Episode Details
Back to EpisodesHealing With Humor
Description
One psychotic break can erase a “normal” life in a matter of days and David Mawrie lived that reality. He joins us to tell the unfiltered story of bipolar disorder, severe anxiety, homelessness, hospitalisations, and the long stretch he calls his dark days. What makes his path different is what helped him climb out: a stand-up comedy class built for people living with mental illness, where the goal isn’t denial or toxic positivity, but a real shift in perspective.
We dig into how humour works as a form of cognitive reframing. David explains how triggers used to pull him back into replaying trauma, and how learning to search for the comedic angle helped him stop the spiral before it took him under. We also talk about what support actually looks like on the ground: taking medication consistently, protecting sleep because symptoms worsen when you’re exhausted, and holding a mindset he calls “acceptance without resignation” accepting the challenge without deciding the worst moment is permanent.
We also get into stigma from both angles: invisible mental illness that people don’t “see” until you disclose it, and visible disability where judgement can hit before you even speak. David shares how he approaches comedy without cruelty, why audiences respond, and how telling the story one joke at a time can make people feel less alone. If you want to learn more, he points to his books Healing with Humor and OMG, That’s Me, plus upcoming audiobook details and how to connect at DaveMawrie.com.
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