Good Life Project The Truth About Headaches: Surprising Science & Groundbreaking Treatments | Tom Zeller Jr.
Aug 14, 2025
Tom Zeller Jr., former New York Times journalist and author of 'The Headache', dives into the untold truths of headaches. He shares his personal battle with cluster headaches and the stigmas surrounding them. The conversation illuminates the complexity of headache science, the evolution of treatments, and the hope brought by innovating solutions like AI and psychedelics. Zeller highlights the emotional toll of chronic pain and the necessity for empathetic understanding, blending personal narratives with medical insights.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Huge Social And Economic Burden
- Headaches cause massive economic and personal loss, with migraine disability comparable during attacks to severe conditions.
- Preventing headaches at scale would yield enormous societal and GDP benefits.
Teaching Through A Migraine
- Jonathan Fields recounts teaching yoga through migraines and noticing pain recede when he focused outward on teaching.
- This led him to wonder if attention and presence can temporarily suppress headache pain.
Try Attention And CBT Techniques
- Use focused attention or cognitive strategies to reduce pain when possible, recognizing it won't work for everyone.
- Consider CBT-style techniques and distraction as legitimate adjuncts to medical care.
