Unhinged

Doug’s Surgery Update

by Ed 0 Comments

Hi Unhinged listeners! Just letting you know that Doug goes into surgery this morning to change his DBS neurostimulator battery. The unfortunate timing of his current battery losing its juice has definitely derailed his mood. We’re hoping that once it gets replaced, the DBS can do its thing and Doug can get back on track with his remission and his life!

The podcast is still on hiatus until things settle down after the surgery. For now, let’s all send Doug best wishes for a quick recovery! Maybe even post a joke to get things started on a positive note 🙂

Thank your all for understanding. We hope to be back soon!

Ed
Co-founder/Co-host
Unhinged Podcast

Unhinged on Hiatus Until After Surgery

by Ed 0 Comments

Hello Unhinged listeners! As you may know, Doug has been on the longest remission of his life and things have been really good until the battery on his DBS started to get low. When this happens, the battery needs to be replaced surgically. Unfortunately, the doctor that does the surgery is out until March 20th, and Doug’s surgery is scheduled for March 27th.

That’s about two weeks away, and a lot can happen in two weeks. Doug’s mood has not been as high as it was when the battery was solid, and as the battery gets weaker, there’s a chance he could relapse (this happened years ago during his first real remission).

Due to this situation, we feel that the quality of any show we do right now would not be up to par, plus talking about all this could bring him down a bit, so we feel it is necessary to take a little break until after he gets the battery replacement surgery.

We have a lot of great things planned for future shows, but we first want to make sure that the surgery goes smoothly and that the remission continues so that we can get back on track in a very positive way.

In the meantime, take this time to catch up on some of our previous episodes if you have not listened to all of them yet. We’re also both still online and will answer emails and posts on our Facebook page. We’re not going away! We’re just making sure Doug stays healthy, and the podcast content quality remains high.

Thanks again for understanding!

Unhinged Episode #041: Juicy Juice

by Ed 1 Comment
Unhinged Episode #041: Juicy Juice

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 after Doug’s battery is replaced and he’s back in a more positive mood.

In this short episode, we talk about the DBS battery, how Doug checks it, how it’s replaced, and ultimately how important that little piece of tech is for any DBS patient. As it stands, Doug is trying to get an appointment for the surgery as soon as he can, but the doctor that does it is out until the 20th of March, so he might have to wait up to of 3 weeks. We’re hoping the trickle charge lasts until then so he doesn’t fully relapse. Fingers crossed!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:08 — 53.0MB)

Coming of Age -Mental Health

by Doug 0 Comments
Coming of Age -Mental Health

Unhinged Facebook Page Post 
Published by Doug Warren · Yesterday at 7:19pm

Our discoveries and advances in understanding the brain – we are making real strides right now.

We need to treat & refer to serious Mental Illnesses, including Schizophrenia, Bipolar & Depression, not as behavioral or mental disorders, but as brain disorders; Neuropsychiatric disorders.

*Don’t miss Show #41 on March 7th as Ed Caggiani and I will be discussing at length about the magic of Music and its effects on the brain, but we will also elaborate some more on brain functioning as it relates to mental illnesses. I believe this is crucial in order to focus on issues like diagnosis, early detection and treatment, above perception and stigma. Stigma will die at the hands of Science & Progress!

~Doug Warren
Unhinged Podcast-Talking Mental

Next Show Coming March 7th

by Ed 0 Comments
Next Show Coming March 7th

Hello Unhinged listeners! Due to Ed traveling this week, we won’t have a show ready this coming Tuesday. So our next show will be released on Tuesday, March 7th. It’ll be worth it! What will we talk about? Music!

Music is powerful. The lyrics, the melody, and the instrumentation all play a part in shifting mood and emotion. We are affected on a unique and personal level. What makes us cry? What makes us happy? What songs do we avoid? Join us as we dissect what songs affect us, and how.

Unhinged Episode #040: The Road To Now

by Ed 1 Comment
Unhinged Episode #040: The Road To Now

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 also play clips from our special guests over the past 40 shows, including Nurit Adler, Matt Moloney, Murray Goldsmith, and Mitchell Drew.

Over the past year, Unhinged has covered Doug’s many remissions and relapses. One of our most talked about shows was episode #18, Relapse Part 2: The Call. It illustrates the darkness and desperation one can reach when consumed by the disease. On the upswing, we also cover much happier topics, including funny hypnosis stories, the Mandela Effect, and Doug’s current record-breaking remission.

Tip for new listeners: This is a good episode to get up to speed quickly. Just be sure to go back and listen to the full shows to get much deeper into the subject matter!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:51 — 100.4MB)

Unhinged Episode #039: What, Me Worry?

by Ed 2 Comments
Unhinged Episode #039: What, Me Worry?

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 butterflies, however, as he has to now learn how to process emotions in the context of a “normal-acting” brain, something he has very little experience doing. One thing that has stuck around is his anxiety. Besides a general anxiety that creeps in every now and then, there is the looming spectre of human interaction, which can trigger Doug’s social anxiety. We talk about how he’s handling his day-to-day anxiety, and what coping tools have helped him.

Continuing the topic of anxiety, we touch on the differences between worry and anxiety. Can worry turn into anxiety that needs treatment?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:02 — 105.4MB)

Show resources:

New Episode Coming Next Week

by Ed 0 Comments

Hello Unhinged listeners! Just letting you know that due to Ed’s travel schedule and Doug’s work at the Mood Disorders Association, we have not been able to fully plan this week’s show. We have a great topic, but want to give it the time it deserves. We look forward to the show next week, and we think you’ll enjoy what’s coming!

And by the way, Friday will mark Doug’s 3-months of remission, which ties his record! Go Doug!

Unhinged Episode #038: Clean Socks

by Ed 4 Comments
Unhinged Episode #038: Clean Socks

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 talks about being a bit self-conscious, and how he’s doing on his new year’s resolution.

We then revisit the topic of baby steps that we’ve talked about on other episodes. Doug explains how childhood trauma, like bullying, can lead to PTSD-like symptoms, and being self-aware is the key to getting better. Taking baby steps through stressful events can get you there with less anxiety.

Doug’s current remission seems to be the highest quality remission he has experienced in a long time. Now that the neurology is working better, he has the ability to work on psychological issues. Working in peer support is a great step to help socialize and validate purpose. Working to better himself can go a long way now that he has the tools and support to do so. Hope is all around!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:40 — 90.8MB)