Crazy Together

Marcus and Esme revisit the topic of civil or involuntary commitment. They admit to a faulty conclusion in a previous episode and share some extremely important updates that everyone who has received or is receiving treatment for mental illness needs to know.   Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com   Contact us: https://www.crazytogetherpod.com/contact   Sources for this episode include: Dr. Mar...

In this week's Hyperfocus Bonus, Marcus and Esme pitch ideas to spice up ADHD awareness month. Then, Marcus identifies a plot hole in the 1990-something thriller The Fugitive, and Esme demands an end to the pumpkin spice- and apple cinnamon-bombardment of peoples’ olfactory senses during the fall season.   Happy Hard, everyone!   Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com   Contact us: https://www.cr...

Marcus and Esme briefly argue about the framing of this week’s episode. Esme wants to build upon a previous discussion about the challenges of reintegrating into society after an extended period of isolation. Marcus wants to tell a story about Esme’s courage in the face of anxiety- and depression-induced isolation. Eventually, they come to an agreement that whoever uploads the episode gets to name...

In this week's Hyperfocus Bonus, Esme shares some exciting and unexpected news about the Philadelphia accent. Marcus takes us on a circuitous tour of his ADHD brain by describing how a recent recollection of a quasi-Danish baked good led him to a much more poignant reflection of his mom's impact on his life.   Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com Contact us: https://www.crazytogetherpod.com/con...

Living with ADHD means constantly adapting. Fortunately, there are a lot of coping strategies we can adopt to help us stay focused and centered amidst the constant swirl and change. In this episode, Marcus and Esme review a list of practical, research-backed coping strategies and discuss their experiences trying to use them in their own lives. From sensory regulation to executive function support,...

Sometimes you find magic in a calm and serene garden(ing show). Other times, you might find it in the trunk of a nun's car outside a supermarket. In this week's Hyperfocus Bonus, Esme raves about a gardening show that really helps lower her blood pressure. Sometimes all you need is soft  lighting, charming vistas, and English accents. Marcus, on the other hand, recounts strange tales of late-night...

Marcus opens up about the ongoing challenges of living with ADHD—including moments of inattention, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that still catch him off guard, even after years of treatment. Case in point: this episode. What was originally going to be an episode about ADHD coping strategies (ironically) took a sharp detour when Marcus ambitiously tried to pivot topics late in the produ...

Marcus and Esme have decided to do something a little different this week. In addition to releasing one full length episode, they decided to pull out a recurring segment—One Fun Thing—and give it its own spotlight as a bonus episode. If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that hyperfocus is a recurring theme on Crazy Together. These moments of joy and curiosity often spring from the very t...

What happens when ADHD goes undiagnosed or untreated into adulthood? In this episode, Marcus and Esme explore the stark — and often preventable — path from impulsivity and emotional dysregulation to life‑altering legal consequences. Drawing on real‑world cases, expert insights, and clinical research, they unpack how untreated ADHD can fuel risky decisions, missed obligations, and repeated run‑ins...

Marcus and Esme examine two recent ADHD studies: a Swedish study showing medication reduces risks like suicidal behavior, substance misuse, accidents, and criminality, and a Stanford analysis that explores why so many preschoolers are prescribed meds too quickly without recommended behavioral therapy. Marcus and Esme then discuss how both findings can be true: medication paired with therapy can be...

Marcus and Esme break down generic prescription drugs: what they are, how the FDA approves them, and why patients sometimes feel different effects when pharmacies switch manufacturers. Marcus shares his personal experience with generic prescription meds to explore manufacturing differences, inactive ingredients, the nocebo effect, and the limits of current testing. The episode also covers real-wor...

Marcus and Esme sit down with trauma therapist Sara Eldridge, LCSW, for a powerful conversation about what trauma really is—and how healing is possible. With warmth, clarity, and humor, Sara helps the hosts unpack the many ways trauma can shape our lives and how those patterns often stem from both personal experiences and systemic forces.   Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com   Contact us: htt...

This week on Crazy Together, Marcus and Esme take a sharp detour from their planned episode on generic drugs to confront something urgent and unsettling: the deployment of the National Guard to Washington, DC under the guise of a “crime crackdown.”   Marcus and Esme revisit the troubling language of Trump’s executive order and explore how vague definitions of “public safety” and “mental illness” a...

On this very special episode, Marcus and Esme tackle their most controversial topic to date – dogs! Why are dogs so controversial? Well, if a person says anything remotely negative about dogs, then you can darn well bet the dog lovers will come for that person. So, Marcus and Esme demonstrate great bravery as they attempt to answer the following questions: Why do people love dogs so much? What are...

On Thursday, July 24 President Trump signed the ENDING CRIME AND DISORDER ON AMERICA’S STREETS executive order to make it easier for local jurisdictions to remove homeless people from the street. However, the order goes beyond targeting homeless people, it could potentially be used to target anyone who has ever received treatment for a mental health issue or drug addiction.  As scary as this order...

Esme makes her glorious return to the recording studio to discuss how our environments and internal spaces (e.g., home, work, school, etc.) can impact neurodivergent people with sensory sensitivities. She and Marcus then share a few tips for making your home more comfortable for the neurodiverse in your lives, as well as considerations for advocating for accommodations in your workplace. ALSO: Mar...

PROVOCTIVE TITLE WARNING! Content might be more nuanced than the title suggests. Listener discretion is encouraged.   Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com   Support our show:  Buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/crazytogetherpod .    Sources for this episode include: Zeira, Anna. "Mental Health Challenges Related to Neoliberal Capitalism in the United States." Community Mental Health Journal, vol. 58,...

Marcus and Esme are on vacation this week, but they didn't want to leave you hanging. So they have compiled some of their favorite clips into one fun-filled episode. They will be back with a new episode next week. Enjoy!   Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com   Our theme music: Midnight—Declan DP [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch:     • Midnight — Declan DP | Fr...

Marcus and Esme continue their discussion about personality type assessments and explore the ways in which even more reliable tools like the Big Five or Five Factor assessment are being misused by employers and the developers of certain talent management platforms. They also close the book on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and share some pretty shocking details about Isabel Briggs Myers’...

Marcus and Esme examine the super squishy pseudoscience behind personality type assessments such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).    Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com   Support our show:  Buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/crazytogetherpod .    Sources for this episode include: “The History of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.” The Myers-Briggs Company, https://eu.themyersbriggs.com/en/to...

Marcus and Esme pay tribute to the lives and works of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson–two of the most wildly creative, innovative, and influential singer/songwriters the world has ever known. While sharing their illuminating, entertaining, and occasionally heartbreaking stories, Marcus and Esme also confront the classic trope of the “Tortured Artist” to determine if there is a connection between creati...

And when Marcus and Esme say “everyone,” they mean everyone. It turns out that human beings might not be the rational creatures we like to think we are. According to neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, it seems our decision-making abilities are guided and greatly influenced by our emotions.   In this episode, Marcus and Esme discuss Damasio’s theories and how they might explain some of the philosophic...

Like a lot of people with ADHD, Marcus and Esme have trouble falling asleep and sometimes even staying asleep. They share some of the challenges they’ve experienced, as well as some of the early challenges they’ve observed with their daughter. They also discuss some of the strategies and resources for falling asleep the O’Kayviuses have tried over the years and how they’re helping their daughter d...

Marcus and Esme discuss the challenges caused by “unreliable narrators” – i.e., people and organizations who masquerade as reliable sources of information, but whose real purpose is to uncritically amplify content created by third parties with their own agendas. These unreliable narrators play a critical role in spreading misinformation, which has a tremendous impact on our mental health and well-...

Marcus and Esme fulfill a long-delayed promise by completing the Love and trilogy, and it only took them 23 episodes! Go back and listen to Love and ADHD (episode 2) and Love and Depression (episode 3) if you want to experience the full scope of their non-neurotypical love story. We promise it’s a better trilogy than the Godfather (but that’s mostly because Godfather part III was terrible).   Supp...