Mayim Bialik's Breakdown Podcast By Mayim Bialik cover art

Mayim Bialik's Breakdown

Mayim Bialik's Breakdown

By: Mayim Bialik
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Consciousness. Spontaneous healing. UAPs. Near Death Experiences. Manifestation. Psychic phenomena. Angels. Nothing is off limits if it can be approached with curiosity and rigor. MBB started as a conversation about mental health — and quickly became something much bigger. Because the deeper you go into what it means to be human, the faster you run into questions science hasn’t fully answered yet. Hosted by neuroscientist and cultural icon Mayim Bialik and spiritual explorer Jonathan Cohen, MBB is a multi-award-winning podcast where science and spirituality meet. Together they break down the assumptions, the misperceptions, and the boundaries between disciplines — and every breakdown is a breakthrough. This is where the biggest questions get taken seriously — and where you realize you’ve never been alone in asking them. Can the mind actually heal the body? Can quantum physics explain psychic phenomena? What do Near Death Experiences reveal about the nature of consciousness and the seat of the human soul? What if the only thing separating you from your own intuition - or even God - is the assumption that it’s out of reach? And if governments are publicly acknowledging the existence of UFOs, what does that mean for the future of humanity? These are the questions Mayim Bialik's Breakdown asks every week. Subscribe on Substack for ad-free episodes and bonus content, and check us out on YouTube (@MayimBialik) for video versions of our episodes! Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Substack Live Re-Air: Elizabeth Gilbert on Addiction, Love, & the God-Shaped Hole

    Substack Live Re-Air: Elizabeth Gilbert on Addiction, Love, & the God-Shaped Hole
    Mar 21 2026
    Today we’re sharing something special that was previously only available to The Breaker community on the MBB Substack page. We were joined by Elizabeth Gilbert—celebrated author of Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic—to discuss her newest book that explores a rarely-addressed topic: the dangerous impacts of co-dependency and sex and love addiction. We discussed how her path took her from the stability of a suburban marriage into a profound, life-altering romance with her best friend-turned-lover, Rayya Elias. And we explore the “untouchable darkness” that followed, where a relationship with a relapsing addict revealed Elizabeth’s own deepest addiction and codependency. Elizabeth describes her descent into unmanageability, contemplating both murder and suicide—her only perceived options out of the pain—before experiencing a spiritual revelation and hearing the voice of what she now knows is her Higher Power. While we often investigate the life experiences that shape our behavior, Elizabeth asserts that understanding “why” we suffer is rarely enough to heal us. Many of us attempt to fill a persistent internal darkness with food, drugs, sex, work, or porn, but ultimately, that “God-shaped hole” is only filled through a direct relationship with a power greater than ourselves. Our live also covers: - Visions and the Voice of God: The specific spiritual revelations and “visits from beyond” that have directed Elizabeth’s writing career and her path to love. - The Dissolution of Fear: A look at the numerous spiritual revelations that led her to be rid of fear, anger, and shame. - Discovery vs. Recovery: Why understanding the “why” of our behavior isn’t enough to change it. Elizabeth reminds us that our peace cannot be held hostage by the expression on another person’s face. We invite you to watch this session as we explore the “invisible line” between love and pathology and find our way back to ourselves. Elizabeth Gilbert’s Latest Book, ALL THE WAY TO THE RIVER: Love, Loss, and Liberation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707805/all-the-way-to-the-river-oprahs-book-club-by-elizabeth-gilbert/ Elizabeth Gilbert’s Substack: https://elizabethgilbert.substack.com/ Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    59 mins
  • Are You Highly Sensitive? The Neuroscience of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, 12 Signs You Might Have It and Why Logic Won’t Fix Emotional Pain.

    Are You Highly Sensitive? The Neuroscience of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, 12 Signs You Might Have It and Why Logic Won’t Fix Emotional Pain.
    Mar 20 2026
    This might be the most vulnerable episode we’ve ever recorded. No guests. No buffer. Just Mayim and Jonathan…and something we didn’t realize was quietly shaping Mayim's entire life! We’re talking about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) — and what started as a casual conversation turned into a full-blown personal reckoning. If you’ve ever: - Felt physical pain when you thought someone was disappointed in you - Spiraled for HOURS (or years) over one tiny mistake - Assumed you were getting fired every time your boss said, “Can we talk?” - Left parties early because you were sure you didn’t belong - Become enraged, ashamed, or devastated over something other people say “isn’t a big deal” …this is the episode to help you make it all make sense. Mayim & Jonathan break down: - Very real, very intense emotional and physical experience of RSD (the kind often associated with ADHD and neurodivergence, but not limited to it) - What’s happening in the brain - Why logic DOESN’T fix it - Overlap with perfectionism, people-pleasing, codependency, & rage - Why success, fame, or external validation doesn’t magically make it go away - Whether extreme physical training could override emotional sensitivity Mayim shares stories she's never shared before: - Why being late to meetings triggers white hot rage - Why improv makes her want to cry - Why hosting Jeopardy! didn’t protect her from feeling exposed - What it was really like making public appearances while starring on The Big Bang Theory And yes…you know they had to take a quiz. Follow along with us and share your results! This Isn’t About Being “Too Sensitive”. This is about a nervous system that experiences perceived rejection as catastrophe. For some people, it feels like: - Being punched in the chest - Not being able to breathe - Instant shame and/or rage - Total collapse of perspective And if you don’t experience this? You’ll finally understand what someone you love might be going through. The Hard Questions We Ask - Is this just low self-esteem? - Are we over-diagnosing everything? - Is this a modern luxury problem? - Does having a label help…or limit you? - Can confidence actually fix this? - What you can actually do to cope And the most important takeaway: This isn’t about weakness. It’s about perception. And perception can shift. This conversation evolved in ways we did NOT expect. It’s raw. It’s personal. It’s uncomfortable. And it might explain things in your life you’ve never had language for. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why does this hurt so much more for me than for everyone else?” Start here. Head to https://impact.ourritual.com/c/4792730/2005678/24744 , take a quick quiz, and use code BREAKER20 for 20% off your first month. Go to https://kachava.com and use the code BREAKDOWN for 15% off of your first order. Take the Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Quiz: https://www.additudemag.com/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-adhd-symptom-test/?srsltid=AfmBOopcRDZDw2MNc17wXUaUONbwcpsvWkAoXeD35qBG-GofcYWhcfA_ Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    56 mins
  • Part Two: Co-Inventor of String Theory Dr. Michio Kaku on How Quantum Computers Will End Disease & Aging, Explain Parallel Universes & Reveal What Happens When We Die

    Part Two: Co-Inventor of String Theory Dr. Michio Kaku on How Quantum Computers Will End Disease & Aging, Explain Parallel Universes & Reveal What Happens When We Die
    Mar 18 2026
    What if the technology that could save humanity…could also predict its end? In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Michio Kaku — legendary cofounder of string field theory and author of Quantum Supremacy — breaks down the quantum revolution that’s about to change everything. What is quantum computing, really? Dr. Kaku explains its evolution from wild theory to world-altering reality — and how it could soon solve problems today’s supercomputers can’t even touch. But that’s just the beginning. He reveals how quantum computing could: - Extend human longevity and transform medicine - Track dangerous asteroids before they strike - Accelerate the search for extraterrestrial life - Predict possible planetary catastrophes - Help us study parallel universes Are black holes actually gateways to interstellar travel? Dr. Kaku explains the shocking physics that suggests they might not just destroy matter, but connect distant regions of space-time. Are we alone in the universe? He explains why he believes we are not, and how string theory may one day prove the existence of a multiverse. Artificial Intelligence: Humanity’s Greatest Tool — or Its Biggest Threat? Dr. Kaku shares why advancing AI deeply concerns him, why fighting AI may be the wrong strategy, and why he believes we may eventually need to merge with it instead. Could AI and robots become our partners in space exploration? Will artificial intelligence ever achieve consciousness? What would physically merging with technology actually look like? And what safeguards must we build before that future arrives? Plus: Why he predicts we may see more “3I/ATLAS”-type interstellar comets entering our solar system, and what that means for Earth. From quantum supremacy to the multiverse…from AI-human integration to black holes as cosmic gateways…this conversation explores the future of humanity at its most extreme edge. The future isn’t science fiction. It’s already unfolding. Dr. Michio Kaku’s book, Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything: ⁠https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697040/quantum-supremacy-by-michio-kaku/⁠ Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
All stars
Most relevant
Since I first started listening, I have learned so much not just about myself, but others as well!!

Love this a podcast

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Absolutely loved the break down style and authentic humble conversations. It's all about delivery in being received, and this is truly on point!

So impressed!

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I HAD to take notes. I can not tell you how many times I have listened to it. Honestly I take notes on alot of your episodes. However, with that one I pulled over to take notes.

Love the episode with Kunal.

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This episode had me weeping. Thank you Mayim and Leslie for sharing his life story, struggle with addiction, depression, coming out as gay and living his life on his terms in a homophobic society. He lived it all with such grace and love for others that Leslie is truly an inspiration. I only wish he had more time on this planet. <3

Fantastic episode. Thank you Mayim and Leslie!

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I love that these episodes are well articulated and intelligent. I have a “wow moment” in nearly every episode and it has opened up many new subjects that I can relate to and research. The episodes contain so much information from many voices and points of view but are easily communicated with humor and empathy. Love it

Such an amazing concept

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