In this episode of The Cost of Everything, host Christy Ai and author Robert Mack delve into the profound impact of depression and anxiety on individuals and society. They analyze staggering statistics, such as the 280 million people globally affected by depression, including 21 million in the US alone, along with the economic consequences, like lost productivity and rising healthcare costs. The discussion navigates through the multifaceted nature of mental health challenges, touching on cultural attitudes that stigmatize mental health issues in some societies. Despite these hurdles, there’s an encouraging trend of decreasing stigma, paving the way for more open discussions and enhanced support, including tailored mental health programs in workplaces and communities.

On this epsiode of the Whislteblowers, Ted Blickwedel, a 27 year veteran, began providing counseling services for Vet Centers in 2009. But by 2016, he realized that what was originally a people-centered approach to helping veterans had become a numbers game, where patients were rushed through appointments to meet Veterans Administration numbers expectations. Ted began to feel burned out, and he realized other counselors were having the same experience. In 2018, he emailed 1,300 Vet Center counselors across the country to learn how the VA’s expectations and bureaucratic demands were affecting them. The results were so stunning that Ted decided to blow the whistle, resulting in a Government Accountability Office report in 2020 revealing the new productivity standards were leading to counselor burnout across the country. A bill to correct these wrongs is currently pending in Congress, but it has not yet been acted upon. Ted speaks to John Kiriakou about the book he has written, Broken Promises, which chronicles his experience and provides insights into how to report problems in government agencies.

On this episode of The Cost of Everything, we take a closer look at the cost of heatwaves across the globe. Host Christy Ai discusses with ProChain Capital CEO David Tawil the pros and cons of heatwaves, as they can cause increased wildfires, droughts, and even affect the mood and productivity of citizens. But on the other hand, heatwaves can be beneficial for countries with extremely cold temperatures, improving agricultural productivity.