Dhru Purohit Show

This episode is brought to you by Rythm Health, Momentous, Bon Charge, and Branch Basics. Millions of people take antidepressants to manage anxiety and depression, yet many questions remain about their long-term effectiveness and what happens when people try to stop taking them. As concerns grow about withdrawal symptoms and the challenges of coming off these medications, understanding both their benefits and limitations has never been more important. Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Dr. Mark Horowitz to explore the widespread use of antidepressants, why so many people struggle to come off them, and how withdrawal symptoms are often misunderstood. Dr. Horowitz shares his own difficult experience tapering off antidepressants and how it inspired him to research and develop safer, evidence-based approaches for reducing these medications. He also examines the research on how antidepressants were originally approved, highlighting key limitations in some studies and how those flaws may have shaped our understanding of their benefits and risks. Along the way, he explains what happens in the brain during the tapering process and the best and worst practices for supporting individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, and antidepressant discontinuation. Dr. Mark Horowitz is a Clinical Research Fellow in Psychiatry with the NHS in London, Visiting Lecturer at King’s College London, and lead author of the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines, the first authoritative handbook on safely stopping antidepressants and other psychiatric medications. His research has helped shape UK national guidance on tapering psychiatric drugs, and he has published in leading journals including The Lancet Psychiatry and JAMA Psychiatry. Drawing from both his clinical expertise and personal experience coming off psychiatric medications after 20 years of use, Dr. Horowitz is dedicated to helping people safely reduce or discontinue medications when appropriate. *Important: Never stop or reduce a prescribed medication without guidance from your healthcare provider. Medication changes should be made under professional supervision, as withdrawal symptoms and individual responses can vary significantly. In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Horowitz dive into: (0:00) Introduction (00:23) The Truth About Antidepressant Effectiveness (7:10) Why Getting Off Antidepressants Can Be So Difficult (16:05) Dr. Horowitz's Personal Withdrawal Story (29:14) If Not A Chemical Imbalance, Then What? (36:19) The Neurogenesis Theory Explained (46:52) Informed Consent And What Patients Aren't Told (55:35) Why Standard Tapering Often Fails (1:02:37) The Antidepressant Controversies (1:12:25) Best And Worst Practices For Recovery (1:20:15) Resources For Healing And Support (1:24:37) Final Thoughts And Advice Also mentioned in this episode: The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines: Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, Gabapentinoids and Z-drugs (The Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines Series For more on Dr. Horowitz, follow him on X/Twitter, Substack, Outro Health’s socials: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, or visit his Websites: Dr. Mark Horowitz and Outro Health. This episode is brought to you by Rhythm Health, Momentous, Bon Charge, and Branch Basics. Right now, Rythm is offering my community 15% off your first month, plus free shipping at Rythm Health. Just go to rythm.health/DHRU to get 15% off at checkout. Right now, Momentous is offering our listeners up to 35% off their first order with promo code DHRU. Head to livemomentous.com and use code DHRU for 35% off your first subscription. Right now, Bon Charge is offering my community 15% off their Red Light mask. Just go to boncharge.com/dhru and use code DHRU to save 15%. Right now, Branch Basics is offering 15% off the Premium Starter Kit; just go to branchbasics.com and use the coupon code DHRU. Sign up for Dhru’s Try This Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers, LMNT, Maui Nui, and Branch Basics. When we think about fitness and health, walking is often seen as “too easy” to matter. But this episode challenges that assumption, revealing how walking with weight taps into a deeply human ability that builds strength, resilience, and long-term health in ways most modern workouts miss. Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Michael Easter to explore walking with weight, a forgotten human practice that quietly shaped our bodies, minds, and resilience, and what happens when modern life removes it. Michael traces the evolutionary roots of carrying and movement, explains why many popular fitness approaches fall short, and reveals how this deceptively simple practice can transform strength, endurance, metabolic health, and mental clarity. Michael challenges our obsession with comfort, unpacks the science behind walking with weight, and shares practical insights on how small, intentional discomfort can help us live stronger, more capable, and more resilient lives in a hyper-convenient world. Michael Easter is a New York Times bestselling author who travels the world uncovering practical, science-backed ideas for living healthier, happier, and more remarkable lives. His reporting has taken him from war zones to the Arctic to the Bolivian jungle, where he’s interviewed thousands of experts, from Nobel laureates to elite athletes, and analyzed cutting-edge research. He shares these insights through his bestselling books The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain, as well as his newsletter Two Percent. His work is used by professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies, and elite military units, and has helped millions rethink health, performance, and modern life. In this episode, Dhru and Michael dive into: (0:00) Intro (00:37) Why humans were designed to walk and what we’ve forgotten(04:28) What happens when you add weight to your walks(12:37) Running, carrying, and the hidden blueprint of human movement(20:00) The Tarahumara tribe and what modern fitness gets wrong(26:11) The real idea behind “Walk With Weight”(31:29) Why choosing comfort may be costing you health and resilience(34:24) Simple, real-world ways to start walking with weight(38:24) How weighted walking quietly increases calorie burn(40:04) What the research actually says about walking with weight(47:27) The easiest way to begin walking with weight(56:12) The overlooked science behind weighted walking benefits(1:02:00) The surprising mental and emotional gains from walking with weight(1:09:39) How Michael suggests introducing this practice to others(1:12:07) Where to explore more of Michael’s work Also mentioned in this episode: Walk with Weight: The Definitive Guide to Rucking Walkfully Site For more on Michael, follow him on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Substack, or visit his Website. This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers, LMNT, Maui Nui, and Branch Basics. Upgrade your digestion with enzymes! Go to bioptimizers.com/dhru now and enter promo code DHRU to get 15% off any MassZymes order and all BiOptimizers products during their Valentine's Day deal. Right now, LMNT is offering my listeners a free sample pack with any purchase. Head over to drinkLMNT.com/dhru today. Right now, Maui Nui Venison is offering my listeners exclusive access to their brand-new Always Summer Sausage, the cleanest, most nutrient-dense lunch meat you’ll find. Just go to mauinuivenison.com/DHRU to get yours today. Right now, Branch Basics is offering 15% off the Premium Starter Kit; just go to branchbasics.com and use the coupon code DHRU. Make 2026 your cleanest, healthiest year yet with Branch Basics! Sign up for Dhru’s Try This Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Maui Nui, One Skin, Branch Basics, and BetterWild. When we think about longevity, immune health, or aging well, sex is rarely part of the conversation. But this episode challenges that blind spot, revealing why sexual connection and pleasure are fundamental to health, resilience, and how fully we experience life. Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with sex and relationships expert Dr. Nicole McNichols to unpack why sexual pleasure is far more than a “nice-to-have”; it’s a foundational pillar of health, connection, and long-term fulfillment. Dr. McNichols explores how sexual satisfaction influences healthy aging, sleep quality, immune function, and relationship resilience, while dismantling some of the most common myths around desire, mystery, and attraction. This conversation reframes sex as a skill you can cultivate, not a spark you either have or lose, and offers practical insights for couples who want deeper connection, better communication, and intimacy that evolves. Dr. Nicole McNichols is a renowned professor of human sexuality, author, and speaker with over 20 years of experience bridging science and real-world application to help people better understand sexuality, relationships, and pleasure. Her course, The Diversity of Human Sexuality, is the most popular in the University of Washington's history, enrolling more than 4,000 students annually. She is the author of the upcoming book You Could Be Having Better Sex. Her work has been featured in Psychology Today, The Seattle Times, and Harvard Business Review, and she is the coauthor of Human Sexuality in a Diverse Society and a TEDx speaker. In this episode, Dhru and Dr. McNichols dive into: (0:00) Intro (00:39) Why pleasure is essential for health (02:07) The link between sexual satisfaction and longevity (14:09) How sexual connection drives life satisfaction (22:19) How male and female brains experience desire differently (28:23) The sex, sleep, immunity connection (38:40) Why planned intimacy works better than spontaneity (41:38) Why desire loss doesn’t mean love loss (54:17) Creating intimacy space by reducing friction (1:08:00) Dr. McNichols’ path to becoming a sex educator (1:21:10) Self-actualization in marriage (1:25:50) Navigating mismatched desire without resentment (1:34:05) Why sex matters in long-term relationships (1:40:27) What happens when sexual wellness is deprioritized (1:42:34) Final takeaways Also mentioned in this episode: You Could Be Having Better Sex: The Definitive Guide to a Happier, Healthier, and Hotter Sex Life For more on Dr. McNichols, follow her on X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or visit her Website. This episode is brought to you by Maui Nui, One Skin, Branch Basics, and Betterwild. Right now, Maui Nui Venison is offering my listeners exclusive access to their brand-new Always Summer Sausage, the cleanest, most nutrient-dense lunch meat you’ll find. Just go to mauinuivenison.com/DHRU to get yours today. Right now, One Skin is offering my community 15% off; just go to oneskin.co and use the coupon code DHRU to save 15% and give your skin the scientifically proven, gentle care it deserves. Right now, Branch Basics is offering 15% off the Premium Starter Kit; just go to branchbasics.com and use the coupon code DHRU. Make 2026 your cleanest, healthiest year yet with Branch Basics! Right now, BetterWild is offering my listeners up to 40% off at BetterWild.com/DHRU. Support your dog’s digestion and allergy defense system today. Sign up for Dhru’s Try This Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by LMNT, Maui Nui, Momentous, and One Skin. Muscle health shapes far more than our appearance, impacting metabolism, energy, resilience, and aging, yet most of us were never taught how to build it or adopt the mindset to protect it for life. Today’s episode explores why shifting toward a muscle-centric approach isn’t intuitive in modern culture, and how learning to train both the body and the mind may be one of the most important upgrades for long-term health. Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon to explore why muscle is far more than a fitness goal; it’s a central driver of longevity, metabolic health, and resilience. Together, they unpack the muscle-centric paradigm and how building strength shapes not only the body but also the mindset, emotional regulation, and identity. Dr. Lyon explains the power of neutrality and discernment in unhijacking reactive thought patterns, shares practical tools for moving from complaint to action, and breaks down how clarity of purpose fuels lasting change. This episode reframes health as a responsibility, not a luxury, and offers a roadmap for building strength that carries through every aspect of life. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is a Washington University fellowship-trained physician in nutritional science and geriatrics, board-certified in family medicine, and the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine. She runs a private practice serving leaders, innovators, mavericks, and executives across multiple fields, while also working closely with special operations military personnel, all to shift medicine from an obesity-focused model to a muscle-centric paradigm grounded in high scientific integrity. She is the bestselling author of Forever Strong and the upcoming Forever Strong Playbook. In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Lyon dive into: (0:00) Intro (1:00) The muscle mandate: why strength is no longer optional for long-term health (2:15) A mindset shift: how culture quietly reshapes our relationship with strength (15:08) The missing skill in a reactive, overstimulated world (18:57) Practicing neutrality: how to observe thoughts without being hijacked by them (32:20) Simple tools to break autopilot in real time (38:49) Your “why”: the hidden driver behind consistency and real change (52:44) How to interrupt the complaining loop before it drains your energy (57:14) Capacity versus challenge and determining where growth happens (1:02:38) Moving past stagnation and identifying areas for growth Also mentioned in this episode: The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK: Rewrite Your Future in Six Weeks Forever Strong For more on Dr. Lyon, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or visit her Website. This episode is brought to you by LMNT, Maui Nui, Momentous, and One Skin. Right now, LMNT is offering my listeners a free sample pack with any purchase. Head over to drinkLMNT.com/dhru today. Right now, Maui Nui Venison is offering my listeners exclusive access to their brand-new Always Summer Sausage, the cleanest, most nutrient-dense lunch meat you’ll find. Just go to mauinuivenison.com/DHRU to get yours today. Optimize your energy and mental clarity with the purest form of creatine, made by and used by the best. Head to livemomentous.com and use code DHRU for 35% off your first subscription. Right now, One Skin is offering my community 15% off; just go to oneskin.co and use the coupon code DHRU to save 15% and give your skin the scientifically proven, gentle care it deserves. Sign up for Dhru’s Try This Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Bon Charge, One Skin, Maui Nui, and Cozy Earth. When we think about chronic disease, we don’t always consider the role of emotions. Yet emotional patterns can quietly drive chronic inflammation, which underlies many of today’s most common conditions. Today’s guest shares powerful stories from patients with unexpected diagnoses, revealing how core life habits and major life events often precede, and contribute to, the development of disease. Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Dr. Ronesh Sinha to explore the often-overlooked emotional factors behind chronic illness, even in people who appear to be doing everything “right” for their health. Dr. Sinha introduces the concept of surprise diseases, explains how emotional patterns shape physical outcomes, and unpacks ideas like “shamily” and emotional immunity. He also shares practical ways to build emotional awareness, why introspection matters, and how open, honest conversations within families can be a powerful tool for long-term health. Dr. Ronesh Sinha is an internal medicine physician and author of The South Asian Health Solution, who runs a Silicon Valley lifestyle clinic focused on reversing insulin resistance. He serves as Chief Medical Officer for the Silicon Valley Employer Forum, advising major tech companies on health benefits. His work has been featured in Fortune Magazine and the Los Angeles Times, and he hosts the Meta Health Podcast. In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Sinha dive into: (0:00) Intro (1:05) The invisible risk shaping our metabolic health (5:47) How emotional suppression fuels “surprise” diseases (11:55) Shamily: emotional stability, patterns, and family dynamics (19:16) What stress really does to the immune system (33:17) Emotional immunity: the missing layer of health (39:32) The hidden meaning behind head flicks and body signals (47:17) Why emotional suppression is like an Instant Pot (54:56) How subvocalization quietly impacts your health (1:00:23) Recognizing emotional patterns tied to your personality (1:10:05) How our thoughts shape connection and belonging (1:12:23) Simple introspection and relaxation tools that work (1:16:42) What happens when vulnerability enters family dynamics (1:22:57) How emotional authenticity improves well-being Also mentioned in this episode: Try This: 7 Things I’m Doing To Keep My Parents Healthy As They Get Older 7 Ways I’m Helping My Parents Stay Healthy As They Get Older For more on Dr. Sinha, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or visit his Website. This episode is brought to you by Bon Charge, Cozy Earth, One Skin, and Maui Nui. Right now, Bon Charge is offering my community 15% off. Just go to boncharge.com/DHRU and use code DHRU to save 15%. Right now, One Skin is offering my community up to 30% off your first three subscription orders; just go to oneskin.co and use the coupon code DHRU and give your skin the scientifically proven, gentle care it deserves. Right now, Maui Nui Venison is offering my listeners exclusive access to their brand-new Always Summer Sausage, the cleanest, most nutrient-dense lunch meat you’ll find. Just go to mauinuivenison.com/DHRU to get yours today. Right now, get 20% off your Cozy Earth sheets and sleepwear. Just head over to cozyearth.com/dhru and use code DHRU. Sign up for Dhru’s Try This Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices