Giving Voice to Depression

How many times have you heard: "Reach out if you are struggling." But it's not as easy or clear as it sounds. How? What if you don't even know what you want or need? What if your depression has convinced you no one cares, that you don't deserve help, or that you are a bother to people? It can all sound straight forward and obvious from the outside, or from wellness. But in dark times, or hours of...

How many times have you heard: "Reach out if you are struggling." But how? What should you say? When should you say it and to whom? It can all sound straight forward and obvious from the outside, or from wellness. But in dark times, or hours of crisis, nothing is clear. And with depression convincing you noone cares about or would want to help you, it's even more complicated. An articulate, caring...

How many times have you heard: "Reach out if you are struggling." But how? What should you say? When should you say it and to whom? It can all sound straight forward and obvious from the outside, or from wellness. But in dark times, or hours of crisis, nothing is clear. And with depression convincing you noone cares about or would want to help you, it's even more complicated. An articulate, caring...

You hate your emails, Don't want to look at your computer. You get more frustrated seeing your schedule each day or week. You're exhausted and maybe angry at the day's end. Are you depressed? Or burned out? This 20-minute episode explores the differences between the two. Our guest is psychiatrist Dr. Jessi Gold. Links to articles referenced in episode: https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2021/03/04/p...

You hate my emails, Don't want to look at my computer. You start to get more frustrated about seeing my schedule each day or week. Your exhausted and maybe angry at the day's end. Are you depressed? Or burned out? This 20-minute episode explores the differences between the two. Our guest is psychiatrist Dr. Jessi Gold. Links to articles referenced in episode: https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2021/...

So many factors can contribute to and affect our mental health. Family trauma and race are certainly among them. Family norms including the belief that "what happens in the home, stays in the home" impact how mental-health challenges are recognized, diagnosed and treated. A lack of access to quality care does too. This episode looks at the intersectionality of family trauma, race and mental health...

So many factors can contribute to and affect our mental health. Family trauma and race are certainly among them. Family norms including the belief that "what happens in the home, stays in the home" impact how mental-health challenges are recognized, diagnosed and treated. A lack of access to quality care does too. This episode looks at the intersectionality of family trauma, race and mental health...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and two messages you'll hear a lot are: "Reach out if you need support" and "If someone seems 'off,' be willing to listen to and support them." Both can sound deeply uncomfortable, if not impossible. This episode might help. It proves you don't have to be an expert to help someone who is struggling, and that "reaching out" can be less scary and energy-draining...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and two messages you'll hear a lot are: "Reach out if you need support" and "If someone seems 'off,' be willing to listen to and support them." Both can sound deeply uncomfortable, if not impossible. This episode might help. It proves you don't have to be an expert to help someone who is struggling, and that "reaching out" can be less scary and energy-draining...

The decision to explore antidepressants can be a daunting one. Is taking meds an admission that something is really wrong with you? Will drugs change your personality? What are the common side effects? If people know I'm taking them, will they see me differently? What should I expect if I make an appointment with a psychiatrist? These are some of the questions we explore this episode, with psychia...

The decision to explore antidepressants can be a daunting one. Is taking meds an admission that something is really wrong with you? Will drugs change your personality? What are the common side effects? If people know I'm taking them, will they see me differently? What should I expect if I make an appointment with a psychiatrist? These are some of the questions we explore this episode, with psychia...

When people talk about the well-established link between trauma and depression and other mental-health challenges, they tend to think of traumatic events experienced directly by the people themselves. But Generational trauma (also known as intergenerational trauma) can impact the children, grandchildren and other descendants of the directly-impacted individuals as well. Beliefs, fears, attitudes t...

When people talk about the well-established link between trauma and depression and other mental-health challenges, they tend to think of traumatic events experienced directly by the people themselves. But Generational trauma (also known as intergenerational trauma) can impact the children, grandchildren and other descendants of the directly-impacted individuals as well. Beliefs, fears, attitudes t...

As parents, we have a responsibility to prepare our children for life. And there's a strong possibility that future will include mental-health struggles. Speaking openly about mental illness reduces fear, misinformation and stigma. In today's episode, TJ talks about a recent conversation he had with his 9-year-old son. Now is the perfect time to start.

As parents, we have a responsibility to prepare our children for life. And there's a strong possibility that future will include mental-health struggles. Speaking openly about mental illness reduces fear, misinformation and stigma. In today's episode, TJ talks about a recent conversation he had with his 9-year-old son. Now is the perfect time to start.

Depression can make us want to give up. Trauma can add anger, shame, guilt and other strong emotions to the mix. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to healing and recovery. And the fact something(s) doesn't work is very different than believing nothing ever will. Renee's inspiring story is about never giving up on yourself or your recovery. When meds didn't work for her, she tried something el...

Depression can make us want to give up. Trauma can add anger, shame, guilt and other strong emotions to the mix. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to healing and recovery. And the fact something(s) doesn't work is very different than believing nothing ever will. Renee's inspiring story is about never giving up on yourself or your recovery. When meds didn't work for her, she tried something el...

If you wrote a song, in the depths of depression, about your depression, what would it sound like? Singer/songwriter Demetra Prochaska shares her song (i'm not okay) and some of the details of her mental-health struggles and journey. This 24-minute episode offers many mental-health tools for your self-care kit. Demetra's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCijatOUHQY9g-hjS4_mBzqQ

If you wrote a song, in the depths of depression, about your depression, what would it sound like? Singer/songwriter Demetra Prochaska shares her song (i'm not okay) and some of the details of her mental-health struggles and journey. This 24-minute episode offers many mental-health tools for your self-care kit. Demetra's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCijatOUHQY9g-hjS4_mBzqQ

People with heart problems do not wait for a heart attack to address them. People with diabetes do not rely solely on an epipen to control their illness. And people with mental health challenges cannot wait until suicidal thoughts necessitate emergency actions. Self-care and depression-management involve tuning in with your changing thoughts/moods, establishing and using a safety plan and personal...

People with heart problems do not wait for a heart attack to address them. People with diabetes do not rely solely on an epipen to control their illness. And people with mental health challenges cannot wait until suicidal thoughts necessitate emergency actions. Self-care and depression-management involve tuning in with your changing thoughts/moods, establishing and using a safety plan and personal...

Suicide prevention hotlines are available 24/7, ensuring there is always somewhere and someone you can turn to when in crisis. That does not mean there is no one in your life who would help, though it may mean depression has convinced you that's the case. Corinne Purtill credits the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK) with saving her life, and she's speaking up so that we'll know t...

Suicide prevention hotlines are available 24/7, ensuring there is always somewhere and someone you can turn to when in crisis. That does not mean there is no one in your life who would help, though it may mean depression has convinced you that's the case. Corinne Purtill credits the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK) with saving her life, and she's speaking up so that we'll know t...

The thoughts we have and the words we chose not only define depression, but predict it. In this episode, we speak with a researcher who anaylyzes online mental health forums and other writing samples. Using computers to analyze the words, he finds a direct connection between "absolutist" words and depression, anxiety and suicide. It's good to know the words so we can recognize them in ourselves an...

The thoughts we have and the words we chose not only define depression, but predict it. In this episode, we speak with a researcher who anaylyzes online mental health forums and other writing samples. Using computers to analyze the words, he finds a direct connection between "absolutist" words and depression, anxiety and suicide. It's good to know the words so we can recognize them in ourselves an...