The Dr Louise Newson Podcast10 Jun 2025

11 - Hormones and mental health: Ben West discusses how having hard conversations can save lives

Content advisory: this podcast contains themes of mental health and suicide

‘You're not just losing a person. You're losing all of those memories’

In this week’s episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by mental health campaigner and author, Ben West. At 17, Ben’s world was turned upside down when he lost his younger brother, Sam, to suicide at just 15 years old. What followed was a life-altering journey through grief, resilience, and purpose.

Ben transformed personal tragedy into powerful advocacy – raising awareness around mental health, challenging stigma, and driving real change in how we support mental wellbeing, especially within the education system.

Together they explore how hormones, medication, stress and lifestyle can all impact mental health, and why understanding these factors could change how we approach conversations around suicide and depression.

Ben also completed an ultra-marathon to raise funds for Shout, a 24/7 text messaging service providing support for mental health and suicide prevention. To find out how you can volunteer or donate, visit their website here.

Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org

To learn more about Ben West, visit his Instagram here and check out This Book Could Save Your Life, available here. If you would like to make a change to the way schools train their teachers on mental health issues, sign the petition here.

Available to watch on YouTube

We hope you're loving the new series! Share your thoughts with us on the feedback form here and if you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to leave a 5-star rating on your podcast platform.

Email dlnpodcast@borkowski.co.uk with suggestions for new guests!

Disclaimer

The information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dr Louise Newson or the Newson Health Group.

LET'S CONNECT

Website: Dr Louise Newson

Instagram: The Dr Louise Newson Podcast (@drlouisenewsonpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos

LinkedIn: Louise Newson | LinkedIn

Spotify: The Dr Louise Newson Podcast | Podcast on Spotify

YouTube: Dr Louise Newson - YouTube

CONNECT WITH BEN WEST

Website: Ben West

Instagram: Ben West (@iambenwest) • Instagram photos and videos

LinkedIn: Ben West | LinkedIn

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(398)

98 – Why the type of hormone matters for health and fitness - Davey Maher

Many women are told that all hormone treatments are essentially the same. But the reality is far more complex, and understanding the difference could have a significant impact on your health, fitness ...

3 Sep 29min

97 – PMDD, ADHD & autism: addiction as a coping mechanism

Natalie Sykes spent years using heroin and crack cocaine to self-medicate undiagnosed PMDD, autism and ADHD, and now finally understands why.Natalie, founder of the PMDD & Neurodivergence Alliance, te...

1 Sep 30min

96 – How India is waking up to hormone health Sanjith Shetty

In India, one woman asked her gynaecologist about HRT and was told: "over my dead body." Dr Louise Newson travels to India to meet Sanjith Shetty, founder of the menopause community Miror and one of t...

27 Aug 27min

95 – Rosie Moss: is it grief or hormones?

Rosie Moss spent years being told her symptoms were simply grief, when actually there was undiagnosed PMDD also at play.Rosie hosts the podcast Widowed AF, and after her husband Ben died suddenly in a...

25 Aug 31min

94 – Fixing doctors' fear of hormone treatments including testosterone

Dr Holly Carding, GP, Women’s Hormone Specialist and Education Lead at Newson Education, joins Louise to expose the hormone training gap that leaves doctors too scared to prescribe hormone treatments ...

20 Aug 32min

93 – PMDD misdiagnosed for 10 Years: Anna's story

Content advisory: This episode contains themes of mental health and suicideAnna, a nurse, was sectioned, hospitalised in psychiatric wards for months and overdosed more than once, all while being diag...

18 Aug 29min

92 – Hormones, mood and mental health myths Dr Sue Varma

Psychiatrist Dr Sue Varma joins Dr Louise Newson to unpack why hormones are so often left out of mental health care and what gets missed as a result, from puberty to postpartum to perimenopause.Dr Var...

13 Aug 33min

91 – Demi Brown: Endometriosis, fibroids & hormones

Love Is Blind's Demi Santana Brown opens up aboutendometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and the power of natural hormones.Before Love Is Blind UK, Demi was a professional footballer for Millwall, West H...

11 Aug 32min