Acceptable Madness

I love this podcast, and that's why I think it's time for me to take a step back for a little while. I just haven't been feeling up to making new episodes, and with everything going on in my life, I'm just exhausted all the time. I want to take some time to step back and get into a better headspace, and I think that one way for me to do that is by taking some responsibility off my plate, and considering the fact that this is my 124 episode, I've had this responsibility for quite some time. I'm not giving up on the podcast; in fact, I have a lot planned for the future, but for right now, I just really need a break so that I'm excited about all the plans I have when I have more time to do them. I appreciate each and every one of you for listening. I'll be back soon, but I don't know if soon is a few weeks or a few months. Thanks, and I'll talk to you later. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

This week’s episode is going to be a relaxing one. Well, at least I hope so! I just sat back and talked about my life, what’s been going on, and how I’m coping with the everyday stresses of existing. I cover topics from school, to work, and even Halsey’s swollen butt. With range of topics like that, I’m sure it has something for everyone! I hope you enjoy! --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Of course! I love animals and always have. When I was young, I grew up with two dogs and many three cats, and the second I went to college, I missed the unconditional love that they provided. After Alex and I graduated from college, we went on a mission to get pets. Two months after we both started new jobs, we brought home two wonderful pets: our dog Halsey and our cat Leia. It’s been a little over a year since we got them, and in this episode, I’d like to talk about how I feel my life has changed with them around. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Planning might be the most boring topic in the world, but it's still something that needs to be talked about. Planning is important in all walks of life, but I think that it's especially important when you struggle with mental illness. It helps you get a grasp on what is going on around you and put your life events into perspective, while also giving you some self-motivation to keep moving forward. That said, it can also seem like a bad thing when you don't feel the motivation to do what you've set out to do. That's what I talk about in this episode, and I hope you enjoy it! --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Admittedly, I'm no master of chess, so I don't know if this is true. That said, I've spent a lot of my free time playing chess recently and trying to become better at it. What I find crazy is how many parallels I've found between the game of strategy and my mental health. Maybe it's because I have an unhealthy obsession of the game and think about it all the time or maybe it's because there are actually parallels. No matter the reason, that's what I'm going to talk about this episode. I hope you enjoy! :) --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

This is something that I think about every day, but I decided that it's finally time to make an episode about it. College is brutal. I don't care how smart you are, college is hard for a few reasons. I hated my undergrad because I didn't handle being away from home and having no friends well. It was also hard because I had nooooo clue what I wanted to do with my life. My masters is hard because it's a lot of work, but it's also more satisfying than my undergrad, even though I'm juggling this and a full-time job. My doctorate (which I haven't gone for) feels like an inevitability, and I honestly can't wait for it. So, how did I go from hating college to diving deeper? Well, I'm glad you asked! That's what this episode is about. I hope you like it. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

What better time is there to talk about burnout than when you're burnt out? In this episode, I talk about the constant exhaustion I've been feeling that's been brought on by work, personal issues, school, raising two amazing little pets, and maintaining basic functional necessities like laundry and cooking. You know that feeling that comes around that makes you want to procrastinate everything you do while also giving you an unusual addiction to Tetris and Chess? Okay, the latter part might just be me. Nonetheless, this episode is about burnout. I hope you enjoy it. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

This week, I'm covering a topic that I think is one of the most important that I've talked about recently. Saying no and setting boundaries for yourself is one of the best ways that I've discovered to cope with the state of my mental health. Whether you're saying no to working late on a Friday, having a game night with friends, or even answering the phone when someone is calling, it's okay to say no and not handle it in that moment if you don't feel like you're in the best state to do so. In this episode, I talk about why saying no is so important, and how mastering the delicate technique of setting boundaries can lead to a much happier lifestyle. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

This is a topic that, if you're anything like me, is a hard one to grasp. It's really easy to think that you’re not worth as much as you actually are or to think you’re worth nothing at all. Whether you suffer from a bad case of imposter syndrome, you believe that you aren't contributing to society in a meaningful way, or you aren't doing a great job where you work, I bet you're doing better than you think. In this episode, I talk about my struggle to see my worth in the world, and how I'm making meaningful change to pursue it. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Knowing that your mental illness doesn’t define you isn’t a novel concept. Each and every one of us is a unique and special person, but some of us struggle with mental illness. Even though sometimes our lives are dictated by what's going on in our heads, such as a lack of motivation to do something in our everyday lives and an inability to get out of bed, we're more than the thoughts that go through our heads. I think this is an important concept for anyone to know, but those that don't struggle with mental health won't get it until those that are struggling with it internalize it themselves. That's why in this episode, I talk about how I'm so much more than my mental illness. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

This episode is about stress. Stress is a normal part of everyday life and learning to cope with it is an essential skill that everyone needs to learn. That said, it's still a piece of crap. You couple stress with mental illness, and it can feel like a ticking time bomb. From feelings of anger and exhaustion, to just a general defeated state that lingers for longer than anyone would like, it's time to talk about how I try (and sometimes fail) to deal with my stress. Did I mention that this episode is about stress? --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

So, this probably isn't the question you expected me to ask, but it's one that I asked myself recently. After weeks of low motivation, irritability, and difficulty finding happiness in the things that used to keep me moving forward, it occurred to me that... I'M DEPRESSED. It's something that I'm clearly aware of, but sometimes I just forget, and I end up giving myself a hard time for struggling to be happy and finding my motivation. In this episode, I'm going to talk about that "sudden realization," if you can call it that, and how hopefully that'll make it easier for me to work through this depressive episode. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

I know that it was in eighth grade that my depression really started. Before that, I was a happy-go-lucky kid who thought he was happy and great all the time. I still remember being that kid who, any time he could, he would run around hoping that one day he'd "lose enough weight to fly." That kid still exists, and I'm constantly searching for more and more of the missing pieces of him that have buried themselves deep within me, but he'll never come back completely. In this episode, I'll tell you what specific event made me realize he was gone. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

When something negative affects your life, there is no straightforward way to cope with it. No matter how you cope with the situation, it's difficult because the situation itself is difficult, too. What I've learned about myself over the recent weeks is that I have a tendency to escape from reality when something unfortunate happens in my life. I do it through a variety of ways, such as YouTube, TV, video games, and endless social media usage, but that leaves an unanswered question: does escaping from reality help cope with a difficult situation? --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

I have recently been affected by something very close to me, and as I cope with the challenge of it, I've witnessed the many different ways that those around me have responded to the news. This episode is about the responses that those close to me, including myself, have had. From food and compassion, to stoicism and crying, sadness takes many faces, and each has its own feeling, story, and love behind it. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Getting in touch with your emotions is hard work. Do you want to know how I know that? Well, this is the 109th episode of this podcast and I still suck at it. I may be beginning to understand why I do some of the things that I do, but that doesn't mean I can always practice what I preach at the level that I wish I could. Saying how you feel is one of the most difficult things you can do. It takes empathy, vulnerability, honesty with yourself and those that you're being honest to, and it takes swallowing your pride. Worse yet, is sometimes it takes admitting you were wrong, and that always sucks. In this episode, I talk about the constant battle that I fight with myself to be honest and sincere with those around me. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

I'll never claim to be a perfect person. It's just not possible to be perfect, and I don't strive for it. What I can say is that over the course of my life, I've become a significantly happier and confident depressed person with a lot more hope for the future, but that hasn't always been the case. I'm currently engaged to the love of my life, but I've had a few failed relationships before I got here, and in this episode, I swallow my pride and dive into how I contributed to their downfall because of my mental illness. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

For me, depression is that creeping feeling that makes me want to give up all hope. It tells me that I'm terrible, that I'm bad at everything, and that nobody will ever truly love me because I am imperfect and unpleasant. It even tells me that I'd be better off dead than seeing tomorrow. Depression makes me feel unwanted, but it also feels unique - almost like I’m the only person in the world who suffers from it. I know I’m not, but the question I have is: is my depression unique to me, or is it the same depression that everyone else feels? --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

I could tell you what everyone else in the world is telling you about the holidays. I could say that going to see your family is terrible because we are in the midst of a pandemic, and that it's irresponsible to put you and your family in danger. I could also say that you should go see your family because you only live once and seeing them is more important than following the precautions assigned to you because of a pandemic. There are many things that I could tell you, but what I'm going to settle for is telling you how these decisions can affect your mental health, because I know they've affected mine. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

I've talked about routine before, and I always talk about how great it is. Having some sense of what you're going to do can be really good for mental health, whether it's from having a good sleep schedule, working out, or taking time out of your week to think about you. I promise that I'll talk about routine in the future, too! But you know what screwed up routine and all it stood for? COVID-19. I know, I'm just as surprised as you that COVID ruined something else. Now, staying home when possible, wearing your mask, and using social distancing is incredibly important for both you and everyone else's physical health, but when does the routine of "staying home" become a problem? That's what I'm here to talk about this week. Thanks for listening. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Okay, so it's not so much about "nothing" per se, but it's about feeling relaxed, not stressed, and for a brief moment, like I wasn't depressed. I had the pleasure of finishing two of my masters classes today (the day before this was released,) and although I start another tomorrow, for a short 7 or so hours, I didn't have any responsibilities. Sure, I had to do a few things like get dinner, walk Halsey, and play with Leia, I didn't have any overarching things to do for once. I felt completely and totally uninhibited and I could do what I wanted without feeling guilty. I took that time to play Mario Party with me beautiful fiancée, spend time with my pets, and reflect on why this feeling of "nothing" happened, and how I can replicate it moving forward. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

For all the time I talk on this podcast about the revelations that I've had about myself, I'm still no expert on me. Sometimes I need to reach out to other people for help. This episode is about the people I've reached out to, when and why I did, and what came of it. Along with that, I talk about the times that other people have reached out to me, and what that made me realize about people as a whole. Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy the episode! --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Hey - you there! Thanks for joining me for another episode of the podcast. This week, I talk about figuring out priorities. What inspired me to talk about it is the fact that I (along with everyone else in the world) have a lot of stuff on my plate that I either need or want to do, and I don't have enough time to do it all. This caused me to really sit down and figure out what I needed to do to be most successful in the future, and what will make me happier over the duration of my life. With that came a lot of soul searching and thoughts about every aspect of what makes me who I am, what I should do in the future to make me happier, and how my recent revelations can help you in your future as well. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Have you ever thought about diving into something and immersing yourself so completely so that you don't have to worry about the thoughts going through your head? If so, I did it for you and learned that it's not a great thing to do, so I don't recommend it. I've been very busy with everything going on in my life that it's hard for me to focus on the stuff that I know makes me feel happier, such as talking with my friends and family, writing, making content for Acceptable Madness, and more. This last week has amounted to me working almost exclusively on my masters classes and other daily responsibilities, and although I was able to get everything done in time, the act of putting my mental health on the backburner to focus on it was hard... and putting it frankly, it sucked. So, to answer the main question of this episode - no, you can't work so hard that you forget about your depression. In this episode, I dive deeper into why I think that is. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

It's been a long road - after a little over 2 years, it's time to celebrate Acceptable Madness' 100th birthday. In that short amount of time, I've talked for hours and hours about different topics such as loss, friendship, sleep, rejection, and so much more. I've told you more about myself than most of my closest friends know about me, and I've uncovered more about how my mind works in that time than I ever could have imagined. In this episode, I'd like to talk about how much I've changed over that time, how I feel about it, and what I'd like to see moving forward. This episode is special for me, not just because of it being triple digits, but because it means I've been able to start something and follow through with it, no matter the challenges that life (and that pesky depression) throws at me. I hope that I've helped you through whatever struggles you're having, and hope that the lessons I've shared with you will keep you moving forward through life with optimism and strength, because life is tough, but you're tougher. Thanks for listening, and I can't wait to talk to you in another 100 episodes! --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Love and depression are like potato chips and chocolate; they seem like they shouldn't go together but they're actually a magical combination. Huh? Only I like chocolate-covered potato chips and most people think it's weird? Oh... the more you know I guess. What I mean is that love and depression, although many people would think they don't mesh, they actually do and in a perfect, weird kind of way. Even though you might not feel love in the traditional sense - full of hearts and smiles fluttering across your face - I'm sure you feel it in different ways. No matter how you feel love and other strong emotions that are special to you, just know that they're real, they matter, and even if you feel emotions differently than some others, it doesn't mean you're an unfeeling robot. I can say that with confidence because I am a recovering unfeeling robot. Listen to this episode of the podcast to learn more about my thoughts on how depression affects love in your everyday life. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

There are so many things in the world that we are amazing at, average at, and terrible at. Now, I like to focus on the things that I'm amazing at, and I'm sure you do too (and I'm sure there are a lot of things that you're amazing at,) but no matter if you're great at something or awful at it, there is always the chance that you'll fall short. Whether it's a test that you thought you got a 100% on but you actually got a B, or you were working on a project at work that didn't go as planned, we'll occasionally fall short. For the longest time, I couldn't get passed that and would hold myself to the unrealistic task of being perfect all the time, but I've recently had a change of mind. In this episode, I talk about how it's okay to fall short on things, and it can actually be something that really helps you figure out what you are good at, and how to prioritize your time. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Hi! I hope you're ready to sit back and relax while we talk about the future. A friend of mine recently told me that to feel better about the world and their current situation, they just stopped thinking about the future, and instead focused entirely on the present. That inspired me to make this episode, where I really dive into how I look at the future, how it's probably not the most productive way to do it, but how I'm hoping to change my mindset to be a more happy individual. The future can always look scary, especially when you have so many things that you hope to accomplish in life, but taking it one step at a time, knowing that what you're doing is the best thing for you in the moment, is probably the best way to fend off those fears. Thanks for listening. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Past Scott would beat me up for this episode, but I have to admit that education is awesome. No matter why you learn, whether it's to become better in your field of expertise, beat someone in trivia, or develop a higher sense of understanding in the world, learning is great. It's an amazing way to show and feel personal growth, while also seeing the world in a way that you may not have considered before. I used to hate school and dreaded going to class every day to see people there that were smarter than me, but now, I crave learning and think that furthering your education, no matter the medium, is a valuable, life-changing experience. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Okay, hear me out with this one. No one likes deadlines, I know. At work or school, they stress you out. If you miss one, it can feel very defeating. But dang, when you accomplish whatever deadline you have, it feels pretty good. That's what this episode is all about! Setting realistic deadlines for yourself is a great way to give yourself a reason to get out of bed and do something. In the past, I've talked about setting the goal of simply getting out of bed and showering, and although that is a worthwhile and very difficult goal on some days, it's important to have other things that keep kicking you in the butt to keep moving forward, too. If you don't you might not be able to find a way to move beyond simply getting up and showering. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

The next what, you may ask? Well, the next... anything! It's not always easy to keep pushing forward through whatever you're dealing with. Life can be a bit bipolar, so sometimes it'll treat you like royalty, and other times it'll do it's best to keep you down. When it's trying to keep you down, I think it's best to find something in the world that makes you excited, whether it's a TV show, new video game release, or the fact that you're having chicken salad for dinner (which I'm having on Wednesday, so I'm pretty stoked.) There are so many things in the world and your future that you can look forward to, so let's take a dive into what they are, and how you can use them to push through the dark times. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

We all know the feeling. You feel inspiration to chase something new and exciting in your life, and the second you get ready to work on it, the motivation disappears. This thing that was driving you mere seconds ago is gone, and now you feel empty and directionless, a fleeting feeling in its place. That's what this episode is about. I talk about what happens when the motivation vanishes without the courtesy of saying goodbye, and you're left with nothing but the desire to lay in bed and eat chips. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Taking a break seems like it should be such an easy thing to do. You just... do that thing that makes you feel relaxed, right? But it's not always that easy. That thing that makes you relaxed might not be accessible, you might be feeling too down to do it, or you might simply not know what that thing is supposed to be. Well, I struggle to figure out how to relax sometimes too, and that's what this episode is about. Listen to this week's episode, where I talk about what relaxing is to me, the stress of not being able to relax when you need to, and I attempt a weird analogy about a skateboarder on a halfpipe, even though I've never skateboarded a day in my life. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

This week, I wanted to try something a little different. Instead of talking about what's going on with me and my life, I talk about the song Bullet, by Hollywood Undead, and what I believe the band was talking about when they wrote it. It's a song that's all about suicide, the implications of it, and what it meant to the character/person that was singing it. My thoughts definitely aren't written in stone, and I hope that while you listen to it, you find some areas that you disagree with, because I'd love to hear your opinions on it! I hope you like it! --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

Stress isn't an easy thing to manage. It's one of life's many "things" that seem to beat all rational, and prevent you from thinking clearly, figuring out what you want, and feeling better. This week, I talk about my approach to managing my stress. My system may not necessarily work for everyone, but it works pretty well for me the majority of the time, so maybe it can work for you, too. I hope that something in here can help you out and make the rest of your week a little easier. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

I'm not a superstitious person, but the concept of destiny has always interested me. Feeling that you have this purpose set for you by someone or something is easy to believe, especially because finding direction in life is arguably one of the most difficult things that a person can do - but that doesn't mean that destiny, or your purpose, can't change as you grow older and experience more of the world and humanity. In this episode, I talk about destiny, and how it's much more malleable than you'd think. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

I've been watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and through all of the awesome fighting and world building, the character that sticks out most to me is Uncle Iroh. The once great Fire Nation General turned tea-loving mentor is a complex man, and no matter the situation, he always brings the calming presence of wisdom. In this episode, I talk about some of the quotes he had throughout the show, and how applicable they are to our lives on the outside. I never thought I'd make an episode of a mental health podcast about a children's TV show, but hey, I think it turned out pretty great! Thanks for listening. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content. Also, check out my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, on Amazon!

My book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, comes out THIS FRIDAY! It's been a long process, from writing, editing, cover design, formatting, and everything else that goes into self-publishing a book, I'm glad to say that this project is wrapping up and launching! I've been excited about getting this thing out there for years, and it's finally happening. This feels like a massive milestone for me, and I couldn't be more proud of myself. In this episode, I talk about what it took to make this bad boy, and how it's helped my mental health. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you like the book! --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content.

Ya know, not everything in the world is great (as I'm sure you've already noticed.) That doesn't make the world bad or terrible to live on, but it means that there are some bitter things that happen, whether it's a dispute between you and a friend, some burnt mac n' cheese because you forgot to add water to the Kraft you were microwaving, or you have a dog that WON'T STOP BITING YOUR SHOE LACES NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU TELL HER NOT TO, but I digress. Not everything will be great, but as the great musician, Carole King, said, "you've got to take the bitter with the sweet." In this episode, I dive into what that actually means. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content.

I don't like my wrists, my hair is too curly, and when I gain weight, it shows itself in the most undesirable of places. My body isn't perfect, and it never will be. Chances are your body isn't perfect either. And that's perfectly okay. In this episode, I talk about body image, how it can impact your mentality, and some solutions on how to feel better about yourself. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content.

Ever wonder what the "Scott McKinney Solution to Happiness" (Patent Pending) is? Well here it is in all of its glory! But for real, I talk about what combination of things make me happy, how I discovered this magical combo, and how with work and hope, you can find what things you need to feel better too. Plus, my book, Trying Not to Kill Myself, is coming out on Friday, July 17th, so please check it out then! --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content.

There is no clear-cut definition for depression that encompasses everyone who struggles with it since it affects everyone differently; however, there are similarities that exist within most people that have it. It's easy to feel like you're going it alone, especially when swamped by suicidal thoughts, but I learn each day that most people are more like me and you than you'd think, such as feeling like a burden to those around you. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more content.

There are a ton of things happening in the world right now, and they're things that many of us likely never expected in our lifetimes, our kid's lifetimes, or even our grandkids lifetimes. There is a lot going on, but that doesn't mean that we need to be caught in the endless streams of overwhelming news that's coming at us from all directions. In this episode, I talk about what's making me happy right now, and what you can do to find some happiness in your own life. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

It's a weird time to be alive. There are protests all over, COVID-19 is still being a butthead, and the rate at which unexpecting things happen doesn't seem to be slowing down at all. This podcast is about mental health, and topics such as the riots are very polarizing, but this is a safe space. I tried my best to give my honest opinions about everything that's happening and how I feel I should react to it all, along with how I'm trying to find the bright side. It's a hard time for everyone, and focusing on mental health is more important than ever. Thanks for listening and I hope this can make you feel even the tiniest bit better, or at least show you a new perspective. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

In this episode, I (metaphorically) strip down and look at my naked body in the mirror and ask myself about what I'm doing with Acceptable Madness, and what I could be doing better. In the process, I decided to create a secondary brand/channel/thing called Unacceptable Madness where I post non-mental health related content so that I don't clutter my Acceptable Madness feeds with random stuff that some people don't like. Thanks for your patience as I work to understand my brand, and I hope you appreciate all of the upcoming changes. Also, I'm having to experiment with a bunch of different changes, like a different computer, desk setup and all sorts of other things, so if the audio doesn't sound as good this time around, I apologize, and will work to make it better in the future. Any insight that you give helps, so please let me know what you think. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

Whoa, I'm engaged! That's pretty exciting, right? Being in a committed Whoa, I'm engaged! That's pretty exciting, right? Being in a committed relationship is something that I never thought I'd be able to do, let alone get engaged. In this episode, I talk about the super unromantic way I started the proposal, the proposal itself, and how I overcame countless fears and embraced a long-term relationship (and sexy fiancée.) --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

We're all stuck at home. We're all tired of being stuck at home. We're all stressed for a multitude of different reasons, whether it's from being unemployed and searching for a job, missing family, or just exhausted at our jobs. It's a hard time for everyone, and in this episode, I talk about what's been a struggle for me and how I'm trying to overcome it. I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

Hello and thanks for tuning into another episode of Acceptable Madness! In this episode, I talk about progress, and how progressing or improving in something that you care about feels delightful - and maybe even happiness-inducing. Yeah. It's that good. I also talk about how the Carousel of Progress broke down when I was riding it with my family, creating the most ironic thing that I've ever lived through. I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

Hello and thanks for checking out another episode of Acceptable Madness! Although the title of this episode seems kind of weird and super not detailed, this episode is about exactly what it says. People like different things for different reasons, and for the first time in my life, I was able to understand that instead of quantifying or questioning it, simply accepting that people like something is enough, and there's no reason to fight that. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

I know that in the past, I have talked about hobbies as almost entirely creativity based ventures, and I believe that that is short-sighted. In this episode, I talk about hobbies of all shapes and sizes, ranging from watching the massively over-rated Tiger King documentary to baking, and how no matter what you do with your free time, the only thing that ultimately matters is finding things that make you happy. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.

The short to this question is a resounding... maybe? Last month, I adopted both a puppy and kitten, and in all of the running around to potty train, clean up pee and poop, make sure they're all healthy and fed, I haven't had much time to think about being depressed. How has that affected me? Is it a good thing because I've been able to stay out of my own head, or is it a bad thing since I haven't been thinking about my mental health as much, so I haven't been able to understand what's making me feel way that I do? I honestly have no idea, but what I can promise you is that Halsey and Leia are super cute. --- I am not a doctor, so do not treat this as therapy or medical advice. I just do this podcast with the hopes that it can help some people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more content.