Unhinged Addendum to #053: Meeting Your Monster

Unhinged Addendum to #053: Meeting Your Monster

Author: Doug: Depression Survivor, Ed: Supporter December 26, 2017 Duration: 20:42

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 sounds like when his mood is very low, and meeting his monster directly led to a breakthrough.

In this addendum to that episode, we wanted to end the year with a positive note about what we have learned about psychology, neurology, and how each plays a part in your mental well-being. Everything Doug said in episode #53 was coming from a place of cognitive distortion. This is the monster that blocks out the reasoning parts of the brain and is a relentless beast of negativity.

Confronting that monster from a different, more positive perspective made Doug realize how closed-minded and stubborn that beast can be. Seeing how his mood improved so quickly after social interactions also brings to light how looking outside of yourself in trying times can help bring back positivity and hope.

This is a short 20 minute discussion that tries to make sense of all this, and, more importantly, gives us much renewed hope for a more positive and happy 2018!


In a world where conversations about mental well-being can feel either overly clinical or frustratingly vague, Unhinged: Discussing Mental Health offers a different space. Hosted by Doug, a depression survivor, and his supporter Ed, this podcast delves into the raw, complex, and often messy reality of living with and managing mental health challenges. Their dialogue moves beyond simple advice, exploring how mental health intersects with daily life, culture, fitness, and personal growth. Each episode feels like an honest conversation between friends, one who has navigated the depths and one who provides grounded perspective from the outside. Listeners will hear personal reflections, practical discussions about coping mechanisms, and explorations of how societal views on health and self-improvement shape our individual journeys. This isn't about providing easy answers; it's about building understanding and reducing isolation through shared stories and genuine talk. The unhinged podcast creates a relatable audio experience for anyone seeking a more authentic and human connection to topics often shrouded in stigma or silence.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 62

Unhinged: Discussing Mental Health
Podcast Episodes
Unhinged Episode #021: Fear [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:42
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 participa…
Unhinged Episode #020: Return to Pooh Corner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:19
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…
Unhinged Episode #019: A New Hope [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:02
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…
Unhinged Episode #018: Relapse Part 2 – The Call [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:30
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 o…
Unhinged Episode #017: Relapse Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:55
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 tr…
Unhinged Episode #016: Mission Remission [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:05
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 w…
Unhinged Episode #015: Brothers in Arms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:04
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 gi…
Unhinged Episode #014: Texting Truths and Brain Facts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:35
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 su…
Unhinged Episode #013: Letters From the Loony Bin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:40
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 dar…
Unhinged Episode #012: Psychopharmacology and Pharmacogenetics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:25
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 t…