"I thought I was having a heart attack, I blacked out, I'd lost control" Paul O'Malley on intense panic attacks, a reliance on alcohol and being deep in his emotional overdraft

Andy Brown's Exploring Emotional Overdraft

In this incredible and moving episode of Exploring Emotional Overdraft, Andy Brown interviews Paul O'Malley, the COO of Fox Agency. Paul candidly shares his journey of expanding the agency into the US and the challenges he faced. He discusses the pressure he felt to succeed and the toll it took on his mental and physical well-being.
Paul opens up about experiencing intense panic attacks and the realisation that after much denial he recognised just how deep he was in his emotional overdraft. The conversation touches on Paul's reliance on alcohol during his hardest times, how he blacked in the middle of the street and how he eventually found his way back through therapy, medication and non-negotiable setting boundaries to avoid burnout.
Paul talks about throwing himself into photography and emphasises the real importance of recharging and taking care of his mental health.
Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Background

05:16
Paul's Experience with Emotional Overdraft

12:15
Impact of Emotional Overdraft on Paul

25:23
Panic Attacks and Emotional Overdraft

31:46
Self-Medicating with Alcohol

36:01
Recognizing the Need for Help

40:20
The Importance of Recharging

44:16
Living in the Present Moment

49:52
Managing Emotional Overdraft

57:43
Protecting Time for Yourself
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