Unhinged

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)

Journey Unhinged Featured on Home Recording Podcast

by Ed 0 Comments

journey-unhinged-cover

As some of you may know, I wrote and recorded a song called “Journey Unhinged” about Doug’s struggles. This was something that poured out of me after doing our podcast and learning more about mental illness and Doug’s history. Recently, I shared this song to a home recording community I belong to on Facebook called Home Recording Studio Folks. Michael P. O’Mara, the owner of this group, puts together a podcast featuring music recorded by group members every Friday.

I submitted “Journey Unhinged” for his podcast, and last Friday, December 9th, it was one of the featured songs on the show. Please have a listen to the Home Recording Studio Folks Podcast #20 to hear all the great music being recorded by so many talented musicians. It’s a great podcast if you like real music made by real people, and I suggest subscribing to it if you like great music. Michael does a great job editing and putting together these shows, and I really appreciate having my song featured amongst other great recordings. Thanks Michael!

Unhinged Episode #004: Area 25, DBS Detractors & Mindfulness

by Ed 0 Comments
Unhinged Episode #004: Area 25, DBS Detractors & Mindfulness

In this episode of Unhinged, we talk about the area of the brain called Area 25 and how it relates to mental health.We also find out why there are some psychologists who think that Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is dangerous and prefer non-surgical, and even non-medicinal forms of therapy, including meditation, empathy, love, and mindfulness. The idea that the companies that make the neurotransmitter devices used in DBS are pushing the treatment for financial gain is also discussed.

Doug also gets into more detail about his DBS procedure, how it works, and what effects he has felt to date.  He talks about how brain surgery, though considered a drastic measure by most people, did not even phase him due to his desperation in his search for a cure.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:12 — 64.9MB)

Show resources:

Unhinged now available on Google Play Music

by Ed 0 Comments

google-play-music-logo
Google has finally released podcast support for Google Play Music this past Monday. Now, if you use Google Play Music as your music streaming service, you will also be able to subscribe and listen to podcasts as well.

Unhinged is proud to announce that we are indeed listed in Google Play Music. So if you’re a Google user, check us out here!

What Unhinged Means to Me

by Ed 0 Comments

Howdy, folks. This is Ed, co-founder and technical producer of the Unhinged Podcast. I’m what some call the “normal” half of the Unhinged team, meaning I do not suffer from any mental health issues myself. However, being friends with Doug has given me quite a bit of experience dealing with mental illness and the effect it has on everyone that comes near it.

Many people may ask why I would get involved in such a serious topic when I could have easily started a site on something like guitar, photography, usability, or any of the other geeky interests I have. The answer is both simple and complex at the same time. Let me explain…

Unhinged Episode #003: Deep Brain Stimulation, Cody Glode

by Ed 0 Comments
Unhinged Episode #003: Deep Brain Stimulation, Cody Glode

Episode #3 gets into some details of Doug’s most radical depression treatment: brain surgery. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure involving the implantation of a device that sends electrical impulses, through implanted electrodes, to specific parts of the brain. It’s used to treat Parkinson’s, dystonia, and chronic pain, but has also proven effective in helping with Treatment Resistant Depression.

We also cover the unfortunate suicide of up and coming MMA fighter Cody Glode. A lack of immediate psychiatric help in Nova Scotia, and not being able to schedule a timely appointment with his doctor, partially contributed to his untimely death. Is there a healthcare crisis in Canada?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:51 — 57.5MB)

Show resources:

Unhinged Episode #002: Delving Deeper, Trump, and More

by Ed 0 Comments
Unhinged Episode #002: Delving Deeper, Trump, and More

In our second episode of Unhinged, we touch on why some people with severe depression make good comedians. In fact, the need for approval or validation for some can push them to the arts. In our news segment, we delve into the question asked by Psychology Today: does Donald Trump have Narcissistic Personality Disorder? We break down the criteria for this diagnosis, and whether Trump fits the profile.

We also find out more specifics about Doug’s specific case of treatment resistant depression. You’ll hear just some of the treatments his doctor’s have tried, including electro-convulsive “shock” therapy, nearly every mood medication, and we’ll touch on a more radical surgical approach called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:00 — 50.8MB)

Unhinged Episode #001: Introduction

by Ed 3 Comments
Unhinged Episode #001: Introduction

Welcome to Unhinged! This is our very first podcast, where we discuss who we are and what we will be talking about in this series. We introduce Doug, who has been suffering from treatment resistant depression for most of his life, and me (Ed), an old college buddy who leads what most would consider a “normal” life. In this episode, we touch on early childhood triggers and phobias and the differences between how I handled things versus Doug, and how our two roads diverged over the years.

Nature vs. Nurture is another topic discussed, as much of Doug’s issues were found to be neurological, yet the stigma of mental illness kept many people at a distance.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:54 — 45.2MB)

 

Welcome to the Unhinged Podcast

by Doug 0 Comments

The Unhinged Podcast is an in-depth look at a 30 year friendship, one that started in an instant, and so incredibly meaningful and magnetic. More importantly though, is that one has spent a lifetime afflicted with Treatment-Resistant Depression all along, while the other has had to watch, helplessly, year after year, as his best friend battled this dreadful disease.

Doug (left) and Ed, Syracuse, NY, 1989

Doug (left) and Ed, Syracuse, NY, 1989

More often than not, this disease kills friendships, as well as causes major family conflict, mainly because this is a disease people most often cannot see, and simply are not capable of dealing with it’s many challenging issues.