Tag: medication

Posted on

#30 Just Talk About It – Managing Anxiety and Depression

managing anxiety and depression silent superheroes mental health podcast

David is a former radio personality from Malta who is managing anxiety and depression. As an infant, David’s mother took him from Malta to Australia to start a new life. Unfortunately alcoholism and abuse followed them. After a difficult childhood David returned to Malta, the place of his birth, at 19 looking to start a new life. As he built a career and a family, the wounds of childhood continued to fester leading him to finally confront anxiety and depression.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:24 — 30.0MB)

In this episode of Silent Superheroes, David shares his life story and speaks about the impact of trauma on children. He gives a personal example of wearing “the mask” all Silent Superheroes wear when working while ill. Finally, David will share his recipe for managing anxiety and depression with simple tools he’s found that help.

Links

About Depression

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. This disorder is also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression. Depression affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. Because of those problems, you may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.

More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn’t a weakness and you can’t simply “snap out of”. Depression may require long-term treatment but don’t get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychotherapy or both. People fare best when they commit to working with depression.

Getting Support

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.

Posted on

#20 Finding Perspective, Bipolar and Alcoholism at Work

bipolar and alcoholism mental health podcast

By day, Daniel is a sales manager at a credit card processing company and by night he’s a stand up comedian. Bipolar and alcoholism bring a unique perspective to Daniel’s work. As a stand up comedian, his life provides plenty of material, and his bipolar means he’s two comedians in one. As a sales manager, he’s able to stay calm and not be driven by the potential for success and failure. Because of his illnesses, Daniel has an honesty and an insight about him that cuts through the day-to-day business bullshit. As one of his colleagues, he makes work interesting and fun.

Listen To Episode 20

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:06 — 27.0MB)

Show Notes

In this episode of Silent Superheroes, we get to know Daniel a lot better.  He talks about comedy, and how bipolar means he’s two different comedians in one performer.  He shares the advice he got from a homeless woman in Central Park, that lead him to sobriety.  And finally, he reflects on the slightly nihilistic outlook on life, that helps him keep things in perspective.

Links

Here’s some places to find Daniel :

As a result of Daniel’s Instagram, I’ve just had a fit of laughter. That’s the genius of people with bipolar and alcoholism.

About Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. For example, mood swings include emotional highs called mania or hypomania, and lows called depression. On the other hand, Bipolar disorder used to be called manic depression.

When depressed bipolar patients may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest in most activities. Then, when a patients mood shifts to mania or the less extreme hypomania, patients may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.

Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. While most patients will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any.Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, patients manage mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling.

Getting Help

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.

Posted on

#19 Garbage And Gas To A Mental Health Advocate – ADHD

mental health advocate mental health podcast

Todd and his family identified his ADD fairly early in life. For a while, a regimen of medication helped him be a 4-point student. Then in 7th grade, a friend introduced him to marijuana. Todd decided he’d found a different way to manage ADD, quit his medications and started a rollercoaster that didn’t fully settle down until he found the power of community through Crossfit. Eventually, Todd was able to take his experience and be a mental health advocate for others.

Listen To Episode 19

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:04 — 26.3MB)

Show Notes

In this episode of Silent Superheroes, we’ll talk about whether we’d live our lives again without our mental illness. We’ll discuss how Microsoft has become more mental illness friendly under new CEO Satya Nadella. Because of the change in culture, Todd has been able to step up as a mental health advocate. Finally, Todd explains why he arrived to record this episode bearing a plant.

About ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.

Children with ADHD may also struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their symptoms and experience ADHD at work. But they can learn strategies to be successful.

While treatment won’t cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

Getting Support

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.

Posted on

#15 Stress, Drugs and Rigmarole, Epilepsy At Work With Kyle

epilepsy at work mental health podcast

Grand mal epileptic seizures are a serious business, often leaving someone on the floor convulsing. They’re scary for people around them and very dangerous for those who experience them. Kyle’s been living with them for nearly 20 years. Despite that length of time, it’s only recently he’s to come to terms with the fact that epilepsy at work is a condition you need to take seriously and manage carefully.

Listen To Episode 15

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:36 — 25.4MB)

Show Notes

Kyle’s resistance to managing epilepsy isn’t through a lack of knowledge. For example, his mother has it and his two sisters take medication as a precaution against it.  The resistance comes from something deeper, the resistance we all have to admitting that there’s some part of us that doesn’t work right. That’s something that we must eventually learn to accept to begin the healing process.

In this episode of Silent Superheroes, we hear about Kyle’s first grand mal seizure and what triggers them. In addition to his triggers, Kyle shares what it’s like to experience a seizure, and how long it takes him to recover.  And he also reflects on different places he’s worked and how some have been better and many have been worse for managing epilepsy at work.

Links

About Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which abnormal brain activity can cause a variety of symptoms, for example seizures, unusual sensations, or sometimes loss of awareness. Anyone can develop epilepsy and it affects men and woman of all races, ethnic backgrounds and ages.

Seizure symptoms can vary widely. Some people with epilepsy simply stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure, while others repeatedly twitch their arms or legs. Most people with epilepsy can be treated with medication or surgery. Some people with with epilepsy require lifelong treatment to control seizures. For others, the seizures eventually go away.

Getting Support

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.

Posted on

#13 When A Good Night’s Sleep Isn’t Enough – Narcolepsy At Work

narcolepsy at work mental health at work

As Shannon read the driving direction, she fell asleep again. This wasn’t the first time, in fact, she’d done it after every direction. Her inability to stay awake had become a problem, and she finally to finally see a doctor. The doctor informed her she has narcolepsy. It hadn’t just affected road trips with her boyfriend. She’d also been wrestling with narcolepsy at work.

Listen To Episode 13

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:28 — 26.1MB)

Show Notes

Narcolepsy is a rare neurological condition that disrupts sleep patterns. Disrupted sleep leads to sleep attacks, the sudden need to sleep during the day. It can also cause sleep hallucinations and sometimes cataplexy, which is sudden loss of muscle control.  These symptoms all make it challenging to manage narcolepsy at work.

In this episode of Silent Superheroes, we’ll learn what narcolepsy and how it’s different than feeling sleepy a lot.  Shannon explains how and why she got diagnosed, and the surprising preferred way she manages narcolepsy at work. Shannon will share her experiences working with narcolepsy and share a few simple things that a business can do to support a narcoleptic employee.

Links

  • Geniuslink, the company Shannon co-founded (business)
  • The Research Is Clear, Long Hours Backfire (article)
  • Xyrem Patent Dispute (article)

About Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder in which sufferers have overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. People with narcolepsy often find it difficult to stay awake for long periods of time, regardless of the circumstances. Narcolepsy can cause serious disruptions in your daily routine. Sometimes, narcolepsy can be accompanied by a sudden loss of muscle tone (cataplexy), which can be triggered by strong emotion, for example laughing.

Narcolepsy is a chronic condition for which there’s no cure. However, medications and lifestyle changes can help you manage the symptoms. Also, support from others — family, friends, employers, teachers — can help cope with narcolepsy.

Getting Support

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.

Posted on

#12 Purgatory in Paris – The Road To A Mental Health ERG

mental health ERG mental health podcast

Max was 20, in an unfamiliar neighborhood in Paris, thousands of miles from home, desperately unhappy and in tears. More than a decade later he was founding a mental health ERG. This is his story.

Listen To Episode 12

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:14 — 31.0MB)

Show Notes

Depression can take a grip on anyone, at any time. Imagine being a 20 year old student, doing an internship in a foreign country that involves calling hairdressers all day and asking them how much a haircut costs. In addition to a boring internship, your family, friends and new girlfriend are thousands of miles away, and your host family is mainly in it for the money. These are the circumstances that overwhelmed Max and lead him to wander the streets of Paris in his depression. Fortunately, Max is the son of a clinical psychologist and he recognized the signs of depression. On returning to the US, he sought care and began a program of treatment.

In this episode of Silent Superheroes, Max tells the story of his internship in Paris that lead him to seek treatment for depression and anxiety. Because he’s tried many medications, he’ll talk about some of the more serious side effects he’s experienced with them. He’ll also talk about some of the questionable therapists he’s worked with and we’ll discuss the complexity of mental health care under the US healthcare system. Max will share his plan for his Mental Health ERG (Employee Resource Group) at Limeaid.

CORRECTIONS : Max asked to correct two things he said in the recording. Klonopin is a Schedule IV drug, not Schedule I as he said in the recording. In addition to that correction, Gregory Peck was chairman of the American Cancer Society.

Note. If you organize a mental health ERG at your workplace I’d love to talk to you. Please reach out at [email protected].

Getting Support

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.

Posted on

#4 Feeling Sad Or Feeling Nothing – Depression & ADHD At Work

adhd at work mental health podcast

Jared is a Systems Engineer working in the technology sector. In this episode of Silent Superheroes, we learn that depression distorts Jared’s visual perception of the world and how ADHD is a problem of time management not attention. Jared’s long inventory of medication leads to a discussion of side effects and the complexity of self-monitoring. We discuss how Jared’s interrupt-driven job dictates his priorities and helps him manage ADHD at work, and how keeping busy distracts him from depression. But with systems engineering comes night shifts, and being disconnected from people let his darker thoughts and depression creep in.

Listen To Episode 4

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:53 — 32.4MB)

About ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.

Children with ADHD may also struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their symptoms and experience ADHD at work. But they can learn strategies to be successful.

While treatment won’t cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

Getting Help

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.

Posted on

#2 Heartbreak to Hope – Double Depression

double depression mental health podcast

Alok lives with double depression while having a career in Software Quality Assurance. Alok and I are old friends who met at the final table of a poker tournament. He was the first person to describe depression to me, and it wasn’t until later I realized he had described my experiences. Because Alok shared his experience, I knew where to go when I was diagnosed with bipolar depression. It’s his ability to articulate the depressive experience that makes him a great guest.

Listen To Episode 2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:59 — 38.1MB)

Show Notes

In this episode of Silent Superheroes, Alok talks about the middle school heartbreak that introduced him to depression. He shares his long journey with therapy and medication.  We discuss the mundane nature of suicidal ideation and the perceived difference between physical and mental health.  Alok successfully manages his mental health at work, As a result, he offers words of cautious hope to those just starting their journey with double depression.

In addition to his full time job, Alok co-hosts the Race Invaders podcast, an ongoing dialogue about race, politics, and the search for a universal response to oppression.

Links

  • The Race Invaders Podcast (podcast)
  • Robert Sopolsky depression lecture (video)
  • Beck Depression Inventory (resource)

About Double Depression

Double depression is a complication of dysthymic disorder, or dysthymia. Dysthymia is characterized by a chronic, depressed mood combined with one or two other symptoms of clinical depression (such as low energy or low self-esteem). This low, dark mood – that some call the “veil of sadness” – occurs nearly every day and can sometimes persist for many years

Over time, symptoms worsen for more than half of people with dysthymia leading to the onset of a full syndrome of major depression. Double depression is diagnosed when dysthymia and major depression occur together.

Getting Support

Remember, the people you hear on Silent Superheroes are sharing their opinions about mental health and mental illness. They are not giving advice. For that reason, please consult with your care provider before making a change to your treatment approach.

It’s important to take your mental health seriously. Consequently, if you need to speak to someone you can call 1-800-273-8255, or text crisistextline.org on 741741. Both provide 24×7 confidential counseling to people in the United States. Worldwide visit http://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Because you listened to the  podcast, you can help others find it by leaving us a review on iTunes. Or if you don’t use iTunes, leave a review on your favorite podcasting service.