had affected their employment, their job, their businesses in a negative way. Say some people, right?

A lot of people lost their job already. A lot of people, you know, their business had to close down. A lot of people are pivoting. There’s so many things going on. So that’s the first group, the second group as a group of deals that they still have their job. They still have their roles, but their responsibilities already increased a lot.

We have, you know, those who are, you know, organizations that are still thriving. We have the policymakers, you know, working on getting things straightened out. We have those that they now have to just walk away from home. They still have their job. What the, everything is changing even within the system.

It’s not what it used to be. And we have the frontline walkers. Those whom they’re taking this pandemic issue. They’re the ones that they are taking care of the sick people. They have to go to work. They have to take care of those people, not just that they have their jobs. For them, their risk of contracting, this COVID-19 is higher than that, of any other person. And at the same time, they’re that one person, but they still have their family. They either have a husband or wife, that lost a job, or husband or a wife that is not working at home. And they have to be going out to take care of people and come back. And the fourth group is a group of others.

The children, we just said something about the children. Now we have elderly people in longterm nursing homes. We have, uh, the teenagers. These ones are not necessarily working or not, but they are also affected in their own little way. So what have we been seeing? Regardless of the group you are, even though they’re specific issues that we all have, but the common theme is that this beam increase in anxiety and depression.

It might be based for different reasons or different things that you’re going through, but there’s been a huge increase in anxiety for everyone. And there’s been, you know, depression is also on the rise. And but as much as we’re seeing this, another fortunate thing is that this pandemic has brought a lot of attention to mental health.

So as people are experiencing this, you know, stressful time and, you know, they’re realizing stuff going on with them mentally. How they’re having to cope with whatever group you belong to, they’re having to deal with different issues. And it’s on the rise everywhere. And now we’re talking about mental health everywhere. In the news you hear mental health in churches. You know, everybody’s talking about their mental health because now it’s real than ever. That’s what I’m seeing as a mental health professional.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:05:24] I think it’s like a blessing in disguise right? Before, mental health is like more of like, “Oh, don’t talk about mental health, blah, blah, blah.”

And some stigma associated with it. So right now people feel more comfortable. Right? Is that what- it seems more comfortable discussing it because it is a part of our living. There should be a balance between the physical and the mental. So if you can not talk about mental health in the past, and now we are kind of being able to talk about it, I think that’s good.

Even though, there’s still the anxiety, there’s the depression, but there’s, there are people like you for that, right?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:05:56] Yes. And another thing is it’s a blessing in disguise that a lot of issues coming up as it sffects mental health issues. It affects our relationships, directly at work, at home, even our personal relationship with ourselves.

And now with that, as everything is coming u p, with the depression, with the anxiety, we’re seeing a lot of people having to cope in different ways. We’re seeing domestic violence on the increase. We’re seeing substance use on the increase. We’re seeing a lot of ways that people are coping or that is we’re not necessarily unhealthy.

And then a lot of issues are now coming up. Like those that are dealing with, issues that they’re not talking about. But now everything is escalating and they’re now lashing out on the children or their spouses. And it’s bringing all those issues to life. And everybody’s now kind of coming together to say,” Hey, mental health issue, even though it’s so stigmatized and everyone is busy doing their own thing, that we’re not focusing on it, but here is staring us in the face and we’re having to deal with it.”

So, you know, like you said, it’s a balance. For me, as a mental health advocate, unfortunately, the attention gets on mental health when there is- I call it violence induced attention. It doesn’t have to be bad, but now that it’s coming up… it is no other person has to die. It’s suicide prevention one right now.

No other woman has a die for violence as well. So it’s bringing everything all together. As we having the issues escalate on a personal individual level.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:07:30] Yeah. Yeah. I actually worried about what about when the pandemic hit, and people could not leave their house. I actually, like my family and my mom were like, “Oh, what about all this kids that they are being abused at home? They can’t leave. There’s no way for them to escape too. What about those women that they’ve been abused that they used to run away to somebody’s house? How are they dealing with this? So um, like, you brought that up, right? So are you seeing, are those people rearing their heads now? Are they comming more to light or they are still staying hidden?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:08:02] Well, they’re coming more to light. They’re coming more to light because…uh, now that everybody’s home, another good thing is that there’s a lot of attention in the social media. More people are listening to news. More people are seeing stuff. More people now have times to kind of slow down. And like, you know, what’s going on there?

So. All- every little thing is going viral. And even if it’s not something you like, it it’s coming to your face. So a lot more people are talking about it. There are most support groups, you know, coming up from this. And now mental health advocates, some of the interviews that I have with someone- another mental health advocate in Jamaica. Uh, she had me on, and we’re talking about, we’re just talking about  the effects of the pandemic. And she was talking about the alarming statistics, you know, of domestic violence in Jamaica. I’ve been working recently with United Nations, you know, UNFP .And so there was a recent report about women being, you know.  It’s been there, but now it’s like more people are reporting. It is like now more people are talking about it. And now that even at the national and global level mental health is a big issue that everybody is now hearing mental health.

So. So once it’s, it’s getting, it’s becoming kind of like normal. And it’s no longer like a taboo that you’re talking about mental health. It Is staring everyone in the face. So thankfully more people are speaking up on behalf of this population and thankfully some of the victims, you know, and the survivors, they’re also coming up too, to say more about it, which I’m happy about.

You know, I’m happy that, you know, finally this is getting attention .thanks to the fact that we all sitting at home and, and this is getting more.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:09:49] Okay. I’m thankful. I’m thankful that it is getting the attention it deserves. So that’s good.

Alrighty. So, we all know things are not the same things have not been the same for a long time now. Since the beginning of 2020, a lot of people say people “scrap 2020′. They will. I wouldn’t say so. I actually,  it’s been…it depends on, I like to look at being empty or half full. I feel like have there been some positives and I like to hold onto that and thrive.

Right. So, but. How there’s some people that we know…. that I actually personally know because they’ve not been able to go out. Or they’re actually scared for their health because they may be immunocompromised or one thing or the other.

So when I say immunocompromised, I mean their health, their immunity is not really strong.

Right. And so they are at a higher risk of getting sick. So. Those people, they are not able to go out or one thing or the other, or their family members. You were talking about the healthcare provider. Like my flat, my husband goes out- he is a healthcare provider too. Leaves the home and we’re just like, “Oh, please don’t bring home germs, please.”

Don’t bring home the germs. I hope you cleaned your hands. Um, take off your shoes over there. So we all know we are more stressed. Some people are very lonely. How can we thrive in this situation? Are there actionable steps we can take to protect our sanity and thrive in the situation?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:11:14] Yes, they are actionable steps.

They’re acionable steps. And I like to put this in like three- I like to kind of number and segment myself. So, so I like to put it in, let’s say three ways.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:11:26] Okay.

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:11:27] And the first one that we all have to do is to do that self assessment of how are we doing? Like you said … I mean, I won’t scrap 2020 too.  It’s come with a lot of bad news, but it’s the way… it’s however we want to look at it.

Okay. So the first thing first is, “how am I doing?” Do yourself assessment then “How am I feeling?” Because mental health is basically about three things. Okay. How we’re feeling, our thoughts, and the way we’re behaving. People can see how behavior, but nobody can see what’s in our mind. Nobody can know your thoughts and really feel what you feel.

So. When you do that self assessment of how am I doing? Am I stressed? Am I have overwhelmed? Am I anxious? Am I happy? Am I sad? How am I really doing? And when it’s actionable in the sense that I tell people, and when I’ve worked with clients: I say, get a pen and paper. And I do this myself because sometimes I just find myself writing.

You’re just writing and thinking and you won’t even know. You’re writing and you won’t even know you had all those things on your mind. It’s just like those who are authors. If you ask them, they just get the pen on the paper and it’s that writing. So when you do this assessment of “How am I doing?”

Identify it? I’m so stressed. I’m angry. I’m this.

Then, why? Okay. Because I lost my job or because the kids are home now. Trust me a lot of parents dealing with kids working from home. It’s it’s a lot of stress for them. You never knew that, you know, having your children with you 24 hours, seven days a week and driving you crazy, you know. Even if it is that you have to be sincere with yourself as to what exactly is making you feel the way you are feeling. And it doesn’t have to be negative all the time.

Well, some people, you know, they’re happy. Maybe because their spouses are now home more with them and they’re finding more time with their homes. What is it? So when you have the ‘How?’,  then ask the ‘Why?’

Then also go to the, ‘What are the things making these things work this way?’

Okay. My husband has been very accommodating. Now, we’ve been cooking together in the house. Or now I’m able to call friends. Or now I’m able to do that online course. Or now I’m getting to relate with my children more. I actually know their weaknesses and their strengths. Now I’m actually seeing them grow. When you have the, how the, why the what, then you decide , what you you want to do.

If everything is going okay, then you’re going to say everything is going okay. Do I need to continue something? Do I need to reinfer something? Or if it’s not going okay, do I need to change something? Do I need to talk to my spouse? Do I need to restructure my house? Do I need a check and face something?

Because you’ve been able to identify those things. That’s where the self assessment comes from. And, uh, you know…

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:14:23] Can I- wait, how often do you need to do this? The self assessment. How often do you think people need to do this? Like weekly, daily, how?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:14:34] You might have to do it several times a day.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:14:37] Really?!

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:14:38] Yes. Yes.

And I’m going to share an example with you. But the thing is- the important one, is that, for whoever’s listening to us or watching this now, and you haven’t done it before I say that do one comprehensive one. Because the thing is, if you take time to do a comprehensive, full, detailed one, it puts a lot of things in perspective for you.

So it will be easy. You know, because just because I’m saying it as what, how, this… it doesn’t mean that it will be that, you know, structured. A lot of times it’s in the moment that you’re thinking how you’re doing. Let me share an example with you. On Monday,

something happened, you know, there was, there was a mix up or something with my parents flying itinery .And it got me, you know, because you already have plans, expectations, everything in place.

And just one phone call, every been changed. Okay. It got me really, really upset, but because I’ve done this asset assessment, right from the time that COVID, uh, the pandemic hit. I did a comprehensive assessment or had to have some conversations with my spouse. And we had to get some things together. That’s been helpful. So everybody is doing their own.

And because when you identify your action points, which you know, that was when you ask the question, when you identify the action points, they might be. Having a discussion with the people around you. And so that you can give yourself time when you need time. You can identify when somebody needs to do something.  You can know where you need to step in to help someone.

Or when you need to take a break and everybody would understand. That’s why that first comprehensive one is. Okay. So anyway, back to my story, I was so upset this morning and I was the one- because online schooling has started. I was so upset. I found myself snapping at my, my spouse. Okay. Because, you know, I just didn’t know what to do.

I was overwhelmed. I wasn’t the only one feeling that way. But I think a lot of, you know, the responsibility was on me. So what I did, I told my husband, please, you have to step in. And take care of the kids this morning. Thankfully, you know, it wasn’t like there was an appointment he would be missing. And I drove out of the house.

I did an assessment. I’m overwhelmed right now. Why? Because of this, itinerary change that  is changing things for everyone. We’ll keep, what, what can I do? I need to, uh, make some phone calls, do some things. But how am I feeling right now? Very upset. If I do not do something, it can escalate. So I drove out of the house.

Some of the things that helped me is music. You know, depending on my mood, music will help me. Sometimes I need very high tempo, you know, dancing music. Sometimes I need slow ones just to do some reflections. So I drove out of the house. I turned on my music. You know, Thanksgiving music and just dance. I drove to the coffee shop.

I would normally not queue. It was such a long queue, but because I needed some time to cool off anyway, I stayed on the queue. And then I made some phone calls, you know. I was talking and I even got teary at some point but called my siblings and we sort things out by the time I got back home.

They were busy. And guess what? Now I have the energy. But the, they were in school mode. So I started cleaning my room. And I changed some things around and I used that energy to do something. So that day I had to reassess. By the afternoon I was feeling better, like, okay, what’s going on? Okay. Let me do some cooking.

So sometimes we’ll have to do it. And we just need to know that everything’s start’s with you. Because whatever is going on with you, we’ll just go… will affect your whole environment. So that’s why, how often do you do it depends on how well you master this. But you have to know that you need that assessment.

You need that self assessment first. That’s what I said, self assessment. We need to reframe, okay. With this pandemic, we are all seeing and  might find the crisis part of it. Reframing this can help us. With this COVID-19 or with this pandemic, a lot of people I’ve been able to see, maybe you lost your job.

Let’s take that for example. You need to say, Hey, maybe there’s something in me that I’m not paying attention to. Now that I’ve lost my job, look inward and see, what is it that I have? What is it that I haven’t done? So let’s see opportunity in this, you know, the whole pandemic theme then reframe and, you know, nurture that.

Let’s not just see it as a crisis. It might just be an opportunity for you because even the history has shown that, you know, during pandemics and depression, a lot of successful wealthy people came up from that situation. If it didn’t happen, they probably wouldn’t be known today. That might be the same for you.

So we need to do a lot of reframing. And with the reframing, we’ll see the opportunities and we’ll move on from there. Another thing we need to do is to use technology wisely. So self assessment, reframing, and wise usage of technology. That that’s when it comes to, only tune in to verifiable sources.

If you are going to be getting information from CDC, if you’re going to getting your information from world health organization, just have a source that you listen to. Don’t change channels to see: Hey, was the data here? How many people died here? How many people, you know, don’t just feeding on all this.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:19:55] It stresses you out. I don’t like listening to it. It like affects my mental health and I’m like, no. I just need the summary. I don’t need to know.

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:20:07] Seriously, if that works for you, because there is some people, like me too. I just rely on, you know, like my dad listens to the news a lot…

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:20:14] My mom. My mom listens and comes to tell me. Yes. Just to help me with the important part. You know, I don’t want to get all that because it overwhelms me.

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:20:23] Okay. So when you know yourself  just build and that’s part of the self assessment. I was just talking about, you really need to know yourself so that you know, what triggers you, you know, what calms you down. And then you can, you’re able to communicate that with people around you. And you also know how you can support the people around you.

It will just make the evriroment better, because now we need ourselves more than- more than ever. And then there should be time for us to tune off too. Because now everybody’s getting zoomed out like they say. We are all on zoom. We all doing virtual this, virtual that. A lot of screen time, a lot of us are working from home.

You know, the communication with our family members is even because people are working from home. There’s a tendency that you work. More hours than you will do at work. So people are not tuning off work. And the, the relationship at home with your, with your family is, you know, not that well. Because everybody’s on the phone or on the game or something.

So we need to do all those three things I think will help. Self assessment ,reframing the situation, and you know, using your technology wisely so that we don’t get overwhelmed. I think that they’re practical.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:21:34] Yeah, very good. Very good. I really just wanted to tell a story. I’m working from home for like four years. So, but you know, the kids were not always home, so it used to be quiet.

And when they were on some holiday, I’m just like: Stop making noise!!! Like  I have patients calling me, blah, blah, blah. And then I was like, how long am I going to keep screaming like this? So you, like you said, you have to reframe. And I just thought, you know, I need to change my orientation and accept that’s the COVID is here to stay. And so what do I do.  I , actually at work, they give us the opportunity to get some sound. Something to block out the noise. So it’s like, please like some, some beautiful, just calming sounds. And I don’t hear them at all. So you just, sometimes you just need to change. I hear them  once in a while.  But just, no, but that’s, if I want to step out of my office, while I’m working. Or to pay attention to them.

Thankfully, I have somebody else watching them. But  for your sanity, because I was just laughing like, seriously. I used to scream all this stuff: STOP making noise, you want me to get fired? Blah, blah, blah. I’m like, how long am I going to do this for?I need to find something that works for me. And I just don’t hear them and people can make noise.

Okay. When I’m ready, I come out to check on them. How are you doing blah, blah, blah. At school? What can I help you with? And then I go back to do my thing. So just finding a balance, finding what works for you, because you need to scream. You’re going to just be giving yourself half the headache and high blood pressure.

So which you don’t need?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:23:02] So, so talking about that, but the example you gave, that’s a good example. That’s bringing another issue that I’ll quickly touch upon, which is, uh, the children. It’s really not easy on the kids as well, because a lot of things are happening. And they’re watching the news. They’re seeing what is happening and, you know, on different platforms, I told people, please, let’s not just assume we’re the only one getting overwhelmed with all these things.

So, and seeing the opportunity. And when I talk about reframing. They are  home now, and a lot of these children, they have gifts. They have challenge to do a lot of things that we as parents would not even know because they’re spending a lot of time in school. So I tell people, part of that first assessment. We also need to ask them: what do they think about COVID?.

Like, you know, my kids would tell you, Oh, COVID-19 in this country and this, I want to be a scientist so that I can end COVID or you know this. So while we’re reframing themes, and working for yourself. Let’s also put it on them to say, what is it you enjoy doing? We now have a lot of artworks in my house now because the kids just paints, whoever likes to record, let them record themselves talking, being a journalist or whatever they want to do.

So we should really pay attention to them and reframe things to see. Let’s just see the positive in this and know that it’s just a temporary thing, right?

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:24:21] True, true, true. Yes. I do know that my teen- I have a teenager that is very anxious. She’s very anxious. Like, Oh, what if we go out and we get, and I’m like: Sweetie this…  we do what we need to do, wash your hands, and it’s all left to chance.

Right? You do your best and the left, you can control everything. Right. And you need to live life. It’s the whole thing about being sane and maintaining your sanity. Right. So, yeah. Thank you so much. Awesome. This was a good conversation and I believe people will benefit think from this and actually acknowledging loneliness.

Yeah. First of all like being able to acknowledge something, it’s the first step to healing. Right. Right. Being able to acknowledge that, yes, this is going on and it’s okay. And what can I do about it now? And she just told us one, gosh, my head …

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:25:05] Self assesment.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:25:07] Self assessment. The second one I remember: reframe right?

Self-assessment, reframe. And then the third one was wise usage of technology. Alrighty. So we said that. So we’ve talked about a couple of things today. What thing do you want to make sure that people get out of this? Even if they kind of glossed over everything?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:25:26] Well, one thing I want everyone to know is that your mental health matters. And, you know, it sounds simple. And because you are a medical person, you are in the healthcare profession. I want you, even you, to listen to me more because… see, for us. Well, our means for health or healthcare professionals, we often, often, most times think that healthcare is for people outside. When we think of healthcare with thinking of our patients. When we think of healthcare we’re thinking of others.

It’s almost like we are fine. We are secured. No. So when I say we need to know that our mental health matters, that means I’m saying: Dayo, your mental health matters. And if you are not okay, it’s going to affect everything around me. My relationship. It is going to affect my, my, my work. It is going to affect my relationship with my patients.

It going to affect my home. It’s going to affect my marriage. It starts with me. Because it just has to start from, within. So that we’re able to, you know,  behave the right way. And then if everything is not okay, then we are able to seek help for ourselves too. So, I want every, I have this model. I think that there’s- I have a useful tool for your audience.

I can share the link with you. It can be help for self assessment. For them to download it. It gives you clarity. If you take time to answer it and do that first assessment, it is going to help. And then. The first thing on that blueprint is PAUSE. Wait, wait, let the whole world stop right now. And like what, what have we stopped you?

Yeah. So now you ask yourself, how am I doing. When we can start with ourselves then we’re able to help everyone. Like I told you, the four groups, a lot of  medical professionals, a lot of front line workers are going through a lot of stress. But when we’re talking about mental health, we’re talking of the general population.

When we’re talking about mental health, we’re talking about, Hey, they’re medical professionals. Here to help you, you can call your counselor. You can call your psychiatryst. You can call your nurse practitioner. Guess what? We are also getting overwhelmed. Okay. And oh: what is going on. I really can’t deal with work.

I need to call my boss and tell him I’m not coming up today. I need to let- the management of my organization needs to do this. Wait a minute. Do you know these people making all those decisions at the state level, at the national level, at the home level, instead of the homes, you know, they are human beings too.

So all those people. While, they’re making all the policies and while we’re making sure that we don’t miss the shift, while you’re answering your patients calls, and you’re trying to say: ‘Hey kids, don’t let me lose my job. Can you keep it down’.While you’re doing all those things? Do you know that you need to take a moment and see, Hey, how am I doing? You know, leaders everywhere? Healthcare or not frontline or not husband, or wife. You know, teenager or not. Our mental health, every one’s mental health really matters. That’s what I want everybody to know today.

So when we’re talking about statistics. When we’re talking about this increasing or that increasing. We can talk about it from now, till tomorrow, Google can give all of us that. What the internet can not give us is to, is to tell us how we are doing. We only get the result from what we want to know from the internet.

So if you’re not searching for a calming skills, if you’re not like, you know… Right now, I started doing meditation, or, you know, listening to meditation on my way to work. You know, before it used to be something you just be telling your patients: Hey, you can try yoga, try meditation. Okay. Take the breath, make sure you’re breathing in and out.

It is like the only time you do that is when you’re telling your patient. I ask a lot of medical professionals or mental health professionals. Why didn’t you do this thing other than when you’re telling someone else to use the tool. So if there’s anything, I want everybody to know, if this is the only thing you will remember here.. Know that your mental health matters, that’s it.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:29:52] So you said that you could, are you talking about like, sharing, like, um, An assessment with the audience and so will, how can people get ahold of you and also get their hands on that assessment?

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:30:03] I’ll share the link with you so you can put it there for people to just go on and it, you know, it would send the, the work to them, but you have to do the work.

You’ll have to pin this thing down, get a pen, get a paper, get to work. Once you do it that first time, it puts a lot of things in perspective for you. So I’ll share the link with you and you can share with your audience. Where can they find me? So part of, uh, reframing and seeing opportunities and the, in the pandemic was I decided, you know what, I’m going to talk more about mental health on social media platform s. And just make good use of it because everybody is on the, on, on social media.

So I created a group called ‘My Mental Health Matters‘. So that group, you can find it and please join. And I encourage people not just to join, but to invite their friends and family. Because we’re talking about things from personality disorders to specific issues. So that if you- and I challenge everyone again, Your mental health matters.

So when we’re talking here, don’t be thinking of your crazy neighbor. Don’t be thinking of your stubborn sibling. Don’t be thinking of: Oh, I know somebody that fits this criteria. Always start with you first. Then we can- we’re  able to help a families. Then when we go outside, we’re able to help people.

So join the group. And then I also have, on Instagram @mentalhealth4me. That’s my handle. You know, I share information there to like tips that can help people on a daily basis. And then I have Dayo Speaks.  My email dayospeaksmh@gmail.com. Uh, you can reach me there. Um, and that, yeah, especially for those who want to help their employees or their organizations to be able to focus on mental health.

And again, you will know my mojo is with you first. So it’s always starting with the leaders first. Once you get it, you’re able to help people. So those are the places they can find me.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:32:07] Absolutely. All right. Hopefully we will be contacting you one day because we all need it. Right. So thank you so much. It was a pleasure having you on here today.

And I learned a couple of things and I hope to be able to implement it in my life too. So I hope you can do that too. Guys y’all have a wonderful week and I’ll see you in the next episode. Bye. Nice having you Dayo.

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:32:29] Thanks for having me.

Dr. Adeola Oke: [00:32:30] Alright, bye bye.

Dayo Adeyemo: [00:32:31] Bye.

Ending: [00:32:32] Thank you for listening and sharing your precious time with us. If you enjoy the show, then follow us and subscribe on iTunes, YouTube, or any app that carries podcasts. Have an awesome week. Best wishes to see you thrive.