Unhinged: Discussing Mental Health

This week we have Doug’s uncle Murray back on the show to discuss how he lives a stress-free life and how that affects every aspect of his being. Even after being diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, among other serious diseases, he continues to live happily with few, if any negative symptoms. Murray’s “Power of […] The post Unhinged Episode #060: More With Murray appeared first on Unhinged.

On our last show, we discussed how one of Doug’s family members is seriously ill, and that was one of his triggers for his mood dropping. On today’s show, we announce that the family member in question is Doug’s uncle Murray, who was our guest on Episode #10. The thing about Murray, however, is that […] The post Unhinged Episode #059: Stress – The Simple Facts appeared first on Unhinged.

Doug’s personal life has been challenging lately, and this has, in part, been a cause for a mood drop in the last few days. Our plan for this show was to start by playing some music, maybe work on a new intro, and record the show. Instead, Doug told me to just start recording as […] The post Unhinged Episode #058: Chillax appeared first on Unhinged.

Today’s show is mostly an announcement of our new plan to do a show every other week, rather than weekly. We discuss a few reasons why we decided to test out this new schedule. It should actually be good for both the quality of the show as well as our personal lives. With Doug feeling […] The post Unhinged Episode #057: New Show Schedule appeared first on Unhinged.

This week we welcome special guest Avery, a friend of the show’s, and to us. Avery and Doug share a connection through both being somewhere on the spectrum. Technically, Avery is toward the Asperger’s side. We discuss when and how each of them were first diagnosed, and how they have managed to overcome some of […] The post Unhinged Episode #056: Spectrum With Attitude appeared first on Unhinged.

On this week’s episode, we discuss how important perspective is to live a positive life. Doug has been realizing how the little positive things in life make a big difference if you stop to appreciate them. Focusing on the positives, no matter how small, helps push out the negatives. Doug also brings up whether he […] The post Unhinged Episode #055: Perspective appeared first on Unhinged.

In our first episode of 2018, we start with a short and fun guitar jam, which highlights the mood for the new year. Doug is feeling much better, and after receiving the love and generosity from some of our friends and listeners, he’s entering the new year on a wave of positivity. The bulk of […] The post Unhinged Episode #054: Open Your Presence appeared first on Unhinged.

Our last episode, Episode #53: Hey Brother, was a powerful one for Doug. His mood was pretty low when we started recording, but by the end of the show, his mood had improved greatly, especially after a conversation he had with his sister Laurie. After hearing that episode back, he got to hear what he […] The post Unhinged Addendum to #053: Meeting Your Monster appeared first on Unhinged.

We’re back for our final show of 2017 (we’ll be back in January). This episode is a little bit different since the bulk of it is an actual recording of our typical pre-show planning discussion. Doug had mentioned in the past that we should probably start recording these talks, and this week that’s just what […] The post Unhinged Episode #053: Hey Brother appeared first on Unhinged.

Hello listeners! The holiday season is upon us, and this is typically a hard time for a lot of people, especially those who suffer from mental illness. Depression can easily set in while being surrounded by celebrations, festive lights, and commercialism. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real thing and can be very serious. Last […] The post Rerun: Holiday Episode 2016 appeared first on Unhinged.

We start this episode with some interesting documentary suggestions and more discussions about curcumin, the wonder supplement. But more importantly, we welcome another special guest this week. In Episode #37, we talked to Doug’s nephew Mitchell Drew. This week we welcome Mitchell’s mother, and Doug’s sister, Laurie Drew. Listeners will know that Doug has recently […] The post Unhinged Episode #052: Undun appeared first on Unhinged.

We start this episode with a short improvised jam we call “Rambunctious”. The word popped into Doug’s head while recording, so we decided to add a weird vocal track repeating the word, just for fun. Interestingly, in this episode we welcome back special guest Nurit Adler, our favorite psychotherapist and clinical social worker, and discuss […] The post Unhinged Episode #051: Rambunctious appeared first on Unhinged.

For our 50th episode, we start off with a clip of us singing the King’s X song “We Are Finding Who We Are”. In a way, it’s very relevant to what our show is all about. We look to the unknown future, with pain we have yet to experience, but know is coming. Those challenges […] The post Unhinged Episode #050: We Are Finding Who We Are appeared first on Unhinged.

It’s Halloween, which brings us to our special episode on FEAR. What scares us, and why? We talk about the horror movies that scared us growing up, and why we enjoy them. What is it about a good horror movie that gets our hearts racing? Why do we enjoy being scared? There’s science behind that […] The post Unhinged Episode #049: Fear: The Halloween Special appeared first on Unhinged.

In this episode, we discuss dreams and dreaming. What are dreams? Can they give us insights into our subconscious? Doug’s recent nightmare ultimately had a cathartic effect for him, bringing him closer to family. It was immediately followed by a very positive dream where his mother was a focal point. Each dream had a profound […] The post Unhinged Episode #048: Sweet Dreams appeared first on Unhinged.

It was a long day of recording when we did this episode. But the reason is because we were having too much fun putting together a little song clip for the show’s intro. What song? Hint: see the title of this episode

This week, we first discuss how Doug’s mental state has improved and what he has been doing personally to make sure he can stay in a good place. This includes proper diet and supplements that help replenish the brain of important nutrients. His donated guitar has also helped bring music back into his life. Yes, […] The post Unhinged Episode #046: I Just Want To Celebrate appeared first on Unhinged.

This week we discuss Doug’s recent one-word Facebook post, “Goodbye”, and how that cry for help showed him just how much support he really has. The struggle for mental health is best fought with loved ones who can support the sufferer when they need it most. A single word to show that no one is […] The post Unhinged Episode #045: The Nearly Perfect Storm appeared first on Unhinged.

This week we take a break from the heavy and serious topics and just have a lighthearted conversation. We recorded this podcast while connected to each other through video conferencing, so to us it felt more like we were both in one room just chatting. I think this made this show feel more conversational. Maybe […] The post Unhinged Episode #044: Precious Moments of Levity appeared first on Unhinged.

This episode was recorded on September 10th, 2017, also known as the 15th Annual World Suicide Prevention Day. This year’s theme is “Take a minute, change a life.” We discuss what this means and just how being there to listen to someone who is crying for help can quite literally save their life. Doug also discusses […] The post Unhinged Episode #043: Take a Minute appeared first on Unhinged.

After nearly 5 months, Unhinged is back! We took an extended hiatus due to various reasons, the most important being Doug’s terrible relapse. Over these past few months, Doug has been suffering greatly, but now there seems to be a spark of relief as his DBS starts working again. This all started after his surgery […] The post Unhinged Episode #042: Welcome Back appeared first on Unhinged.

Originally, this episode was going to be focused on music and how specific songs affect our moods and emotions. Unfortunately, the battery in Doug’s DBS is running down and this has affected his mood. Since we want to give this music topic the attention and justice it deserves, we decided to postpone that topic until […] The post Unhinged Episode #041: Juicy Juice appeared first on Unhinged.

This is our 40th episode, and to celebrate this milestone, we’ve compiled the best clips from our first 40 shows, starting with our very first show in March of 2016, all the way to right now. Hear about Doug’s history with Deep Brain Stimulation and how the results have been both erratic and miraculous. We […] The post Unhinged Episode #040: The Road To Now appeared first on Unhinged.

We start this episode with the announcement that Doug’s current remission has now surpassed his 3-month record. Not only has this remission lasted the longest so far, but it is also the highest quality remission he has had yet! Looks like the DBS is in the zone, working its magic. It’s not all rainbows and […] The post Unhinged Episode #039: What, Me Worry? appeared first on Unhinged.

This slightly shorter episode starts with us talking about an old, fairly obscure 80’s comedy movie, Rude Awakening. Find out why that movie is important to us, and how we came to discover it. We also talk about Ed’s mild travel anxiety as multiple trips are coming up, and how he handles it. He also […] The post Unhinged Episode #038: Clean Socks appeared first on Unhinged.

We continue the discussion about “Having” vs. “Being”, but this time we welcome special guest Mitchell Drew (rocket scientist, idealist, avid concert-goer) and ask his thoughts on the subject. Are we losing out on experiences in real life when we interact with our mobile devices? Or are those virtual social interactions just as valid? Are […] The post Unhinged Episode #037: Food For Thought appeared first on Unhinged.

This episode begins with some discussion over technology and socialization. Do today’s modern habits of burying ourselves in our tech devices isolate us from being social? Is social networking helping us become more or less connected with other humans? We both take slightly different sides on this issue. Doug’s current month-long remission from any depressive […] The post Unhinged Episode #036: Removing Obstacles appeared first on Unhinged.

In the first Unhinged episode of 2017, we discuss an interesting phenomenon called the Mandela Effect. Think your memory is accurate? Think again. The Mandela Effect is when large groups of people all share the same false memory, typically a memory that can be easily confused or distorted by similar or related memories. In psychology, […] The post Unhinged Episode #035: Tabula Rasa appeared first on Unhinged.

In our final show of 2016, we begin with a quick recap of the past year’s episodes, covering how Doug’s mood has fluctuated throughout. Luckily, we’re ending the year on a high note with Doug feeling some relief and successfully starting on his new path as a peer support worker. We then move on to […] The post Unhinged Episode #034: Coping and Hoping appeared first on Unhinged.

After a three-week hiatus, we’re back just in time for the holiday season! These past three weeks have been very dark for Doug, but he’s finally emerging from the shadows. With another tweak to his DBS settings, he has seen a shift from severe to moderate, which is definitely the direction he needs to go. […] The post Unhinged Episode #033: Don’t be SAD appeared first on Unhinged.

It’s been an extremely tough couple of weeks. We didn’t end up doing a show last week, partially due to scheduling conflicts, but also because Doug has fallen into a very deep depression and has yet to climb out of it. His mood has gotten progressively worse, to the point where he is now teetering […] The post Unhinged Episode #032: Where’s Hope? appeared first on Unhinged.

The importance of a solid support network is typically underrated, but is tantamount to the well-being of someone with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issue. Family and friends that see through the stigma and understand that it’s a disease can be a very important pillar in the support system of sufferers. Perhaps just […] The post Unhinged Episode #031: Peer Through The Darkness appeared first on Unhinged.

In today’s episode, we welcome special guest Matt Moloney, an old co-worker and friend of Doug’s from years past. Matt talks to us about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger’s Syndrome. Matt’s son Nathan was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, and what Matt has learned is that raising a child who is socially challenged has made […] The post Unhinged Episode #030: Autism Spectrum Disorder with Matt Moloney appeared first on Unhinged.

We welcome Doug back in this episode, but he’s still fighting through severe depression and anxiety. Apparently, this time, he actually felt the trigger of his downturn. It occurred after a comment from someone he looks up to totally took the wind out of his sails. With Doug’s delicate amygdala, any negative external stimuli can […] The post Unhinged Episode #029: Still Fighting appeared first on Unhinged.

If you listened to our last show, you know Doug has been feeling much better since the DBS adjustment was made maybe 1 month and a half ago or so. He was feeling confident and was looking forward to starting down the path of becoming a peer support counselor as well as working on more […] The post Unhinged Episode #028: Eyes are Green appeared first on Unhinged.

In this episode, we catch up with Doug’s progress with his DBS. Still going strong, even after a stressful few days. The neurological corrections (based on MEG brain imaging) are still in place and seem to still be working their magic a full month after altering the DBS settings. Deep Brain Stimulation has already helped […] The post Unhinged Episode #027: Electric Avenue appeared first on Unhinged.

Though Doug’s mood continues to improve from the new DBS setting, the end of the month financial struggle rears its ugly head again. In desperation, he started a crowdfunding campaign, only to suspend it early since we both felt uncomfortable with a plea for money with nothing in return. From this, we decided to add […] The post Unhinged Episode #026: Baby Steps appeared first on Unhinged.

In this episode we continue discussing Doug’s progress and how the MEG brain imaging has helped dial in his current DBS settings, which seem to be holding so far. Doug goes into a bit of detail about the differences between the types of brain imaging currently available and their specific uses. We also talk about […] The post Unhinged Episode #025: Carpe Diem appeared first on Unhinged.

Doug’s new setting on his DBS seems to still be working its miracles. Since the MEG scan pointed to three settings that showed promising neural activity, Doug has been on the first setting, and so far so good! No more shooting blind… with brain imaging, we now have a more reliable method of determining effective […] The post Unhinged Episode #024: Happy Days appeared first on Unhinged.

We’re back! In this episode, Doug talks about the results of his MEG scan and how he’s feeling after weeks of unbearable anxiety. His scans show that there are three DBS settings that were showing activity, so at least now, when adjusting the DBS, it can be done with some intelligence behind it rather than […] The post Unhinged Episode #023: Helplessly Hoping appeared first on Unhinged.

Doug is back! But only briefly to explain what he’s been going through and what it means for the future of our podcast. Don’t worry, we will continue in one form or another, but we must now consider Doug’s mental health and whether talking so personally about his daily struggles is a potential trigger or […] The post Unhinged Episode #022: Trepidations appeared first on Unhinged.

Last episode, we discussed how Doug was unable to join us due to his off-the-charts anxiety. This past week, his anxiety has continued like a roller coaster. Unfortunately, his disease is again keeping him from participating. We chatted a few days ago and he told me that the past week has felt more like years. […] The post Unhinged Episode #021: Fear appeared first on Unhinged.

If you’ve been following the podcast, you’ll know that Doug has been on a roller coaster ride with his treatment resistant depression, being in remission for quite a while, then falling back down, then coming back out of it again. In our last episode, he was on an upswing, having just come out of a […] The post Unhinged Episode #020: Return to Pooh Corner appeared first on Unhinged.

After a long three weeks of relapse, Doug is finally starting to emerge from the darkness. In this episode, Doug recalls some of what he was feeling during that time… the anger, the frustration, the hopelessness. We also respond to a couple of emails we received about Episode #18: Relapse Part 2 – The Call. […] The post Unhinged Episode #019: A New Hope appeared first on Unhinged.

NOTE: This episode contains very strong language and disturbing subject matter. This is a real life documentation of a person in a desperate state, wanting his pain to end. Listener discretion is advised. Since the 4th of July, Doug’s mood has been steadily dropping, effectively ending his two-month remission from his treatment-resistant depression. On July […] The post Unhinged Episode #018: Relapse Part 2 – The Call appeared first on Unhinged.

NOTE: This podcast was recorded on July 10th and talks about Doug beginning to relapse right after recording our previous episode about his remission. After this episode, Doug has unfortunately continued this downward trend, and on next week’s show, you will hear an emotionally raw phone call between Doug and Ed. Stay tuned. In this […] The post Unhinged Episode #017: Relapse Part 1 appeared first on Unhinged.

NOTE: This podcast was recorded on July 3rd and deals with Doug’s recent 2-month remission. However, as of July 4th, Doug’s mood has taken a downward turn, so the declaration of a full remission was a bit premature. We will have more information about this on next week’s show, so please stay tuned. In the […] The post Unhinged Episode #016: Mission Remission appeared first on Unhinged.

In this episode, we welcome special guest Jamie Rickel, Doug’s older brother and de-facto family liaison. Jamie has come to understand Doug’s plight and that his disease is not something he can control. The discussion gives us a look at Doug’s early childhood from Jamie’s point of view. Jamie also talks about when he noticed […] The post Unhinged Episode #015: Brothers in Arms appeared first on Unhinged.

Another month’s end, another situational downward turn. In our 14th episode, we discuss how living under the poverty line puts any mental illness recovery in danger. Doug’s situation is no exception as he struggles to survive for eight days with a zero balance. We re-enact a texting conversation we had in preparation for the show […] The post Unhinged Episode #014: Texting Truths and Brain Facts appeared first on Unhinged.

In our 13th episode, we cover Doug’s 6-month stint in a mental hospital. We learn what it felt like for him to be in a real life “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Doug reads an old journal entry, which sounds like a dark and emotional suicide note. He’s come a long way since then. Next, […] The post Unhinged Episode #013: Letters From the Loony Bin appeared first on Unhinged.

This week we talk about drugs and how genetics might play a part in how they affect different people. Doug , as part of an IMPACT study in pharmacogenetics, discovers he metabolizes slowly, so medicinal treatments need to be adjusted accordingly. We also discuss his battles with the Ministry of Health and drugs not covered by […] The post Unhinged Episode #012: Psychopharmacology and Pharmacogenetics appeared first on Unhinged.