Unhinged Episode #054: Open Your Presence

Unhinged Episode #054: Open Your Presence

Author: Doug: Depression Survivor, Ed: Supporter January 9, 2018 Duration: 29:05

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 this episode was recorded on January 2nd, which happened to be my birthday. Doug contacted me and said he had some things to say that should be recorded for the show, so I went ahead and recorded our conversation. For Christmas, I got Doug a Fender Squier guitar and a Fender amp. His acoustic guitar, though a beautiful instrument, was not totally filling his void for musical expression, and his last electric guitar had to be sold last year for financial reasons (plus it ended up not being the guitar he thought it would be anyway). In any case, getting a Fender back in his hands was enough to trigger a positive psychological change.

We mostly talk about music and guitars in this episode, but the underlying tone is one of hope. Doug talks about self-care and how to try to stay positive by surrounding yourself with a strong support system.


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 #060: More With Murray [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:00
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 seriou…
Unhinged Episode #059: Stress – The Simple Facts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:22
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 Mu…
Unhinged Episode #058: Chillax [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:47
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…
Unhinged Episode #057: New Show Schedule [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:12
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 qua…
Unhinged Episode #056: Spectrum With Attitude [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:34
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 wh…
Unhinged Episode #055: Perspective [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:16
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 th…
Unhinged Addendum to #053: Meeting Your Monster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 ha…
Unhinged Episode #053: Hey Brother [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:26
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…
Rerun: Holiday Episode 2016 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:10
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,…
Unhinged Episode #052: Undun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:31
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…