Unhinged

Rerun: Holiday Episode 2016

by Ed 0 Comments
Rerun: Holiday Episode 2016

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 year, in episode #33, we discussed SAD and some ways to help overcome some of its symptoms.

This year, as the season creeps in, both Doug and I have had some personal challenges. My dental work has not been particularly fun, but more importantly, Doug has been taking on a lot recently and has definitely felt the energy drain. He’s been volunteering more often at the MDAO… this time of year is tough for many and peer support is crucial. On top of that, he’s had his own mood struggles.

All this has made getting a show done very difficult this month. Again, this week we cannot find the time or the mental wherewithal to do a show justice, so instead we decided to put out our first rerun! This is episode #33, from December 13th, 2016, titled “Don’t Be SAD”. In it we discuss the challenges of the season and try to offer some ways to help get through it unscathed. Our recommendations and opinions about SAD are still the same as last year, so this episode is still very relevant.

Please enjoy last year’s SAD episode. We hope to be back next week with a holiday episode for 2017!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:12:10 — 165.2MB)

Unhinged Episode #042: Welcome Back

by Ed 2 Comments
Unhinged Episode #042: Welcome Back

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 to replace the batteries in his DBS unit, which is apparently very sensitive. The surgery requires the device to be switched off, and when it came back on, it was no longer working the same way it was before. It took several months and lots of trial and error to get it to come back to life, but now there seems to be some hope.

During this time, Ed has also had a major life change by moving from California, where he’s been for the last 21 years, to Colorado, where a new adventure begins. The contrast between his positive life change and Doug’s hellish suffering is stark, but the friendship remains strong.

In this episode, we discuss all these changes and how Doug is coping now. It’s our “welcome back” show, so we’re still ironing out some technical issues, but we’re glad to be back!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:59 — 114.4MB)

Post-Surgery Update

by Ed 0 Comments

UPDATE: After Doug’s DBS battery-replacement surgery on March 27th, he started feeling better almost immediately. However, as we all know how unpredictable the brain can be, his mood has dropped significantly since then. We’ve seen this before, and as disheartening as it is right now, I truly believe it will turn around again and we can continue with his remission and recovery.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Ed
Co-founder/Co-host
Unhinged Podcast

Unhinged Episode #035: Tabula Rasa

by Ed 0 Comments
Unhinged Episode #035: Tabula Rasa

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, this is called confabulation. They explain this concept in detail in the 80’s film Shazaam, where Sinbad plays a genie. Remember that movie?

Since it’s a new year, we all tend to make our yearly New Year’s Resolutions. Are these resolutions destined to fail? It depends on how you think of them. We talk about setting life goals and how the new year is a great blank slate, or “tabula rasa”, to begin a conscious change in behavior that can help one achieve his goals.

Finally, we get into Doug’s current and very positive mental state. His DBS continues to work its magic, coupled with weekly social interactions as a peer support worker at the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario. Not only is he getting out and interacting with people, but he’s actually helping other sufferers. His 47 years of life experience living with this disease has essentially created an expert in peer support. Go Doug!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:41 — 120.6MB)

Show resources:

Doug’s 2nd Consultation with Dr. Roger S. McIntyre

by Doug 0 Comments

Dr. Roger S. McIntyre

Monday June 6th, 2016 -Met with Dr. McIntyre today for my 2nd consult with him. Now that the DBS is working to some degree, will Dr. McIntyre have some insight into whether or not supplementation on the biochemical side will possibly help the DBS in it’s work? And what does his latest research suggest, given my mood, fluctuation patters, and from a full-scale picture, in the way of medications that are NOT typically used for TRD.

 *More in tomorrow’s post; and you won’t believe what he said…

Dr. Roger S. McIntyre MD, FRCPC
Head, Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit (UHN)

Dr. Roger McIntyre is currently a Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Toronto and the Head of the Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit at the University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.

He was named by Thomson Reuters in 2014 as one of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds”. This distinction is bestowed upon researchers who publish the most highly cited articles in a variety of scientific fields during the previous decade.

He is also extensively involved in medical education.  He is a highly sought-after speaker at both national and international meetings. He has received several teaching awards from the University of Toronto’s Department of Psychiatry and has been selected for the joint Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA)/Council of Psychiatric Continuing Education Award for the Most Outstanding Continuing Education Activity in Psychiatry in Canada.

Dr. McIntyre is the co-chair of the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Task Force on the Treatment of Comorbidity in Adults with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder and as well a contributor to the CANMAT guidelines for the treatment of Depressive Disorders and Bipolar Disorders. He has published hundreds of peer-reviewed articles and has edited and/or co-edited several textbooks on mood disorders.

He completed his medical degree at Dalhousie University and completed his Psychiatry residency training and Fellowship in Psychiatric Pharmacology at the University of Toronto.

Research Interests

Dr. McIntyre is involved in multiple research endeavours which aim to characterize the association between mood disorders, especially cognitive function and medical comorbidity.  Broadly, his work aims to characterize the underlying causes of cognitive impairment in individuals with mood disorders and their impact on workplace functioning. This body of work has provided a platform for identifying novel molecular targets to treat and prevent mood disorders and accompanying cognitive impairment.

Links:

Dr.McIntyre’s UHN Profile

Dr.McIntyre’s Research Publications

Dr. Roger McIntyre: Mood Disorders and Metabolic-Inflammatory Comorbidity -YouTube Video

TW-KrembilNeuro

Toronto Western Hospital (UHN)