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 #031: Peer Through The Darkness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:54
The importance of a solid support network is typically underrated, but is tantamount to the well-being of someone with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issue. Family and friends that see through the stigma…
Unhinged Episode #030: Autism Spectrum Disorder with Matt Moloney [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:59
In today’s episode, we welcome special guest Matt Moloney, an old co-worker and friend of Doug’s from years past. Matt talks to us about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger’s Syndrome. Matt’s son Nathan was diagn…
Unhinged Episode #029: Still Fighting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:31
We welcome Doug back in this episode, but he’s still fighting through severe depression and anxiety. Apparently, this time, he actually felt the trigger of his downturn. It occurred after a comment from someone he looks…
Unhinged Episode #028: Eyes are Green [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:51
If you listened to our last show, you know Doug has been feeling much better since the DBS adjustment was made maybe 1 month and a half ago or so. He was feeling confident and was looking forward to starting down the pat…
Unhinged Episode #027: Electric Avenue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:17
In this episode, we catch up with Doug’s progress with his DBS. Still going strong, even after a stressful few days. The neurological corrections (based on MEG brain imaging) are still in place and seem to still be worki…
Unhinged Episode #026: Baby Steps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:25
Though Doug’s mood continues to improve from the new DBS setting, the end of the month financial struggle rears its ugly head again. In desperation, he started a crowdfunding campaign, only to suspend it early since we b…
Unhinged Episode #025: Carpe Diem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:24
In this episode we continue discussing Doug’s progress and how the MEG brain imaging has helped dial in his current DBS settings, which seem to be holding so far. Doug goes into a bit of detail about the differences betw…
Unhinged Episode #024: Happy Days [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:55
Doug’s new setting on his DBS seems to still be working its miracles. Since the MEG scan pointed to three settings that showed promising neural activity, Doug has been on the first setting, and so far so good! No more sh…
Unhinged Episode #023: Helplessly Hoping [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:31
We’re back! In this episode, Doug talks about the results of his MEG scan and how he’s feeling after weeks of unbearable anxiety. His scans show that there are three DBS settings that were showing activity, so at least n…
Unhinged Episode #022: Trepidations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:45
Doug is back! But only briefly to explain what he’s been going through and what it means for the future of our podcast. Don’t worry, we will continue in one form or another, but we must now consider Doug’s mental health…