Depresh Mode with John Moe

Joshua Roman on Long Covid, Cello, Charging Hard, and Brick Walls

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, joshua roman) — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:07:14 +0000

Covid hit everybody, either personally or as members of society, and our mental health was damaged. It was trauma and it largely hasn’t been processed. When Joshua Roman became the principal cellist at the prestigious Seattle Symphony at age 22, it wasn’t really a surprise. As he explains, he had been training since the age of 3, desperate to get better, intent on overtaking Yo-Yo Ma and Pablo Casals. He didn’t just run for fun, he targeted a sub-six minute mile. After Seattle, Joshua was a world traveling soloist with no fixed address and yet more striving. Then the pandemic hit and his covid became long covid, taking his energy and, often, his ability to even read a sentence much less sheet music. Joshua tells us about the life change that occurred as a result, his careful parceling out of his remaining energy, and the more focused and content he lives after the brick wall collision.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org.

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Featuring Proxy with Yowei Shaw: Is it time to break up the band?

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, yowei shaw) — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Today, I want to share an episode from a podcast I think you’ll enjoy called Proxy.

It’s hosted by Yowei Shaw, who you might know from the NPR show Invisibilia. After getting laid off in 2023, she found herself stuck with a question she couldn’t shake: why did she feel so ashamed… like it was her fault… even when she knew it wasn’t?

The question became the seed of her new show.

Proxy is built on a simple idea: no one is ever completely alone with their problem. Because somewhere out there is someone who’s lived something close enough to help you feel a little less stuck.

In today’s episode, Yowei talks with a pair of bandmates and best friends… who can’t figure out why they haven’t been able to finish their record for years. It’s a story about friendship, loyalty, and the quiet heartbreak of letting go of something that once held you together.

Follow Proxy here: https://www.proxypodcast.com/

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Annabelle Gurwitch: Author, Actor, Unexpectedly Still Alive

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, annabelle gurwitch) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Covid was already rough for the very funny and personable Annabelle Gurwitch, as it was for everyone, and that was before her car broke down on an LA freeway just as she was getting a call with a terminal cancer diagnosis. Stage four. Annabelle has dealt with anxiety and depression for a long time and the cancer news certainly didn’t help, especially as Annabelle found strong connections between mental and physical health, culminating, perhaps, in Annabelle crab-walking down the sidewalk. It’s all detailed in her new memoir, The End of My Life Is Killing Me: The Unexpected Joys of a Cancer Slacker, in which she tells of going on medications that have worked for years, but which she knows will eventually stop working. And eventually, as with us all, she will die. For now, she’s alive and here to talk, enlighten, and share more than a few laughs.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Taking Small Steps That Form Great Strides with Eric Zimmer

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, eric zimmer) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

At age 24, Eric Zimmer was in rough shape. He was addicted to heroin, weighed maybe a hundred pounds, and was facing the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence. So he gave rehab another try and he had some success and started getting his life back together, diving into just about any book or teaching he could find that could help him get healthy and stay healthy. This led to conversations, the podcast The One You Feed, a career as a personal coach, and his new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot. Eric explains his philosophy of taking small actions toward better mental and physical health, concentrating on what can be achieved and repeated, and choosing actions that gradually move you toward where and who you want to be. He offers advice on how to determine those actions and how to stick with them. It’s not a long jump, it’s a series of small, manageable, and repeatable steps.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Bonus Episode from In This Family: Ka Vang on War in Southeast Asia, ICE in Minnesota, and Mental Health Echoes

shows@maximumfun.org (ka vang) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:15:00 +0000

We are proud to present a very special episode of In This Family as a bonus for Depresh Mode with John Moe listeners. In This Family is produced by John Moe in conjunction with Nexus Family Healing and it’s about the connection between family and mental health. It’s a fascinating and moving look at the Hmong culture, their relocation to the United States, and the generational trauma that has been activated by recent events involving ICE. It’s a story you haven’t heard told by a member of community you might not have heard much about.

Newspaper columnist and community business leader Ka Vang was born on a CIA base in Thailand 50 years ago. She remembers eating from the garbage when there was no food to be had, witnessing rape and murder, and fleeing with her family to the United States after the Vietnam War and the Secret War. Ka is Hmong-American, part of a large community of people who aided the American effort and were relocated, largely to Minnesota. The trauma of the war and displacement had severe mental health effects on Ka’s family, including depression, anxiety, and hyper-vigilance. Today, the Twin Cities region is seeing tremendous upheaval due to the ICE surge, which has seen thousands of people arrested, sent to detention facilities, and deported, even people who have a legal right to be in the United States. Ka says Hmong people who lived through the war in Asia are terrified and having flashbacks. Their children, having had trauma handed down, are rehearsing best practices for staying safe. And as for Ka, she doesn’t feel like an American amid the ICE presence and feels more a matter of when rather than if she’ll get taken.

Bubbles of Love: Your Burnout Treatment, with Emily Nagoski

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, emily nagoski) — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

When Emily’s twin, Amelia, ended up in the hospital twice, she knew that stress wasn’t something to be dismissed as “all in your head”. First of all, the head is connected to the body (by the neck), so stress is a physical issue that you can feel and be hurt by in all sorts of ways. Too much stress, at work, at home, in life, and you can run up against a real burnout situation. And it can wreak havoc on you mental health and physical health. The Nagoski twins are the authors of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle and Emily joins us to talk about how our stress response instincts aren’t that different than a zebra’s when faced with a lion. The difference? A zebra knows how to complete a stress cycle and return to normal, whereas we’re likely to hold on to work worries, relationship concerns, or other stresses around the clock, pursued by the lion constantly. Emily has advice on how to complete those cycles, get to a better place, and fight burnout. A big part of that is what she calls “bubbles of love”. Not a sex thing.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Group Therapy Royalty and First-Time Movie Star Elliot Zeisel From GROUP

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, dr. eliott zeisel) — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

The patients in the therapy sessions in the new film GROUP: The Schopenhauer Effect are actors, but it’s not a scripted film. The actors were given characters and circumstances and then they improvised dialogue with each other and with the group leader, who is also acting. Kind of. Dr. Elliott Zeisel is one of the most important figures in group therapy in America since the 1970s. With all that knowledge and experience powering him along, he also improvised his dialogue, based on what he was being said. The result is a remarkably honest and moving portrayal of group therapy. We talk with Dr. Zeisel about the film and about how group therapy works, what to expect, who’s a good candidate for it, and which myths need to be dispelled.

Trailer: GROUP: The Schopenhauer Effect

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Jonathan Edward Durham Was In Horrible Mental Shape But Didn’t Realize It

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, jonathan edward durham) — Mon, 2 Mar 2026 10:00:03 +0000

Although he has a huge following on social media now, Jonathan Edward Durham’s life as a writer used to be a lot more low tech. It involved locking himself in a room in Los Angeles, pounding away on screenplays that almost no one ever read, sucking back smokes and liquor, barely sleeping, and finding himself to actually be pretty miserable. He did manage to write and self-publish a novel, Winterset Hollow, that found an audience, which led to getting online to promote it. He started to write more online, finding an audience, effectively keeping a journal to understand himself and the challenges he was facing in his life and in his mental health. Jonathan left Los Angeles, met a guy and got married, and came to a much better understanding of problems he had been dealing with his whole life. The second edition of Winterset Hollow comes out this fall and Jonathan is at work on a new book now.

We also hear from John Moe about getting mad, starting MADD, and how to interview the anger that you’re feeling to see what injustice it’s alerting you to.

Of note, we kept seeing Jonathan’s short writing come up in our Preshies group on Facebook so much that we eventually had to book the guy. Thanks, Preshies, you are all now associate producers.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Huge Scientific Breakthroughs Are Changing How You’ll Think About Eating Disorders

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, alexandra paul, cynthia bulik) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:33:17 +0000

You might remember Alexandra Paul as one of the stars of Baywatch or the Tom Hanks-Dan Aykroyd Dragnet film. You may not have realized that as a child and on to her long trip through the worlds of modeling and Hollywood, she was bingeing and purging and dealing with severe eating disorders. She tells us about her relationship with sugar and what food meant emotionally. Then we’re joined by Dr. Cynthia Bulik, one of the top experts on eating disorders in the world today, to talk about remarkable progress in understanding the genetic components of eating disorders. Rather than blame family (especially mothers), peer pressure, or fashion culture, Dr. Bulik says some people are much more prone to developing eating disorders due to the genes they happened to get. You can be part of her research by visiting EDGI2.org.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Are Dating Apps a Mental Health Grenade? And, How Are Kids Doing in ICE-Era Minnesota?

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, liesel sharabi, sarah jerstad) — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Dating apps and websites are booming right now as people look for ways to leverage to find love or even just companionship. Liesel Sharabi of Arizona State University compiled a meta-analysis of a huge number of studies about the connection between online dating and mental health and the results? Kind of bad news. People who use the apps compulsively, swiping all day long, are much more likely to be depressed and anxious. But were they depressed because they used the apps or did the use the apps because they were depressed? We’ll get into that, plus the terrifying imminent AI dating revolution.

Then we talk to Dr. Sarah Jerstad, the Clinical Director of Psychological Services at Children’s Minnesota about what kids are going through amid the ICE presence, what the short and long term effects of this activity have been and will be, and how parents and other adults can best help them.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Niko Stratis on Dad Rock, Glasswork, Depression, Addiction, and Becoming Herself

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, niko stratis) — Mon, 9 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Niko Stratis knew a couple of things growing up in the Yukon in Canada: that she was, in truth, a woman, despite being regarded by the world as male, and that being trans or different in any way was absolutely not okay. It wasn’t just a matter of identity, it was a matter of safety too, as she worked with guys who vowed that if their child was gay or trans, they would kill that child. Niko discovered some other things, too: the trade of industrial glassworking, the numbing effects of the alcohol she became addicted to, and the redemptive power of music. Niko Stratis’s book, The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman, is a memoir and a playlist, tracing the inspiration of songs loosely tagged as dad rock as Niko battles setbacks and depression and suicidality, lives all over Canada, and finally makes the big, nothing-to-lose move of coming out as a trans. She tells her story and what was behind choosing a name that feels wonderful to say loud and openly.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

SPECIAL EPISODE: Mental Health and ICE in Minnesota

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, marcus schmit) — Fri, 6 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The ICE surge in Minnesota has meant a huge number of arrests, protests, confrontations, deportations, children and adults sent to detention facilities, and deaths. It’s also meant massive anxiety, fear, and trauma around the state. Marcus Schmit of NAMI Minnesota says this is being felt acutely among people already struggling with severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and severe anxiety and depression. His organization has received overwhelming demand for help that they are doing their best to meet and trying to help those in need avoid worst case scenarios such as suicide and loss of contact with caregivers. Marcus says it’s time for ICE to get out of the state. He and our Minnesota-based host, John Moe, talk about the urgency of the situation, how the community is becoming stronger in response, and how the trauma of what’s being done to Minnesota will remain long after the last black SUV drives away.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Show Less

Amanda Knox on Facing Her Prosecutor, Her Past, Her Trauma, and Her Future

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, amanda knox) — Mon, 2 Feb 2026 11:10:21 +0000

In 2007, Amanda Knox, an American studying abroad in Italy, was arrested, tried, and convicted of the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. After years in an Italian jail, she was ultimately freed, reconvicted, and finally exonerated in 2015. Since then, she has married, become a mother, and she has returned to Italy, even meeting with the prosector who concocted outrageous stories that led to her imprisonment. Their meeting is featured in Mouth of the Wolf: Amanda Knox Returns to Italy, a new documentary on Hulu. Amanda joins us to talk about her long series of traumas and who she has become as a result of them. She is joined by her husband and collaborator on the documentary, Christopher Robinson.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Intentionally Blunt and Very Useful Talk About Suicide with Clancy Martin

shows@maximumfun.org (clancy martin, john moe) — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Suicide is a problem. It’s perpetually a top cause of death around the world but society shames it, stigmatizes it, and is reluctant to discuss it even when talking about it would save lives. Well guess what, we’re talking about it. We’re offering insight, sympathy, and practical ideas to help yourself and others.

Clancy Martin first thought about suicide when he was two years old and he has attempted suicide many times over the years. “I’m extremely bad at it,” he says. Clancy is a philosophy professor, award-winning fiction writer, and author of the memoir How Not to Kill Yourself: A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind. Suicide prevention has become his cause, leading Clancy to work one-on-one with a variety of friends and fans who reach out to him, often in crisis. He’s here with hard information and real things you can do to stay with us and help others do the same.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Stephanie Foo on Complex PTSD, Finding Recovery, and This American Life

shows@maximumfun.org (stephanie foo, john moe) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:30:00 +0000

It was several years into her talk therapy sessions that Stephanie Foo was offered a diagnosis: complex post-traumatic stress disorder, or C-PTSD. Regular PTSD stems from a single traumatic event like a car crash or a mugging. C-PTSD comes from a long series of traumas from which there seems like no escape. Like child abuse. The problems Stephanie was having with her relationships and rage and all sorts of other issues stemmed, said the therapist, from the severe abuse she encountered during her childhood in San Jose. Stephanie tells us about the beatings, the neglect, and the threats she encountered, mostly at the hands of her mother and some from her dad. She also shares the long journey to understand that abuse and to recovery. It’s not something you get over, mind you. As Stephanie Foo says, your childhood is with you forever, but she’s found a better place and a better future.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

A.J. Daulerio on Bipolar, Substances, Depression, Suicide, and the Psychic Weight of Hulk Hogan

shows@maximumfun.org (aj daulerio, john moe) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

A.J. Daulerio exists as a caricature to a lot of people because he was the guy who published a clip from a Hulk Hogan sex tape on Gawker, got sued by Hogan, and he and Gawker lost to the tune of a $140 million payout. The enmity and shame of that was a lot to carry around, as was a lifelong battle with depression and bipolar disorder type II, as was a pretty profound problem with drug and alcohol abuse. But A.J. sobered up, got treatment, got therapy, and began to devote his energy to stories of hope and healing in his Small Bow podcast and newsletter. So now he’s fine and it’s a happy ending, right? Well, no, mental health is more complicated than that. A.J. shares with us a pretty terrifying story he hasn’t shared anywhere before about a brush with self-harm that occurred very recently. It’s a story that shows how a human being, especially one that deals with mental illness, may be on an overall mission to get healthier but it’s pretty complicated and, unlike the movies, it doesn’t follow a clean narrative arc. All you can do is try to be better and A.J.’s efforts, and this interview, may help with that.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Two Truths To Make 2026 a Better Mental Health Year

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe) — Mon, 5 Jan 2026 10:12:41 +0000

We live in complicated times and, for a whole lot of us, we do so with complicated minds. A billion people worldwide are living with some form of mental illness and 20% of the U.S. population has experienced a mental health crisis in the past year.

Circumstances in our shared world are surely contributing to the problem: climate change and natural disasters, affordability and employment problems domestically, and people living in fear of sudden arrest and deportation. Meanwhile, tremendous strides are being made in mental health treatment as science finds incredibly effective methods and moves toward making them available.

It’s easy to conclude that the world is terrible and we’re doomed. And it’s treacherous to believe that everything is going to be all sunshine and roses soon.

We ask you to hold two things in hand as you navigate the new year: the world is very challenging, likely contributing to mental health problems, AND there is more reason than ever to have hope of a better tomorrow. It’s not binary. It’s not either/or. It’s both.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Mike Doughty Was Recently Hospitalized for Depression Twice. It Helped.

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, mike doughty) — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

It was two years into a vicious cycle of depression and Mike Doughty was falling apart. He was taking more Ambien than he had been prescribed, importing huge boxes of the stuff from India, waking up to find packs of cigarettes, candy wrappers, and pizza boxes with no memory of leaving his Memphis home to make such purchases. He was convinced something was deeply wrong with his heart even though every doctor said there wasn’t. Finally, he checked into an in-patient facility that turned out to be wonderful and productive. Then he checked out. Then Mike, a recovering addict, started drinking heavily and smoking weed. Then he checked back in again. Mike Doughty is showing improvement now and talks about his treatment, his recovery, and touring again with his band Soul Coughing again 24 years after a bitter breakup.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Tom Johnson Advised LBJ, Ran CNN, and Drove Himself to Severe Depression

shows@maximumfun.org (tom johnson, john moe) — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The intriguing memoir Tom Johnson recently released is called Driven: A Life in Public Service from LBJ to CNN and it’s full of amazing anecdotes. Tom joined the White House in his early twenties, was the one to inform LBJ of Martin Luther King’s shooting, was a giant in newspapers and cable news, and loaned Gorbachev a pen that was used to sign the paperwork dissolving the USSR. Tom’s personal story is a little more vulnerable and fragile. He tells of experiencing a suicidal depression in a time when such things were never discussed, being of the opinion that depression was a sign of weakness, and getting it treated anyway at the behest of his wife. Tom also shares his regrets, now at age 84, about being so driven by his career and accomplishments that he gave his family far less of his time and attention than he should have. It’s a moving interview about someone who had a front row seat for history and is now examining what it all meant.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Anger: Let’s Talk About It, Learn About It, Not Fear It, Use It For Good

shows@maximumfun.org (ryan martin, john moe) — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:59:59 +0000

Anger can be a scary topic for a lot of people. It usually doesn’t feel good when you’re experiencing it and it can be associated with behaviors that are very frightening indeed. But Dr. Ryan Martin, who is one of the few academics specializing in anger and who has written two books about it, says anger is a normal and even beneficial emotion to experience. It’s your body’s way of indicating that some injustice has been done, either to you or someone else. And that’s good information to have. He says that if we can listen to anger for what it’s telling us about ourselves and our surroundings, without throwing punches, it can lead to a more balanced and thoughtful life and, in the end, a more peaceful life. He also shares why so-called rage rooms are not really good for your anger at all (it’s kind of like drinking in a bar to address your alcoholism) and how he’s taught his own kids to own their anger and process it.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Unemployment Hurts Mental Health, Horror Movies Might Help It. Really!

shows@maximumfun.org (christina caron, terri rivera, john moe) — Mon, 8 Dec 2025 14:59:41 +0000

It’s very easy to associate your job with your own sense of self. So it makes that it can be traumatic to be one of the scores of people being laid off in today’s turbulent economy. We are joined by the New York Times’ mental health reporter, Christina Caron, who has been looking at the effect of unemployment - especially long-term unemployment - on mental health. It can lead to more severe depression, anxiety, marital problems, and substance use. She also has some great tips on what you can do for your mental health if you’re in that situation.

Then we go to Burbank to talk with Terri Riviera who runs the Horror Community Foundation there. She organizes mental health support groups, led by a licensed therapist, that use horror movies to help people deal with depression, anxiety, and other mental problems. It sounds wild but the groups are very popular, well-attended, and backed up by science. Could it help you to watch The Shining in the company of friendly people and a therapist? Turns out, yes!

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Maureen Johnson Became Friends with Her Anxiety Monster

shows@maximumfun.org (maureen johnson, john moe) — Mon, 1 Dec 2025 10:05:13 +0000

Maureen Johnson loves mysteries. Loves reading classic detective fiction and loves writing mystery stories, which young readers have been gobbling up for years. Some of Maureen’s stories feature teenage sleuth Stevie Bell, who, besides having a knack for solving cold cases, deals with an anxiety disorder. It’s not all there is to Stevie, of course, but it’s definitely there and she has to manage it on an ongoing basis. Maureen tells us about Stevie and about her own recent anxiety mystery when she was suddenly whomped by a massive wave of anxiety that would not go away and severely affected her life for quite a while. Faced with that mystery, Maureen got to work gathering clues to figure it out, ultimately finding many effective techniques, including to fighting the anxiety monster (which she visualizes as Gossamer, the big red furry monster from Bugs Bunny cartoons) but welcoming it, getting to know it, and finding out what made it tick. She also got some lab work done, which pointed to a pronounced iron problem that was fixable.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

A Holiday Family Survival Mini-sode

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:56:58 +0000

Yes, the holidays are upon us. Getting together with family can be a wonderful, loving experience. It can also be a lot. There can be old grudges, chafing at family roles, the specter of politics might play in. We’re here to help. In This Family is a podcast produced by our host, John Moe, for Nexus Family Healing, a mental health nonprofit based in the Twin Cities. It’s all about the connections between family and mental health.

In this miniature episode, that show’s host, Dr. Michelle K. Murray goes over some good ways to manage your boundaries, take care of yourself, and have a good time. Dr. Murray is a licensed family and marriage therapist and CEO of Nexus Family Healing. Give this short episode a quick listen in the car on the way to see family and give In This Family a listen. You’ll find episodes with some Depresh Mode favorite guests like Maria Bamford and Gary Gulman and some new voices you’ll enjoy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Esmé Weijun Wang’s Mind Convinced Her She Was Dead and In the Afterlife

shows@maximumfun.org (esme weijun wang, john moe) — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Cotard’s delusion, also known as Cotard’s syndrome, is an extremely rare condition where the patient believes that they are actually dead. For the bestselling author Esmé Weijun Wang, Cotard’s came along after she had already been traveling a difficult road that involved schizoaffective disorder along with a host of other mental health issues. While experiencing Cotard’s, Esmé urgently told her husband that he was dead too and so was their dog. She believed, was certain, that the life she was experiencing was kind of a simulation where she had to prove herself worthy of a second chance and not an eternity in Hell. We also hear about the shocking way Yale handled Esmé’s mental health and about the trauma very early in childhood that she thinks led to the complex PTSD that fueled a lot of her mental health challenges.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Is Your Mental Health Diagnosis an Identity or Something More Meaningless?

shows@maximumfun.org (sarah fay, john moe) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:14:07 +0000

You may find the charges in this episode jarring: depression is not the result of a chemical imbalance, SSRIs aren’t necessarily antidepressants, and the term you use for your mental health condition isn’t scientifically valid. Sarah Fay, author of Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses says it’s dangerous to identify with your diagnosis because it’s kind of made up and it blocks your path to recovery.
A doctor told her she was “an anorexic” when Sarah was 12 years old, even though she didn’t meet many of the criteria for anorexia. Sarah embraced the identity, taking on the behaviors and habits of a person with that eating disorder. Later in life, she was diagnosed with five more disorders, each time embracing the tag, all while her mental health deteriorated. Finally, another doctor said he didn’t know what was the matter with her and that gave Sarah some peace and a chance to focus on feeling better. She saw her mental makeup as something not bound by the names of disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by mental health professionals. While she still takes meds and sees a therapist and a psychiatrist, Sarah has come to believe that everyone’s focus needs to be on recovery rather than focusing on the limitations borne of terms she says are way too subjective and that don’t stand up to scientific scrutiny.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Personal Side of Huge Cuts to Addiction, Suicide Prevention, and Mental Health Programs

shows@maximumfun.org (o rose broderick, john moe) — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:35:11 +0000

Over half the employees at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) who were there in January are now gone, include 12 of the 17 senior leaders. SAMHSA is in charge of distributing and administering mental health programs around the country and the cuts to both staffing and to the programs the agency serves have meant many programs addressing addiction and suicide prevention being severely hobbled or shutting down altogether. In turn, that means fewer people getting help and more people suffering. O. Rose Broderick, Disability and Healthcare Reporting Fellow at Stat, joins us to explain the cuts, why they may be happening, and the extremely fragile state of these programs in America today. Rose also share her own connection to mental health, the struggles her own family has endured, and why all mental health stories are, at their heart, personal matters.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Seasonal Affective Disorder and Why It Sucks So Bad

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, ken duckworth) — Mon, 3 Nov 2025 10:48:45 +0000

When we went looking for information on the condition known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, one of the first things we noticed was that some people aren’t even calling it that anymore. The website for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), for instance, uses the term “major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern”, which means an acronym of MDDWASP. Here at Depresh Mode, we’re perfectly fine referring to it as “mud wasp”. On this episode of the show, we talk with NAMI’s chief medical officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, about how it’s similar to and different from traditional depression and what one could do to deal with it. With Ken, we discuss the less common and less understood spring and summer variety of MDDWASP. We also hear from Joy and Christina from our Preshies group on Facebook about their experiences.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Is Whiteness a Mental Health Problem? Dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter Thinks So.

shows@maximumfun.org (dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter, john moe) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000

It’s a question we ask a lot on this show: do you have a mental health problem or is the problem actually rooted in the world you live in? Psychologist Dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter says contemporary society lives under three different assumptions: there’s not enough to go around, kill or be killed, and us versus them or divide and conquer and this results in people valuing individualism, competition, and materialism. This way of living, he says, is a result of white dominance or whiteness and it is a distortion of the way humans are meant to live and therefore leads to things like racism, sexism, homophobia, and the brutality of human beings to one another. Dr. Lassiter, author of How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories says whiteness is not a mental health disorder but it is a mental health problem that we all need to face. Dr. Lassiter tells his own story, growing up with a chronic illness, gay, and Black in the South and eventually earning his PhD. in psychology. As he came to understand psychology and the way the world works, he noticed the impact of society’s built-in obstacles on his own mental health journey and among the students and clients he has helped.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Is the U.S. Government Going To Take Away Your Antidepressants?

shows@maximumfun.org (molly olmstead, john moe) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, clearly does not like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), the most popular form of antidepressant on the market. They’re used by millions of Americans on a daily basis. He has tried to tie SSRIs to school shooters despite a lack of evidence to that effect. He has suggested that it’s harder to go off SSRIs than it is to quit heroin. It’s not. Molly Olmstead, a reporter for Slate who has been covering this story closely, says that this does not mean that the government is about to try to ban SSRIs and leave patients without the medicines that may be keeping them alive. But she explains that yes, we are in the midst of a very active anti-SSRI PR campaign by Kennedy and his supporters in the so-called Make America Healthy Again movement and that campaign could presage a much more aggressive set of actions.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

P.E. Moskowitz on Whether Your Mind is Broken or the World Is

shows@maximumfun.org (pe moskowitz, john moe) — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000

During the violent Charlottesville protests of 2017, journalist and author P.E. Moskowitz was only a few feet away when Heather Heyer was killed by an attacking motorist. 16 years earlier, P.E. was in middle school Spanish class a couple blocks from the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks. The trauma contributed to panic attacks and, finally, a mental breakdown. As they got their life back together, P.E. began to question a lot of conventional wisdom. Were they mentally ill to have such a breakdown or were they responding appropriately to enormous trauma in a difficult world? Are we looking at potential cures when we should be looking at coping or better yet coming up with ways to stop the horrors from ever taking place? They also questioned the role of drugs in mental health treatment. In the book Breaking Awake: A Reporter's Search for a New Life, and a New World, Through Drugs and in this intriguing interview, P.E. explains how they look at drugs - both the prescription and street varieties - as tools that can be used positively or negatively, to help or harm. And that patients are owed a lot more options than a shortcut to SSRIs or Adderall in their quest to feel better.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Kendall Toole Gets Knocked Down, Never Knocked Out

shows@maximumfun.org (kendall toole, john moe) — Mon, 6 Oct 2025 09:08:33 +0000

If you are one of the many subscribers to the Peloton exercise/media network, you may already be familiar with Kendall Toole. For many years, she was one of the stars of Peloton, exhorting users to push themselves harder, sweat more, and pursue their goals. In those cases, Kendall was positive, cheerful, always with a smile and kind words. But people are complicated and the truth is that Kendall has faced many mental health issues over the course of her life, including depression, anxiety, OCD, and suicidality. She’s in a better place now (she considers her conditions to be not cured but managed) but in an honest and moving interview, Kendall tells of her brush with suicidal ideation in college, her long stretch of depression that followed, and the words of her father that helped pull her toward a better place. You’re knocked down, he said, but never knocked out.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Bruce Springsteen as Over-The-Counter Depression Treatment

shows@maximumfun.org (anne abel, john moe) — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

At age 59, Anne Abel had never been to a concert. Ever. Music wasn’t part of her upbringing, although emotional abuse and belittlement from her parents absolutely were. Reluctantly agreeing to join her son and daughter-in-law to see Bruce Springsteen, Anne’s mind was absolutely blown by the energy and generosity of the musicians and the crowd. Bruce shined a light on a better possible world and allowed her to have fun for the first time in her life. Something awakened. Soon, Anne booked a solo trip to Australia, following Bruce to eight concerts. In her book chronicling the trip, High Hopes, Anne describes literally rubbing elbows with Bruce and the band, experiencing cathartic joy, and opening a path to a better, happier, more fun life. Her depression wasn’t cured, that’s not how it works, but her collaboration with Bruce has helped her a lot.

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Emma Swift Had a Complete Mental Breakdown. Found Health. Made Music About It.

shows@maximumfun.org (emma swift, john moe) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

While the acclaimed musician Emma Swift had experienced painful periods of depression in the past, fed by grief or the first Trump presidency, her psychotic break and mental breakdown in 2023 was new territory. She lost touch with reality, believing that her electronic devices had been hacked, that she was being followed, images of heaven and hell emerging. Emma actually had a sense that she was losing her mind and went to the hospital, reporting as much, but she was turned away because she wasn’t deemed sick enough. Finally, she flew back to her native Australia and went directly from the airport to a hospital where she remained for several weeks.

Looking back on it now, she sees some hormonal changes, a mugging in London, and the hard times of the covid pandemic - especially for a musician - being possible contributing factors. But says there’s no real way of knowing for sure why it happened for sure, which made it all the more frightening.

In the end, she got treatment, “came out the other side,” as she says, and was helped by a variety of treatments including hormonal therapy.
Emma Swift’s new album, The Resurrection Game, was largely written in response to this traumatic period. We talk to her about the breakdown and about the music that came out of it in a revealing conversation that is both honest and harrowing.

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Sycophantic Chatbots and Alarming Cases of “AI Psychosis”

shows@maximumfun.org (maggie harrison dupre, john moe) — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Are ChatGPT and other AI chatbots inducing psychosis? Or exacerbating it? Are people being hospitalized or even killed because the bots seem too human, too understanding, too lifelike? To be clear, the bots are not human. They are software. But they are so convincingly programmed to speak like people that users, especially ones who may already be having trouble discerning reality, begin to sense that the bot is alive and that the user somehow unlocked its sentience. Since the bots are also set up to be flattering, even sycophantic to the user, the connection is made even stronger. Maggie Hamilton Dupré, senior staff writer for Futurist, explains several recent cases where AI, lacking the judgment a human could provide, may have set off dangerous and even fatal outcomes.

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Alex Edelman on ADHD, Grief, Infiltrating White Nationalists, and The Paper

shows@maximumfun.org (alex edelman, john moe) — Mon, 8 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Alex Edelman loves going to concerts but admits that he usually goes solo. That’s because his ADHD leads Alex to show up pretty late to the show and he often spends part of it on the stairs writing something, occasionally darting into the main room for a song he likes. He can’t make it through most movies either. Alex stars in the new Peacock series The Paper, a sort of descendant of The Office. His one-man show, Just For Us, about his semi-anonymous visit to a Queens white nationalist meeting, was a Broadway hit and adapted into an HBO special, picking up a Tony and an Emmy. Alex talks about his work, his mind, the strength and fragility of his psyche, and the significance of Adam Brace, his show’s original director who passed away.

(As mentioned on the show)

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Better Home Design for Better Mental Health with Dr. Beverly Walpole

shows@maximumfun.org (bev walpole, john moe) — Mon, 1 Sep 2025 11:32:53 +0000

If you’re looking for a calm mind, do you love a room with little or nothing in it? Or do you need to be wall-to-ceiling with mementos and objects and stuff to give you a sense of peace? We take a look at how the layout of your living space may have an effect on your mental well being with Dr. Beverly Walpole. She’s a clinical psychologist and the founder of Haven | Wellness By Design, a consulting service based around the psychology of design. We talk about the idea of attachment to objects and whether getting rid of them through decluttering will give liberation and ease or terror and sadness. Then, John Moe brings an annual social media mental health reflection to the podcast and offers some insight on the importance of mental health awareness and how to fight back against the forces that can make you feel worse.

(As mentioned on the show)

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Denise Winkelman: Comedian/Trans Woman/Former Pro Wrestler/Chronic Pain Sufferer

shows@maximumfun.org (denise winkelman, john moe) — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

When she was growing up in conservative, evangelical rural Minnesota, she knew. When she was excelling at sports, giving and receiving body slams and folding chair hits as a pro wrestler, she knew. Even when she married a woman while still living as a man, Denise knew that she was female. Denise figured it was either suicide or take action to live her truth and fully transition. With her debut special, Bougie on a Budget, now streaming on Apple TV Plus and Amazon Prime, Denise opens up her gender journey and the joys and challenges she faced along the way. She reveals that her standup career took off when she acknowledged her transgender status on stage. Denise also discusses her life with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes not just constant body pain and migraines but also depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

(As mentioned on the show)

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Ashly Burch Delivers Mental Health Insight Using Puppets and Swear Words

shows@maximumfun.org (ashly burch, john moe) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

There are plenty of places online to get very serious information on mental health, delivered in tones that are somber, sober, or very dry. Ashly Burch goes a different route on her new YouTube show, I’m Happy You’re Here, employing loads of comedy, puppets, foul language, and mature subject matter to teach what’s going on in complex matters such as anxiety. Ashly is known for her work in the games Fortnite, Life is Strange, and The Last of Us Part II, as well as television series like Mythic Quest and Adventure Time. We talk with Ashly about her lifelong anxiety, her experiences with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and the importance of demystifying mental health conditions as a way of understanding them.

(As mentioned on the show)

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Author/Comedian Tiffany Jenkins on Anxiety, Addiction, Felonies, Success, and Not Wanting to Exist

shows@maximumfun.org (tiffany jenkins, john moe) — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:13:47 +0000

Because she racks up millions and millions of views for her viral comedy videos on social media, because she’s written two books including the new best-seller A Clean Mess: A Memoir of Sobriety After a Lifetime of Being Numb, because she’s famous and successful, Tiffany Jenkins and her family were invited to travel to California and visit Lego Land. They paid her to have a wonderful vacation. On the ground at Lego Land, the first thing Tiffany did was have a complete anxiety-related panic attack. That’s because Tiffany has an anxiety disorder. And mental health is tricky, doesn’t care about your success, and it sneaks up on you.

Tiffany is taking time off from producing and promoting her work to focus on her mental health, but she takes some time to talk with us. We discuss how her addiction emerged, how it led to stealing guns from her copy boyfriend and selling them for drugs, which landed her in jail, and how she built a community of stable support in her recovery. We also get into her childhood of fearing someone would die, her obsessive fear of her disease, and her recent pondering whether everyone would be better off without her around.

(As mentioned on the show)

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

We Have Two Guests This Week: Comedian Aaron Foster and His Depression

shows@maximumfun.org (aaron foster, john moe) — Mon, 4 Aug 2025 11:34:40 +0000

If you’ve dealt with depression, you know that it’s a disorder that speaks to you, firing off insults and terrible idea, often right in the middle of a conversation. Barges in to tear you down. We all must contend with this rude presence. Aaron Foster is a very funny comedian who is still fairly new to the full-time comedy life but, now in his fifties, he’s done a lot of living to inform his comic material. Much of his recent act is centered on a fairly recent diagnosis of major depressive disorder, a condition that he has likely lived with for a very long time. Aaron grew up with an abusive father with bipolar disorder and a brother with schizophrenia who eventually took his own life. Aaron hosted a show on HGTV, opened two restaurants, and made a living as a visual artist for many years. But all the while, comedy called to him. Something about how comedians seemed to make sense of the world appealed to him and after dabbling in standup earlier in life, he has now taken the plunge to dedicate his energy to it. In a moving and personal conversation, Aaron’s depression makes a few appearances but we’re always able to catch it and put it in its place.

(As mentioned on the show)

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Nurse Blake on Gay Conversion Therapy, Panic Attacks, and, Well, Nursing

shows@maximumfun.org (nurse blake, john moe) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

To blow off steam from an incredibly stressful profession, professional nurse Blake Lynch started putting together little comedy videos on social media as “Nurse Blake”. The clips went viral and he started making live comedy appearances to packed audiences, many of whom were nurses themselves. His celebrity status gave him a chance to lobby for better pay and working conditions for nurses. As Nurse Blake prepares for a 68-city tour, he talks about the conversion therapy his parents sent him to in order to switch him from gay to straight (it didn’t work), his eye-opening experiences with panic attacks, and the time he spent in a mental health rehab facility following his divorce. After many years taking care of other people as part of his job, the rehab was a chance to take care of himself and his own mental health.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Gavin Rossdale of Bush on Loss, Xanax, and New Emotional Landscapes

shows@maximumfun.org (gavin rossdale, john moe) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:51:40 +0000

Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale has a lot of memories from growing up as a kid who excelled at sports but also treasured his Lou Reed records. He is also keenly aware of who left during those years: his mother disappearing after divorcing his dad, a beloved aunt passing away, and a revered older sister striking out on her own. Those losses informed his mental health for the rest of his life but so did the understanding of his emotional makeup left in the wake. Gavin tells us about that, the prescription pill dependency he contended with, and the lessons about mental health he imparts now to his four children. We also hear some music from Bush’s new album I Survived Loneliness and get an explanation for the album’s somewhat cheeky title.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Insomnia and Mental Health Problems: Each Horrible, Each Feeding the Other

shows@maximumfun.org (jennifer senior, john moe) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Jen slept fine the night before she couldn’t. Just short of 29 years old and after years of excellent sleep, insomnia entered her life leading her down a years-long search for cures, treatments, or even just an explanation of why her life had been turned upside down. Jen Senior is the author of an article, “Why Can’t Americans Sleep?” in the Atlantic and she joins us to talk about the intersection of sleep, depression, anxiety, shame, and so much more. We also discuss sleeping pills, antidepressants, and CBT-I, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Prison, Addiction, Bipolar, and Four Loko with Author Brandon Stickney

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, brandon stickney) — Mon, 7 Jul 2025 12:12:56 +0000

Brandon Stickney remembers booze being everywhere growing up in Lockport, New York and he definitely remembers getting a taste for it growing up. Over time, he developed bipolar disorder and his substance use disorder added cocaine and opioids as favorite drugs. Brandon’s love of getting high would cost him his marriage, his successful career as a journalist and author, and his freedom, after getting busted selling drugs and being sentenced to two years in prison. He tells us about what it’s like to live with mental health issues behind bars, how both prescription drugs and illicit narcotics work there, and he tells the stories of people who helped him get through. Brandon’s memoir of the experience is The Five People You Meet In Prison. Brandon lives in Florida now with his father and is working hard on his sobriety.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Sure, Maria Bamford Will Join Your Cult

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, maria bamford) — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

When the comedian, actor, and author Maria Bamford has something to say about mental health, it’s a pretty good idea to give a listen. For one reason, she’s hilarious. Also, she comes at the issue not just as an observer. Maria has a long history with mental health conditions. SHe has spent a good bit of time in in-patient facilities, has dealt with problematic intrusive thoughts, and has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, type 2. Maria talks about the issue of access to mental health treatment and how it’s a different story for those who have money and those who don’t. Following the lead of her new book, Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult, Maria talks about cults she’s belonged to such as Target shopping, Suzuki violin training, and the Episcopalians.

Maria’s new book, Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult, is out wherever books are sold. Listen to Maria’s comedy album, Crowd Pleaser, on the streaming platform of your choice. Learn more about Maria by visiting her website, www.MariaBamford.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Ginny & Georgia Creator Sarah Lampert on Getting Mental Health Right On Screen

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, sarah lampert) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Hollywood doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to portraying mental illness in a sensitive, honest, and appropriately complex way (think Psycho or the notorious caffeine pill episode of Saved by the Bell). But the top show on Netflix right now, Ginny & Georgia went to great lengths to show mental health conditions honestly. The series tells the story of Georgia, a mother with a traumatic background, Ginny, her daughter with a habit of self-harming, and it includes characters such as a neighbor boy and Ginny’s love interest, Marcus, with a persistent major depressive disorder. Show creator Sarah Lampert talks with us about how, with the help of a doctor of psychology and consulting from the advocacy group Mental Health America, she and her creative staff were able to tell honest stories that were moving without being exploitive or sensationalized.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Alexandra Savior on bipolar disorder and being discovered by Courtney Love

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, alexandra savior) — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 09:15:51 +0000

"Beneath the Lilypad" is singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior's third album, but her first in five years. Several years ago, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, type 1. That’s a condition marked with manic highs that can last for weeks or months as well as crushing lows of depression, she’s had both, you’ll hear about that. She’s also dealt with psychosis, and has spent time in an in-patient facility. That mental health journey has informed her work as a songwriter and a musician and inspired the songs on the new album. She just turned 30 but she’s been performing since high school when she was more or less discovered on YouTube by Courtney Love who helped launch her career.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

You’re Not Imagining It, Climate Change IS Messing With Your Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, dr. caroline carney) — Mon, 9 Jun 2025 09:14:36 +0000

As temperatures and sea levels rise, the effects of climate change are being felt in weather patterns, natural disasters, and in both public and personal mental health. We talk with Dr. Caroline Carney, President of Behavioral Health and Chief Medical Officer at Magellan Health in Phoenix about the connection between your mind and the dire conditions Earth is facing. She says the damage is being done by the traumatic effects of fires, floods, and other severe weather incidents but also by the gnawing anxiety that the future holds more extreme and changing conditions that we’ll have to deal with in ever-increasing amounts. Dr. Carney offers advice on what you can do as an individual to understand and address what’s happening and she offers insight into how the medical community is doing with confronting these crises.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Can a Bipartisan Congressional Caucus Save Mental Health in America?

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, rep. andrea salinas) — Mon, 2 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) is one of four chairs of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, a 93-member group of Republicans and Democrats pledging to fight stigma, improve accessibility, and generally make the country’s mental health better. But as the Trump administration floats huge cuts to Medicaid and other social services and as the tone of politics in America gets more divided and vitriolic, does a well-intentioned group like that really have a chance to overcome all that is standing in the way of progress? We talk to Rep. Salinas about her work, her connection to mental health, and what the future might hold.

Also in this episode, we are joined by listener Joslynn in Dayton, Ohio, a member of our Preshies group on Facebook, for a moving conversation about her depression. She says she’s kind of resigned herself to feeling bad for the rest of her life and yet she will persist in going to therapy, looking for new treatments, and listening to our show to figure out what might help. It’s unlike any interview you’ve heard on our show before.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Ethan Sacks and Daughter Naomi Tackle Mental Health in Comics Form with A Haunted Girl

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, ethan sacks, naomi sacks) — Mon, 26 May 2025 14:15:22 +0000

Ethan Sacks is a veteran comics writer, having created stories for Marvel, DC, and numerous Star Wars comics. In the comic A Haunted Girl, Ethan enlisted his daughter Naomi as co-writer to tell a story much more personal than anything involving Star Wars or the Avengers. A Haunted Girl tells the story of Cleo, a character inspired by Naomi’s real life experiences in her teens dealing with depression, anxiety, and suicidality. She spent time in in-patient facilities and now, at 21, is doing better. Ethan and Naomi join us to talk comics, art, mental health, and family collaboration.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Felicia Day on Depression, Anxiety, Achievement, Burnout, and Failed Prodigies

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, felicia day) — Mon, 19 May 2025 09:11:58 +0000

It would take an entire section of show notes here to list all the things Felicia Day has accomplished in her career. Here’s an attempt at making that brief: acted in a bunch of TV shows you know, created and starred in web series, made just so very many online videos, and is now the author and star of an audiobook called Third Eye about someone who is supposed to save the world but fails. In our interview, Felicia talks about doing all those things while dealing with mental disorders like depression and anxiety as well as mental health phenomena like perfectionism and impostor syndrome. We hear about her life as a 20-year-old college graduate/violin prodigy/mathematician trying to make it in Hollywood, about hitting a burnout wall, and about how covid and parenthood slowed her life down.

Join Felicia's streams on Twitch by following her at www.twitch.tv/feliciaday.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Head And The Heart’s Kenny Hensley Injured Both Shoulders and That’s Where the Trouble Started

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, kenny hensley) — Mon, 12 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Aperture is the sixth studio album by the indie-folk band The Head And The Heart and it’s kind of a return to the more grounded, collaborative sound of their earliest work. It’s less polished, less highly produced, not as poppy. That’s not an accident. The band has been putting in the work to be more of a cohesive unit by sharing songwriting and singing duties, going to therapy together, and trying to closely protect the health of both the individual members and the group itself. Kenny Hensley joins us to talk about the shoulder injuries he incurred, a dangerous xanax habit that followed, some unpleasant incidents that resulted from that, his suspension from The Head And The Heart, and his return to good health and a productive role.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

988’s Future, Funding, and Online Fables

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, hannah wesolowski) — Mon, 5 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

There have been ten million contacts, via phone calls, texts, and chats, with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline since it first launched in July of 2022. As its third anniversary approaches, we check in to see how the system is holding up, what the funding and capacity issues are, and what the future might look like with our guest, Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). We also examine the potential threat to the LGBTQ specialized services line after a leaked document from the Trump administration proposed cutting funding for it. And we debunk an internet meme involving cutting all 988 funding and Canada stepping in to pick up America’s slack.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Generative AI Chatbot Delivers Great Results for Mental Health. Is “Therabot” the Future?

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, nicholas jacobson) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Would you open your heart to a bot? Tell it all your problems? Look to a piece of code, a computer program, for high-quality mental healthcare? Some people have said yes and the results are hard to ignore. Dartmouth University test subjects who sought help from Therabot, a generative AI chatbot, showed a 51% reduction in depression symptoms, 31% for anxiety, 19% for eating disorders. Dr. Nicholas Jacobson, who led the study, says people really bonded with Therabot, called it Thera for short, and would check in with it frequently. But can a bot really provide meaningful advice and therapy if it’s not a human being? Are you now interested in Therabot or more likely than ever to stay far away?

This episode mentions ELIZA, an early ancestor of Therabot from 1966. You can take Eliza for a spin here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Perfectly Hidden Depression: Do You Have It? With Dr. Margaret Rutherford

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, dr. margaret rutherford) — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

If you were brought up in a family or a culture that never recognized, discussed, or processed things like depression and trauma, you may have learned to simply hide those difficult feelings away and simply act as if everything’s great. You can be a high achiever, striving perfection, all to keep away demons that you’ve never really faced. Your act can be so good that it even fools you. For a while, anyway. Until it doesn’t. And then things can get very ugly. Psychologist Dr. Margaret Rutherford coined the term Perfectly Hidden Depression several years ago in a blog post that instantly went viral, filling her inbox with people shocked to recognize their own lives in what she described. She joins us to talk about PHD, how to recognize it in yourself, and what to do about it.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Cameron Esposito on Comedy, Rehab, and Bipolar Disorder

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, cameron esposito) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Cameron Esposito has many titles: hugely successful standup comedian, actor in television and film, writer, podcast host. After a recent rehab stay led to a mental health diagnosis, she has realized that she’s also a person with bipolar disorder, type II. Cameron has a new special, Four Pills, that’s part stand-up comedy and part reflection on the circumstances that led to this discovery as well as thoughts on what life as a treated person for bipolar will mean going forward. Cameron Esposito joins us for a very funny and deeply personal conversation about mental health, medication, comedy, and the road ahead.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Thorny Issue of Airline Pilots and Mental Illness

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, dr. helen ouyang) — Mon, 7 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Statistics say that 23% of Americans are currently living with some form of mental illness. For most people, that calls for reaching out for help and receiving treatment and advice on management. But if you’re an FAA-approved airline pilot, disclosing that you have something like a depressive disorder or an anxiety problem can mean a temporary pause or permanent end to your entire career. Of course, having a mental illness, not disclosing or getting treatment, and flying anyway presents a variety of problems as well. Dr. Helen Ouyang wrote about this in a recent New York Times Magazine article and joins us to unpack it all.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Hanif Abdurraqib on Cultivating a Support System, Depression, Anxiety, and Basketball

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, hanif abdurraqib) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Hanif Abdurraqib is a MacArthur Fellow, accomplished poet, and critically lauded author of numerous books, including There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, which is now out in paperback. He’s also a person who deals with major depressive disorder and numerous anxiety disorders. In a revealing, positive, and practical interview, Hanif talks about the numerous ways he cares for his mental health issues by both taking care of himself and building a strong community of other people around him to lean on.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Checking in With Friends: Open Mike Eagle

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, open mike eagle) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Things are scary in this country these days for a lot of people. There is turmoil in the government, shakiness in the economy, and a deep divide over what America even means anymore. In times of upheaval, it’s a good idea to reach out to friends, see how they’re holding up, help carry their burdens and sorrows, and see what wise advice they can share about perseverance. We do this on our show from time to time. In this mini-episode, we check in on a good friend of the show Open Mike Eagle. He’s a very popular rapper, podcast host of What Had Happened Was, comedy person, and all around great guy.

It's the final week of the 2025 Max Fun Drive! Check out the fun thank you gifts and become a member of Max Fun!

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Welcome, New Listeners

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:31:52 +0000

We’ve been seeing an influx of new listeners recently. It’s very exciting. Thank you for that and we’re delighted that you’ve joined us. So we thought we’d take a moment and explain what the show is all about and who it’s for. Spoiler alert: it’s for everyone, including you, regardless of your mental health history.

It's the final week of the 2025 Max Fun Drive! Check out the fun thank you gifts and become a member of Max Fun!

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Jim James of My Morning Jacket on Depression, EMDR, Gratitude, and Taking Care of Jim

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, jim james) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

“I’m very kind to Jim, I’m trying to take good care of Jim, I’m trying to love Jim,” says musician Jim James of the band My Morning Jacket. The kindness he’s showing Jim, himself, is a relatively new thing, he says, after a long time spent kind of beating up on the guy. As My Morning Jacket releases its new album, is, Jim reflects back on issues such as a need for validation through achievement, alcoholism, and depression. And he shares what he’s learned through intense therapy, meditation, EMDR, gratitude, and family systems therapy.

It's the final week of the 2025 Max Fun Drive! Check out the fun thank you gifts and become a member of Max Fun!

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

BONUS CONTENT PREVIEW: Depresh Mode: The Game Show

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, justin mcelroy, hal lublin, laura swisher) — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:20:29 +0000

In this bonus content edition of Depresh Mode, We’re joined by some Maximum Fun all-stars for some very light-hearted and delightfully competitive games that are as informative as they are silly.

Our competitors:

Justin McElroy of My Brother, My Brother, and Me, Adventure Zone, and Sawbones
Hal Lublin of Tights & Fights and We Got This
Laura Swisher, senior producer overseeing about a million Max Fun podcasts

Who will win the game Antidepressant, Pokemon, or State Fair Food? Who will emerge victorious in Google Scholar or Member of Parliament/Funkadelic? Can our panel tell the difference between an emo band lyric, a quote from The Simpsons’ Moe, or a line heard on Depresh Mode? Tune in and find out!

John Moe helps kick off MFD Spring Break

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:30:00 +0000

It’s not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky ‘90s- and Spring Break-themed mini games!!

Featuring: Dave Holmes, Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya, Dimitry Pompée, Tom Lum, Ellen Weatherford, Alex Schmidt, Brenda Snell, Drea Clark, Alonso Duralde, Dan McCoy, Jordan Morris, Manolo Moreno, Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper, Ella McLeod, John-Luke Roberts, Justin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Mike Cabellon, Sierra Katow, Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford, John Moe, Christian Dueñas, Christian Duguay.

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on Food, Booze, Weed, Anxiety, Depression, and Living a Healthy Life

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, j kenji lopez alt) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

The alcohol, says J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, came about in young adulthood, when it solved persistent social anxiety and made him the life of the party. As Kenji found tremendous success in food writing and restaurateuring, he found that he couldn’t really make it through the day without downing between two and five drinks. This wasn’t hard to pull off in the food business, surrounded by booze and a culture that heartily encouraged its consumption. Kenji found that, as is so often the case with mental health, that the reality of the condition didn’t match the drunken messy stereotype: his work wasn’t harmed, he had strong relationships and a family. It’s just that he was an addict. Finally, just a few months ago and in his mid-40’s, he decided to get sober.

This episode marks the kick-off of the 2025 Max Fun Drive! Check out the fun thank you gifts and become a member of Max Fun!

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Checking in With Friends During Scary Times: Paul F. Tompkins, Ana Marie Cox, and Gary Gulman

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, gary gulman, ana marie cox, paul f tompkins) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:45:08 +0000

Maybe you’re one of those people who dreads even looking at the news these days, with stories of layoffs, tariffs, upheaval in foreign policy, and a lack of knowledge as to where this is all going and what it might mean for the future of America and the world. It’s a tumultuous time. When things are chaotic, it can be good to check in with one’s friends and that’s what Depresh Mode does this week. We have conversations of commiseration, of humor, and of hope with comedian and actor Paul F. Tompkins, pundit and writer Ana Marie Cox, and comic and author Gary Gulman.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Heavy Substance Use, Heavy Depression, and Heavy Metal with Randy Blythe from Lamb of God

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 3 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Lamb of God is a very popular heavy metal band with Grammy nominations, gold records, and a huge headbanging following. Randy Blythe, front man for the band and author of a new book, Just Beyond the Light, is in recovery from drugs and alcohol and tells stories of finding sobriety, including how it was pretty easy to stay sober while on an Australian vacation surrounded by koalas but a lot harder once he returned to the States and the old patterns and routines of his life. Randy also talks about surviving a panic attack and finding better health through acts of service to others.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Microdosing with James Fadiman and Jordan Gruber

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, james fadiman, jordan gruber) — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Microdosing involves taking very small amounts of psychedelic substances such as LSD or psilocybin, maybe seven to twelve percent of a regular dose. It’s not enough to “trip out” but enough, proponents say, to yield very positive results, especially in terms of treating depression that hasn’t responded well to other methods. The catalog of extensive clinical, scientific trials about the practice of microdosing is pretty limited but James Fadiman and Jordan Gruber have collected what scientific material there is plus a great number of anecdotal reports in their new book, Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance. They tell us about the potential of microdosing for mental health, migraines, long covid, and athletics.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Surviving Trauma and Having a Few Laughs with Ophira Eisenberg

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 12:59:43 +0000

Ophira Eisenberg once believed that everyone had a trauma quota, a maximum amount of hardship that a person would face in life and once that mark was hit, nothing bad would ever happen again. It was a way of comforting herself after a car accident at age eight that seriously injured Ophira and killed her friend. Turns out that’s not how life works and Ophira still had cancer and a miscarriage to deal with later on. Ophira joins us for a wise and actually very funny conversation about trauma, being an “awful patient”, and healing.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Your Vagus Nerve: Key to Depression Relief? / Actor-Writer Kit Williamson

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, charles conway, kit williamson) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Would you get a device the size of a Nilla wafer implanted in your body if it meant relief from treatment-resistant depression? There are big advances being made in vagal nerve stimulation therapy, a process by which electrical impulses are fed into a patient’s vagus nerve to alleviate depression that hasn’t responded to more common treatments. We take a look at the science, the breakthroughs, and why your insurance might be more likely to cover it.

Then we have an interview with actor and writer Kit Williamson, creator of the new series Unconventional, about living with depression, living with anxiety, and bringing those struggles to television comedy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Neko Case on Pain, Neglect, Music, and Confidence

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, neko case) — Mon, 3 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The cover of Neko Case’s memoir features a young Neko in a swimsuit she says she wore for six months straight and she’s accompanied by a drawing of a big spiky-toothed monster who she says is there to protect her. The invention of such monsters can feel necessary when one’s parents are unavailable, simply not physically present, or, in the case of her mother, faking their own death only to reappear a year and a half later. Neko talks about the trauma of her childhood, what music meant then and as she grew up, and how she’s shouldered and managed the pain ever since.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Dr. Emily Nagoski on Sex, Long Term Relationships, and Depression

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, emily nagoski) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Sex is not always an easy topic to discuss. Issues like how to get what you want, how to make sure your partner is getting what they want, these are delicate conversations and often intimidating ones as well. Add in issues like depression and anxiety for one or more of the people involved and it becomes more complex still. Fortunately, we have Dr. Emily Nagoski with us who is an expert on sex and how to talk about it. She’s the author of the new book, Come Together: The Science (and Art!) of Creating Lasting Sexual Connections and she’s here to offer some practical, workable advice.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Hari Kondabolu’s Life Was Transformed in Seattle

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, hari kondabolu) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Hari Kondabolu has never been afraid to talk about sensitive topics on stage. The veteran comedian, who has appeared on Conan, Kimmel, Letterman, and NPR’s Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me mined material about race, immigration, and other societal hot button issues. But unlike some comedians, he was hesitant to discuss himself and in particular the depression that has followed him for years. He goes there in this interview that also includes exploration of panic attacks, the ups and downs of therapy, and how Seattle helped him become who he wanted to be.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

When Treating One Problem Creates A Whole Other Problem, with Alex Goldman

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, alex goldman) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

On the podcast Hyperfixed, host Alex Goldman sets out to solve mysteries and conundrums that listeners submit. But he’s found himself having to do some figuring out for himself. Alex finally got diagnosed with ADHD just a few years ago, when he was around 42 years old. Which was a big relief after years of struggling with things like attention and task completion. The problem was that the meds they gave him triggered hypomania followed by big depressive crashes, resulting in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder type II. So now Alex has to manage depression, ADHD, and hypomania. It’s tricky.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Truly Depressing Movies with Dana Stevens, Dan McCoy, and Drea Clark

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, drea clark, dan mccoy, dana stevens) — Mon, 6 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There are sad movies that nonetheless offer some sort of hope and optimism. And then there are the ones that offer no hope at all, just bleakness and despair and the cinematic versions of major depressive disorder. Those are our focus on this episode as a trio of film critics and pundits offer their picks for the most depressing films and offer analysis on whether there is value in watching works that present worlds with zero hope. Films discussed include:
Grave of the Fireflies
Aftersun
Amour
Dancer in the Dark
Pan’s Labyrinth
Robocop (2014 remake)
Cries and Whispers
Synecdoche, New York
Cape Fear
Funny Games

Letterboxd: Truly Depressing Movies from Depresh Mode with John Moe

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

A Regular Guy, Managing Trauma, Who Happens to Be Paul Scheer

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, paul scheer) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 10:01:26 +0000

Trauma and comedy wouldn’t seem to have a lot in common but they do have one thing: Paul Scheer. You may know Paul from TV shows like the comedy The League or from his podcasts like How Did This Get Made. In this deeply personal, vulnerable, and – yes – funny interview and in his new memoir, Joyful Recollections of Trauma, Paul Scheer recounts tales of the repeated physical and mental abuse he and his mom received from his stepfather. He also recounts how he has learned to process these and other traumatic events, draw strength from them, and become a better and stronger father, husband, and guy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Cory Richards on Climbing Mountains, Wrestling with Mental Health, Owning Up to His Past

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, cory richards) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Writing is not what Cory Richards is best known for. No, that would be feats like being the first American to climb one of the 14 peaks in the world measuring over 8000 meters. He’s also known for his photography, which includes National Geographic covers. But Cory’s new book, The Color of Everything: A Journey to Quiet the Chaos Within, isn’t just about his accomplishments, it’s about his struggles too. He tells us about the violence in his home growing up, his bipolar II diagnosis and depression, and about cheating on his wife and being held accountable for inappropriate behavior.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Lead in Gasoline Has Damaged Your Mental Health and IQ, with Dr. Aaron Reuben

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, aaron reuben) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Lead was added to car fuel back in the twenties and wasn’t phased out in America until 1996. By then, according to neuropsychologist and researcher Dr Aaron Reuben, the damage had very much been done. He’s one of the authors of a new study pointing to 151 million cases of mental illness that correlate with the presence of lead in gas tanks. The people damaged the most were those born during the highest usage of lead, the mid to late sixties through the early eighties. Dr. Reuben says that while circumstances and individual cases vary widely, the average Gen X-er may have also lost four to six IQ points as a result of lead exposure.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Richard Sarvate’s Mom Had Problematic Schizophrenia but Made Some Mean Chapatis

shows@maximumfun.org (richard sarvate, john moe) — Mon, 9 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Home for Richard Sarvate wasn’t anything like the home lives of his friends. Unlike his friends, his mom was convinced Richard was trying to kill her and that Bill Clinton was sending her secret messages because they had the same birthday. Richard shares stories of growing up with an abusive mom who had schizophrenia, what that meant for the development of his social skills and sense of self, and how the food was always somehow great. He also tells of how a scary situation in Puerto Rico led to a career in comedy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Comedian Ellie Hino and Her Later-In-Life ADHD Diagnosis

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, ellie hino) — Mon, 2 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Twin Cities comic Ellie Hino was wondering if her young son might have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, so she looked into the symptoms. What she found was a pretty good rundown on problems that she had been wrestling with for many years, especially since becoming a mom. After extensive testing, her diagnosis was confirmed, which opened up the possibilities of treatment and led to a more manageable mind and life. She shares with us her understanding of the condition, what it’s meant in her comedy and other work, and how it has also meant mourning the life she could have had if she had identified the problem much earlier.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

David Shaw of The Revivalists Finds His Heart Mode

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, david shaw) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

David Shaw’s anxiety was more than just a feeling in his mind, it was in his ears as well. The frontman of the popular rock band The Revivalists found himself dealing with hyperacusis, a condition of extreme hypersensitivity to sounds that would ordinarily be considered tolerable, which was a hindrance in his job as lead singer of a rock band. David talks about managing his anxiety through a variety of approaches and coming to a place of honesty about who he was and who he wants to be. He also discusses “heart mode”, the wisest and most caring place he could operate from and what he’s learned about getting into that state of being.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

LISTENER’S CHOICE: Adventures in the Army with the Bipolar General

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, general gregg martin) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

During a decades long career in the United States Army, Gregg Martin just kept on succeeding. Star cadet at West Point, getting promoted up to two-start General, earning PhD degrees along the way, and receiving glowing evaluations all the while for his boundless energy and enthusiasm. He now knows that he was operating under a condition called hyperthymia, being in a constant state of near mania. After a deployment to Iraq, Gregg’s mania kicked into high gear and was accompanied by bouts of deep depression. It would take many years of further promotion and misdiagnosis before Gregg’s behavior became so erratic that his life fell apart and his bipolar disorder was finally identified. Then he had to figure out how to get better. He tells his story in this interview and in his book Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness.

We get a preview of the episode at the top from listener Ken Fredette, who says the episode has stayed with him since it originally aired.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Comedian Youngmi Mayer on Cultural Dissonance, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, and Barry Gibb

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, youngmi mayer) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Youngmi Mayer says she hates doing research but, in our conversation and in her new memoir I’m Laughing Because I’m Crying, she does a lot of digging into the events of her life and what they all meant. Youngmi grew up in Saipan and Korea, the daughter of a Korean mother and a White American father, and had to deal with discrimination, harassment, and abuse. Later on, she moved to America with $700 in her pocket and no real plan in order to escape an abusive relationship and had to find a path that included a place of prominence in the restaurant scene, a life of comedy, and a severe depression disorder.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

13 Reasons For Hope in Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe) — Mon, 4 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This episode of our show is premiering the day before Election Day in the U.S. and loads of people are just a mess with worry and anxiety. We don’t know the future and we’re not a politics show but we can provide you with a list of 13 stories that might make you feel that we’re getting somewhere as a society with mental health. Learn about the improving mental state of young people, advancements in treating ADHD, OCD, and anorexia, new government actions that will make a difference, and even grandmothers on benches in Zimbabwe. We think you’ll feel better after this episode.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Mysterious Cancellations Block Veterans’ Mental Health Care

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, patricia kime) — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Imagine serving your country in the military, incurring some trauma and some mental health difficulties, and then finding that your appointments to get mental health treatment keep getting canceled without explanation. And in many cases, it’s you, the patient, being unfairly blamed for canceling or not showing up to the appointments. That’s happening now in America’s veteran healthcare system, according to Military.com reporter Patricia Kime. She joins us to talk about the political pressure against the V.A. that might be influencing this issue and she shares what the veterans are reaching out to tell her.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Promising World of Precision Treatment for Depression

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, leanne williams) — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 09:07:06 +0000

If you’ve ever tried to treat major depressive disorder, you know that it can be absolutely exhausting. That’s because for a long time the approach has been one of trial and error, taking a certain med, it doesn’t work, try a different one, try therapy, try something else, try, try, try. Stanford University researcher Dr. Leanne Williams is attempting a methodology with a better batting average: taking functional MRI of the brain (think video instead of still shots) and matching brain types with treatments much more likely to be effective. The research is showing great promise and could mean a much more efficient approach for people dealing with depression.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Bishop Briggs on Loss, Despair, and Finding Hope

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, bishop briggs) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Singer/songwriter Bishop Briggs lost her sister, her best friend, her roommate, and her manager all on one day in January 2021. They were all the same person. After Kate’s death, swiftly following her diagnosis of ovarian cancer, Bishop plunged into a dark place, not eating, not really engaging with the world, and being increasingly haunted by thoughts of suicide. Ultimately, she found a path toward a better place with the assistance of a shockingly blunt pronouncement by her partner, the birth of her baby, and an openness to medication.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Dr. Jessi Gold and the Precarious Mental Health of the Medical Profession

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, jessi gold) — Mon, 7 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

How Do You Feel? is the title of Dr. Jessi Gold’s new memoir about her life as a psychiatrist dealing with her own mental health and the health of other medical providers during the first wave of the covid pandemic. The answer to the question the title poses would be, “Not very good at all.” Dr. Gold profiles composites of several patients in the medical profession who felt the need to be perfect, to be superhuman, to not let anything get to them, only to find that everyone has limits and vulnerabilities, including Jessi herself.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart on Charting a Healing Path from Trauma

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, jamie stewart) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Xiu Xiu, the highly experimental avant-garde rock band from California has just released their 14th album, 13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips. It refers to a type of switchblade, which Jamie Stewart from the band collects. In this interview, Jamie tells us of the multi-generational cycle of abuse within their family and of the suicide of their father. Jamie also discusses their healing, their therapy, and how they, along with their siblings, are breaking the cycle that haunts them.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Zac Carper of FIDLAR on Bipolar, Drugs, Meds, and Intense Journaling

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, zac carper) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Zac Carper, lead singer and guitarist for the garage punk bad FIDLAR, is very familiar with one kind of drugs: the street substances of meth, heroin, and crack that he engaged in heavily when he was younger. Now, at 37, he’s grappling with a different sort: medications prescribed for his newly diagnosed bipolar disorder. Zac has found that, while he needs some help managing the intense hypomanic episodes and depressive crashes, the meds he’s been given lead to some new problems that interfere with his life as a touring musician putting on very intense, high-energy shows where he doesn’t so much sing as bark.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

For Mental Health, Covid Fed Our S Up and We’re Just Starting To Figure Out How

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, neva corrigan, royce lee) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:16:50 +0000

Yes, we don’t have to wear masks in the grocery store and yes, vaccines have been very effective in reducing the spread and severity of covid-19. But the mental health ramifications of the whole pandemic experience are only now beginning to be understood. Dr. Royce Lee from the University of Chicago joins us to talk about how it made serious mental illnesses much worse due to the virus and the stress. We also explore the connection between infection, inflammation, and anger. Then research scientist Dr. Neva Corrigan explains her findings on how the covid experience prematurely aged adolescent brains, especially those of girls.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Election Stress Disorder and What To Do About it with Theresa Nguyen

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 9 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

The U.S. election is weeks away and a lot of people are kind of a mess right now. It can feel like the whole world is on the line and you have no real power over what happens. This can result in election stress disorder, the overwhelm of panic and anxiety that can interfere with your life functions and peace of mind. We’re joined by Theresa Nguyen, Chief Research Officer for Mental Health America and a person who lives with anxiety and depression. It’s a lively and personal talk about election stress, including how it works and what you can do to manage it better.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Moon Unit Zappa on Family Trauma, Neglect, and Building a Self

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, moon unit zappa) — Mon, 2 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

For much of the world, Moon Unit Zappa is famous for two things: the unusual name given her by her father, iconic musician Frank Zappa, and the 1982 song “Valley Girl” where she appeared with Frank when she was 14. The full, complex portrait of life in this unconventional family isn’t all that funny as told by Moon today. She tells of a lifetime of neglect, of witnessing Frank’s serial infidelity within the family home, of a mother prone to severe narcissism, and of a great deal of alienation between Moon and her three siblings. You can’t control the world you grew up in but you can conscientiously choose the world you create afterwards.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

The Muddy Ethical Ground of AI Mental Healthcare with Dr. Jodi Halpern

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, jodi halpern) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 09:00:33 +0000

It’s a supply and demand issue. With increasing numbers of people seeking help, it’s harder to get in to see a human counselor. At the same time, artificial intelligence technology is booming, leading to growing availability of computer programs that say similar things to what humans say while not being human at all. Dr. Jodi Halpern, Chancellor’s Chair and Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities at UC Berkeley, says the technology has moved faster than our ability to regulate it or fully consider the ethical implications and consequences of non-human diagnosis and treatment.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s Ela Melo on Music, the Stars, Psychosis, and Reality

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, ela melo) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

During the covid pandemic, Ela Melo of the acclaimed band Rainbow Kitten Surprise was staying with her parents and went out one night to look at the stars. And the stars, she felt quite certain, were communicating with her. Trying to tell her things. This was to be the beginning of a journey that involved a bipolar disorder diagnosis, psychotic breaks, multiple stints at in-patient psychiatric hospitals, and canceled tours for her band. Now, Ela is feeling stronger, making new music, getting ready to tour, is well supported, and is still allowing for the possibility that the stars really were sending her messages.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Susan Cain on Reaching a Quiet Life

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, susan cain) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Introverts around the world celebrated, quietly, when Susan Cain’s book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, became a #1 best-seller back in 2012. Her next book, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole, also went to #1. Now Cain is back with an audio series, A Quiet Life in Seven Steps, about how to reach a quieter mindset. In this interview, we talk through some of those steps and the challenges one might face in trying to get there.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Gut Health, Resilience, and What the Heck Is TMS Anyway?

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, aparna church) — Mon, 5 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

The gut microbiome, that little ecosystems of bacteria and microorganisms in your body, and your mental health are more closely related than we may have thought. Dr. Aparna Church led a study that points out the connection between a person’s stress resilience and the composition of their gut microbiome. She joins us and offers advice on how to eat best for your own stress management. Then host John Moe thoroughly unpacks and demystified TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) therapy. He explains what it is, what the different types of it are, what actually happens when you go, how it works on your brain, and what kind of results to expect.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Mike Doughty Was Recently Hospitalized for Depression Twice. It Helped.

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, mike doughty) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 09:02:18 +0000

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Reframing Your Memories, Even the Terrible Ones, To Help Your Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, david hallford) — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Memories are like the radiant light and heat of the sun. They’re always coming at us, inescapable. But like that radiant light and heat, memories can be harnessed and converted into a fuel that can provide power. That’s the thinking behind cognitive reminiscence therapy (CRT), the practice of revisiting, reexamining, and reframing your memories to get to a better place psychologically. Dr. David Hallford of Deakin University in Australia joins us to share his research into CRT and his findings that issues like depression, self-esteem, and optimism improve considerably when therapeutic practices are put in place. He also advises on how we could do exactly that to live better lives.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Life Inside a Psych Unit and Therapy for Rock Bands

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit is an HBO documentary about life inside an in-patient facility in Queens that specializes in helping people of college age who are in acute crisis. The filmmakers, Alexandra Shiva and Lindsay Megrue, introduce a variety of patients who have been through experiences such as suicide attempts or drug overdoses and they spotlight the unique care being administered. In-patient care has certainly been depicted often in movies and TV but this is one of few documentary approaches. Then, we’re joined by Sarah Souder Johnson, a clinician at Sentier Psychotherapy in Saint Paul, Minnesota who offers therapy for rock bands. We talk about the challenges and rewards of that and what it can teach all of us about families and groups even if we’re not a wicked guitar soloist.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Gracie Gold, Olympic Figure Skater and Human with Mental Illness

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, gracie gold) — Mon, 8 Jul 2024 09:10:32 +0000

In terms of achievement, Gracie Gold had it all: Olympic medal, world championships, beloved celebrity at the pinnacle of an incredibly competitive and difficult field. She even became friends with Taylor Swift. Unfortunately, in terms of mental health problems, she also had it all: eating disorders, body dysmorphia, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, ADHD, and OCD. Despite those challenges, her career required dressing up in glamorous outfits and perfect hair and makeup and going out to skate under the spotlights and be judged. It all got to be too much and Gracie fell apart, finally got treatment, and began a long road to recovery. Gracie has a new book, titled OutOfShapeWorthlessLoser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy Opens Up About Lifelong Anxiety, Impostor Syndrome

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, colin meloy) — Mon, 1 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

The Decemberists have been making memorable, popular, and critically acclaimed music for over twenty years and for that entire time, lead singer and songwriter Colin Meloy has battled the feeling that he’s secretly a fraud. And the more success he’s had with his career, the more he’s been at the head of a large organization upon which people earn their livelihood, the more that feeling grew. Colin hasn’t gone into much detail about this interviews over the years but he does so in this honest and vulnerable conversation that also touches on his long-standing issues with anxiety and the formative challenge of a parent who discouraged him from pursuing the arts as a profession.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

A Regular Guy, Managing Trauma, Who Happens to Be Paul Scheer

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, paul scheer) — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Trauma and comedy wouldn’t seem to have a lot in common but they do have one thing: Paul Scheer. You may know Paul from TV shows like the comedy The League or from his podcasts like How Did This Get Made. In this deeply personal, vulnerable, and - yes - funny interview and in his new memoir, Joyful Recollections of Trauma, Paul Scheer recounts tales of the repeated physical and mental abuse he and his mom received from his stepfather. He also recounts how he has learned to process these and other traumatic events, draw strength from them, and become a better and stronger father, husband, and guy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Comedian Liz Miele on Depression, Trauma, Violence, and Live On-Stage Panic Attacks

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, liz miele) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Liz Miele has headlined on comedy stages around the world and produced numerous stand-up specials. It’s an impressive career that began at Manhattan open mics when she was 16 years old. We have a wide-ranging conversation with Liz about her recent depressive episode, the panic attacks that have been going on for years including in the middle of her sets, and her family history. Both of Liz’s grandmothers died by suicide before she was born and her home growing up featured a lot of stress, intensity, and some violence. Liz’s latest special, available on YouTube, is titled Murder Sheets.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Comedian Sierra Katow on Big Time Achievement and Persistent Depression

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, sierra katow) — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Just because someone’s depressed, doesn’t mean they can’t achieve great things. Just because someone can achieve great things, doesn’t mean they aren’t depressed. You may already know these facts, especially if you’ve been listening to our show doe a while, but they bear repeating because they can be easy to forget. Sierra Katow has a new standup special, her first, called Funt (referring to the Fun Aunt she hopes to be) and she joins us to talk about the depression that has been there since she was a kid and which she’s had to work to manage ever since. It’s an honest and very funny conversation.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Chris Gethard is Less Ego-Driven, More Peaceful, No Longer Losing Teeth

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, chris gethard) — Mon, 3 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

When you’ve had an HBO comedy special, starred in an off-Broadway show, made a million TV appearances, and headlined comedy clubs all over the country, the next move is not generally to apply to grad school to become a therapist or social worker. But that’s what Chris Gethard found himself doing after his incredibly stressful career hit some hard stumbling blocks and he was faced with the issue of how best to take care of his young family (including himself) and provide things like health insurance. Before he could enroll, Chris got an opportunity to work with a non-profit to build a program promoting mental health through comedy and improv. Chris made radical changes and says he’s in a better place.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

The New York Times’ Ernesto Londoño Dives Deep Into the Psychedelic Treatment Experience

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 27 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Ernesto Londoño, a veteran journalist with the New York Times, was suicidally depressed, living in Brazil, and curious. He had heard from a psychiatrist at a party about the remarkable and barely studied benefits of ayahuasca, a psychedelic herbal brew that has been popular among tribes in South America for a long time. Being a reporter, he wanted to learn more. Being an incredibly depressed person, he wanted to try it. His experience led to a dramatic change in his mental health and an interest in studying psychedelic treatments in many locations and an interest in studying the organizations and individuals who administer them. He writes about all of it in his new book, Trippy:The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Our Guests Are Musician Judah Akers and, In a Sense, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, judah akers) — Mon, 20 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Judah & the Lion’s new album, The Process, is divided into five different stages, one for each stage of grief as described by Swiss psychiatrist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross. So there are songs about denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Judah Akers was moved to create the album after a series of incidents in his life, including suicides in his family, the collapse of his marriage, and the development of an unwelcome alcohol habit. We talk with Judah about his recording but also about positive experiences with talk therapy, with neurofeedback therapy, and his relationship with God.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Shannon & the Clams’ Shannon Shaw on Building Something Beautiful in the Wake of Tragedy

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, shannon shaw) — Mon, 13 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Shannon Shaw was on her way to check out an alternate venue for her upcoming wedding and then to her bachelorette party one August day in 2022 when she got word that Joe Haener, Shannon’s fiancé, had been killed. His pickup had collided with another pickup and he died right outside the fields of his family farm. Shannon joins us to talk about the pain, the loss, the grief.and the joy of knowing and loving Joe in the first place. One of the ways she processed all this was to do what she does best: create music. We hear about all that went into the intensely personal album The Moon Is In The Wrong Place by Shannon & the Clams.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Shanti Das Turns From Helping Musicians to Helping Minds

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, shanti das) — Mon, 6 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

As a big player in the recording industry, Shanti Das provided a lot of help in bringing artists like Usher, OutKast, and TLC to national audiences. Ultimately, she needed a lot of help herself and left her high profile career behind to work on her own mental health. Shanti went through a dark time in the early to mid-2010s, with the loss of her sister and the death by suicide of her best friend, and she was considering suicide. Then some things went her way, including a chance encounter with a friend at home goods store, some sage advice from Rev. Raphael Warnock, and good therapy. Today, Shanti Das runs Silence the Shame, a nonprofit advocating for mental health.

You can read more about Silence the Shame at https://silencetheshame.com

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Gary Gulman on Childhood, Depresh, and Leaving Food Comedy Behind

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, gary gulman) — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 09:16:31 +0000

Gary Gulman is a very successful comedian. He’s released several specials, plays to packed rooms, and is incredibly highly regarded among his peers. But for his first book, Misfits: Growing Up Awkward in the ‘80s, Gary didn’t want to just rehash his act into book form. Gary, an avid reader, has read books like that and felt ripped off by them. Instead, he dove into his formative years to take a close look at the stories and experienced that shaped him and his complex state of mental health. We talk with Gary about those memories, the public life of his depression, and why food is funny.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Advice on Mental Health in the Workplace with Megan Delp

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, megan delp) — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

The hierarchies, politics, and constant stress of the average job situation can be a lot to manage for anyone. If you add a mental health issue to contend with on top of all that, it can get downright fraught. Megan Delp is a therapist and the Director of Workplace Mental Health for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She’s here to field some questions, including several from listeners, about your rights, how to spot your allies, and how to take care of yourself at your job.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Lindy West on Dealing with Online Jerks and Navigating Depression and ADHD

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, lindy west) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Lindy West is many things: an author of best-selling books like Shrill, a comedian, a podcast host, and a former opinion columnist for The New York Times and The Guardian. She’s also an easy target for trolls online because she does have strong opinions, because she shares parts of her own personal story in her work, and because she - and this is a word she’s comfortable with and uses freely - is fat. In this interview, Lindy talks about her evolving approach to dealing with online venom, her relatively recent diagnoses of depression, and ADHD, and why being in a polyamorous relationship means there’s one more person to do the dishes.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Todd Glass on Controlling One’s Environment

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 8 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Todd Glass has been in the comedy game for a long time, dating back to the eighties, so he’s had time to figure out how he wants his life and his work to go. Todd makes sure the right music is playing in the club as people come in, sees to it that no TVs are on in the bar, and generally tries to make his world tidy. Does this make him obsessive? Compulsive? Disordered? Well, Todd doesn’t really go for the OCD label because he thinks it’s more complicated and nuanced than that and because he’s a lot less fussy than he used to be. In this interview, Todd Glass talks about that as well as coming out of the closet at age 46.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Leah Rudick: Stand Up Comedian, TikTok Superstar, Anxiety Haver

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, leah rudick) — Mon, 1 Apr 2024 10:12:27 +0000

Leah Rudick is playing to sold out theaters on her comedy tours and stars in her own special, Spiraling, on Amazon Prime, thanks in large part to her massive following on TikTok and other social media platforms. So does that success help her lifelong struggle with anxiety? Well, kind of, yeah! It feels good. But achievement isn’t a cure for anxiety and it’s still something that Leah has to manage on an ongoing basis. Part of that is being aware of her people pleasing tendencies and learning how to tell other people what she needs from them. It’s a very open, honest, and hilarious talk with a comedy star on the rise.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

BONUS CONTENT PREVIEW: The Tables Have Turned and YOU Are the Interviewer

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe) — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:30:28 +0000

In this special edition of Depresh Mode, host John Moe gets up and moves to the other chair, becoming the ones answering the questions for once. He's joined by actual listeners who volunteered as guest hosts in a probing and thoughtful conversation. John has been hosting mental health podcasts for many years, has written a book (The Hilarious World of Depression) on the subject, and has traveled the country speaking to groups about issues like depression, trauma, anxiety, and more. Learn what goes into making the show and what John has learned about the human mind after hundreds of podcast episodes.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

Jenny Lawson on Ketamine, Books, and Wendy’s Potatoes

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, jenny lawson) — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 10:00:36 +0000

What’s it really like to get ketamine treatment? The brilliant writer Jenny Lawson (Broken, Furiously Happy) walks us through her experiences with the drug, how it made her feel when she was in the thick of it, why she sometimes felt like an atom floating in the endless void of space, and whether it’s been effective for her ongoing treatment-resistant depression. She also talks about being a bookstore owner and how, despite ADHD, OCD, and that same depression, she’s been able to read entire books in one sitting.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

WHY I'm Glad You're Here

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe) — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It's the Max Fun Drive and we are so glad to have your support! In this special mini-episode, host John Moe talks about how important you are to the show we make and the work we do. Hear about the events that led to John's deeper understanding of how exactly mental health works and why mutual support matters so very much.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Go Fact Yourself #MaxFunDrive Kick-off Spectacular featuring Jackie Kashian, Jeremy Bent, John Moe, and Dan McCoy

shows@maximumfun.org (Jackie Kashian, Jeremy Bent, John Moe, dan mccoy) — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:00:00 +0000

This special network wide event is a celebration of The MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to support podcasts you love for just $5 a month and get bonus gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join.

We’re kicking off the most exciting time of the year for the MaxFun Network with a trivia game show featuring hosts from tons of great podcasts.

J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong from “Go Fact Yourself” are joined by:

Jackie Kashian -“The Jackie and Laurie Show”

Jeremy Bent -“Eurovangelists”

John Moe - “Depresh Mode with John Moe”

Joel Kim Booster Returns and Climbs Out of a Pit

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, joel kim booster) — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Our 2021 interview with Joel Kim Booster was easily one of our most talked about episodes we’ve ever made. Joel was deeply depressed at the time of the interview and was brutally honest about it, sharing his belief that his creativity was dead forever and that this was just who he was now, forever. A lot of people expressed great concern for Joel and his mental health and well being when that episode aired. Now, a few years later, Joel returns to Depresh Mode and offers insight into where he was then, the self-care decisions that led to that point, and what key decisions he’s made since.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Gracie Gold, Olympic Figure Skater and Human with Mental Illness

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, gracie gold) — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Kari Faux Stands Up to Her Original Bully

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, kari faux) — Mon, 4 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Kari Faux is an acclaimed rapper originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, which is a place she returned to after several years of not loving life in Los Angeles. She later judged her situation and decided things would be better living in Houston so she moved there. These decisions are examples of the thoughtful approach she takes to a lot of issues in her life, including how to deal with a family member at the center of a problematic relationship. Kari details the boundaries she has set and the efforts she has put in to create and maintain a good place for herself. She also discusses her interest in getting to a psychiatrist and the fears she has about that.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

The Huge Importance of Human Support with Paul Gilmartin

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, paul gilmartin) — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It was 2003 and Paul Gilmartin, one time host of TV’s Dinner and a Movie, was presented with an ultimatum by his psychiatrist: either do something to address your alcohol and drug addiction or I can’t really work with you anymore. Besides substance use issues, Paul had been dealing with intense suicidal ideation, major depressive disorder and the trauma of an alcoholic father and a mother engaged in covert incest. He was a mess. Finally, he reached out to support groups for his issues and broke down crying for the entire first meeting he attended. What followed was a journey to something better. Hear how he got sober, got treatment, and went on to help other people through openness and vulnerability. Hear also the rather rigorous steps Paul must follow every day to stay healthy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Do You Need Some Financial Therapy?

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, celia roberts hughes) — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The issue of money is packed with shame, anxiety, and a lot of psychological mess that you might have to unpack in order to get to a comfortable place. Fortunately, there’s therapy for that. Celia Roberts Hughes is a Nashville, Tennessee professional financial therapist, merging the overlapping world of personal psychology and money to try to strike some peace and harmony between the two. Celia says a lot of the work that she does tries to get at how the client has been programmed to think about money from family experiences or cultural attachments. She gives us a glimpse into how you can get to a healthier relationship with your mind and your bank account.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Adventures in the Army with the Bipolar General

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, gregg martin) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

A Mental Health Crisis on College Campuses

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, jessi gold) — Mon, 5 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The numbers are daunting. 60% of college students meet the criteria for a mental health disorder. 44% report depression symptoms, 37% for anxiety, and 15% in a recent survey were considering suicide. Dr. Jessi Gold, Chief Wellness Officer for the University of Tennessee System, says these bleak figures come at a time when there is more awareness and openness about mental health than ever before, especially among young people. So is this particular mental health crisis getting worse or is it getting better? Or are we just now becoming aware of how bad it’s been all along? And what can be done?

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Empathy, Compassion, and Trying To Read the News with Megan Devine

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, megan devine) — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:00:10 +0000

There is a lot to grieve in the world right now. We can look to the horrific events in the Middle East. We can look to other hot spots around the world where there is no shortage of death and suffering. We can look closer to home at the pandemic that took over a million American lives. Do we take it on with full deep empathy? Do we get overwhelmed by the magnitude and tune out entirely? Megan Devine, a therapist, author, and podcast host, says the human mind wasn’t designed to deal with all that our modern world sometimes demands of it. But she says we can respond with compassion and recognize the grief that is upon us.

Megan Devine’s website - https://refugeingrief.com/

Megan’s podcast - https://refugeingrief.com/meganspodcasts/

Megan’s book - https://refugeingrief.com/book/

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Devendra Banhart Is Sick of the Persistent Negative Internal Voice

shows@maximumfun.org (devendra banhart, john moe) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Devendra Banhart thinks it would be easier if the nagging, negative, self-critical voice he keeps hearing in his mind was actually angry, actually yelled at him. Then he could dismiss it easier. As it is, the voice is gentle and calm, telling Devendra that he sucks and always will, which makes it more persuasive and harder to shake off.

In this far-ranging interview, Devendra talks about that voice, how he puts music together, his long estranged biological father and the legacy he left, and also about his decision to burn an entire kitchen cabinet full of notebooks rather than save them for the National Archives.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

So You Want To Be a Therapist? Interesting. Let’s Talk About That.

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, andrea kremer, lori gottlieb) — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 11:15:22 +0000

If you’ve ever been in a therapist’s office, you may have had the thought, “What if it was me sitting in that other chair? What if I was the therapist?”

And then you might have wondered what that would actually involve and what it would feel like to be that other person with the sympathetic expression.

Well, we’ve wondered that too and we decided to do something about it. We called up Lori Gottlieb, a practicing therapist and author of the best selling book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone to ask her about the process of becoming a therapist, what has surprised her about the profession, and what skills she has needed the most. We also spoke to Andrea Kremer, a newly-minted therapist and member of our Preshies group on Facebook about her experiences and the lessons she has learned.

Maybe after this episode you’ll want to be a therapist too. Or maybe not. Regardless, let’s explore those feelings.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Susan Cain on Reaching a Quiet Life

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, susan cain) — Mon, 8 Jan 2024 11:21:21 +0000

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Samantha Irby is Very Nervous About the Driver Behind Her

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, samantha irby) — Mon, 1 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Samantha Irby has visualized a lot of scenarios that get more than a little unnerving. The driver behind her gets so impatient with her driving that he runs her off the road, drags her out of her car, and then beats the crap out of her. In another imagining, she’s at an author event and someone has gone to the trouble of buying a ticket just to run up on stage and yell obscenities at her. I mean, these are terrifying scenarios but when she talks about them, you’ll find yourself laughing as much as she is, which is a lot. We talk about Samantha’s imagination, her recent OCD diagnosis, and why she left seventeen dollars in quarters at a highway tollbooth.

Samantha’s newest book, Quietly Hostile, is due out on Tuesday, May 16th. Pre-order your copy wherever books are sold. Learn more about Sam and her other books by visiting her website, www.SamanthaIrby.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Noah Kahan’s Mental Health Is In His Songs

shows@maximumfun.org (John Moe, Noah kahan) — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

You don’t have to listen all that deeply into the song catalog of singer-songwriter Noah Kahan to hear mention of mental health themes. It’s an important topic for Noah in his own life, which has involved struggles with depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia. And because mental health is important in Noah’s life, it shows up a lot in his intensely personal, vulnerable, and revealing music. Growing up in Vermont, Noah Kahan was heavily influenced by music and, especially, relatable lyrics penned by his favorite artists like Jason Mraz, Counting Crows, and Bon Iver. He hoped his own work would reach people in as deep a way as those artists reached him. Well, his hopes have been answered as Noah’s star has taken off. He’s played venues like Red Rocks in Colorado and Radio City Music Hall in New York City and his songs, such as the huge hit “Stick Season” have been streamed hundreds of millions of times by listeners who appreciate his efforts.

Listen to Noah Kahan's latest album, Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever), on the streaming service of your choice. Learn more about Noah Kahan by visiting his website, www.NoahKahan.com.

Correction: We mistakenly refer to Noah's song, "Growing Sideways," as "Moving Sideways."

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Seasonal Affective Disorder and Why It Sucks So Bad

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, ken duckworth) — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

The Best, Most Depressing Songs

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, ann powers, craig jenkins, steven hyden) — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

There is no shortage of sad music in the world. Just reference most love songs, a substantial chunk of country music, and the entire genre known as “the blues”. But there’s sad and then there’s DEPRESSING and that’s the bit we seek to dive into with this episode. We talked to three top music critics: Steven Hyden of Uproxx, Craig Jenkins of Vulture, and Ann Powers of NPR and asked them to provide their picks for those songs that are relentlessly depressing but yet have the surprising power to make the listener feel better or at least more understood. Our playlist of dark hits features many feel-terrible classic, a depression-makes-me-feel-nothing jam, and one song so relentlessly happy that it might make you feel genuinely upset. Join us on this emotional and musical rollercoaster.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Josh Ritter On Music, Depression, Religious Crises, and Bipolar II

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, josh ritter) — Mon, 4 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Josh Ritter is best known for his music, with eleven albums released over the past 24 years and concerts all over the world. He’s also an accomplished novelist and painter. In this wide-ranging interview, Josh goes into great depth about his mental health and his evolving understanding of it. He discusses the religious and spiritual crisis of his adolescence and the depression that followed it. Josh also fills us in on the alternating high and low moods he’s experienced in more recent years and how he has come to understand the condition known as bipolar II. On a lighter note, he also talks about the challenge of playing music to tourists in Scotland when “the Braveheart guys” show up.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Roxane Gay on Depression and the Trauma We Are All Sharing

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, roxane gay) — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In preparing for our interview with Roxane Gay, we noticed that she had been talking a lot about the shared traumas we have been experiencing as a society in recent years, both epidemiologically and politically. She shares some insight on that with us. We also talk about her own personal trauma, how she manages the depression that she has carried since, and what she’s learned about boundaries.

Roxane Gay is a writer, social commentator, editor and university professor. She’s the author of numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction, including Bad Feminist and Hunger. Her latest is Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business, which collects many opinion pieces she’s written for the New York Times and other publications.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Cheryl Strayed on Wise Inner Sage Voices

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, cheryl strayed) — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We all have voices inside ourselves that give us advice on what to do in a given situation. Not talking about literal voices that you genuinely hear, just thoughts that you have when a decision needs to be made or something needs to be navigated. And those voices sometimes contradict each other so you need to know which one has your best interests at heart. Author Cheryl Strayed refers to her negative and unhelpful voice as her ITS, which stands for Inner Terrible Someone, while the one that’s really got her back, that makes her feel genuinely good is the Wise Inner Sage.

We talk with Cheryl about voices, her new television series Tiny Beautiful Things, turning points in life, heroin, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and much more.

Watch Tiny Beautiful Things on hulu now.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Kevin Drew on Making Beautiful Music Out of Grief and Aging

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, kevin drew) — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Originally, Kevin Drew set out to put together some songs, maybe even an album, of children’s music, featuring songs about stuff like not being afraid of the dark. As he worked on the songs, however, he found that they pointed to some heavier issues, including love, loss, and the deterioration of his mother’s body and mind. In this interview - and it is an interview despite Kevin wondering if it’s actually a therapy session - we explore mental health, music, and why Kevin had to do this show once he heard it was called Depresh Mode.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

Making Friends, Losing Friends, Anxiety, and Laughs

shows@maximumfun.org (john moe, gabe mollica) — Mon, 6 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

At 30, comedian Gabe Mollica realized he didn’t have friends. He only had bros, dudes with whom he could hang out in a kind of shallow way. He hadn’t had a close friend since Tim in his young adulthood. It wasn’t a romantic love, it was a brotherly platonic love but nonetheless Gabe was in love with Tim. They met in college, moved in together, volunteered at the same places, and even spent summers working together. Inseparable. Tim introduced Gabe to Kate, they dated for a while, then that ended, breaking Gabe’s heart. Then Tim got together with Kate, announced this to Gabe and that he wasn’t sorry about it, and that friendship was over, breaking Gabe’s heart all over again. Hear about the anxiety that followed and the loneliness and the isolation and ultimately the new and stronger friendship Gabe formed with one of his bros.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on X @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on X @johnmoe.

You’re Doing Self-Care All Wrong

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

It’s not that Dr. Pooja Lakshmin has something against scented candles. In fact, she thinks they can be quite pleasant. It’s just that purchasing candles or bubble baths or winery tours are not really self-care, they’re just consumerism. This is indicated in the title of her book, Real Self Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included). Dr. Lakshmin says a more satisfying and beneficial approach to self-care has four principles: boundaries, compassion, values, and power.

Dr. Pooja Lakshmin

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Podcaster Jane Marie hires professional help for a life turned difficult

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Listeners to the podcast The Dream know that the show’s creator and host, Jane Marie, has a knack for exploring and explaining complicated worlds. Previous seasons have explored the multi-level marketing and wellness industries and in the current third season, Jane takes on the industry - and let’s call it an industry - of life coaching. She finds more in common with the multi-level marketing business than one might have thought but she also finds and hires a coach for her own life. Can a chronically depressed life coach help chronically depressed Jane find a way to a better, healthier life?

Jane Marie

Listen to The Dream

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

What is Anxiety Really Like? Author Jason Pargin Will Tell You.

shows@maximumfun.org (Jason Pargin) — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

You know that feeling when you wake up knowing that you slept through your alarm? Or you forgot to set your alarm? So you’re in a state of panic and self-hatred right as your day begins? Jason Pargin wakes up like that every day, whether the alarm went off or not. Jason is the author of seven novels, including John Dies at the End, which was adapted into a movie, and the forthcoming Zoey Is Too Drunk For This Dystopia. The novels, each of which is quite lengthy have all come out in the last 15 years, which means that Jason has been keeping a pretty prolific pace, especially considering that until recently he held down a full-time job while continuing to write on the side. Jason’s books have sold well and he has garnered a loyal fan base, which you might think would be enough for Jason to be content if you didn’t know that Jason deals with an anxiety disorder. As is stands, he is wracked with the sense that he’s never doing enough, never writing enough, never promoting enough, and just generally falling short of what a professional author ought to be.

Preorder your copy of Zoey Is Too Drunk For This Dystopia, out October 31st, 2023, as well as Jason Pargin's other novels wherever books are sold. Learn more about Jason and subscribe to his Substack by visiting his website www.JohnDiesAtTheEnd.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

To get our exclusive discount off your NordVPN plan + 4 months for free- go to https://nordvpn.com/depreshmode - It’s completely risk free with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee!

Managing Your Mind When the Music Fades

shows@maximumfun.org (John Cotter) — Mon, 9 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Memoirist John Cotter describes his partial loss of hearing through a series of anecdotes. Running along the Massachusetts coastline, he found he could no longer hear the rush and ebb of the ocean waves. He danced at a wedding to what he thought was an indiscriminate wall of cacophony but when his wife said it was “Billie Jean”, John’s brain was able to assemble the sound together through memory. John was diagnosed with Ménière's disease, which affects hearing and causes vertigo, but received little in the way of treatment advice beyond being told to get on antidepressants. This wasn’t necessarily bad advice because he entered a deep depression from losing the ability to teach, to enjoy his favorite music, and even to talk to friends on the phone. Gradually, he finds hearing aids that are effective, learns to read lips (which he does in this interview conducted over Zoom), and finds music again.

Get your copy of Losing Music: A Memoir wherever books are sold. Learn more about John Cotter by visiting his website, www.JohnCotter.net.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Parker Molloy on Depression, Anxiety, and Being Trans in America Today

shows@maximumfun.org (Parker Molloy) — Mon, 2 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Trans people are under attack in the United States, both literally, through violence and threats of violence, and figuratively, in the form of anti-trans legislation and discrimination. This can be depressing for trans people and can make them anxious. So what does it mean for people who happen to be trans and already deal with depression and anxiety disorders? We find out one person’s experience in this interview with Parker Molloy, writer of the newsletter The Present Age. Hear about Parker’s early onset of depression and anxiety as well as the dawning realization that she was, in fact, female. And learn why she’s still on Twitter despite the growing noisy hatred on the site.

Subscribe to Parker's newsletter by visiting www.readtpa.com. You can also subscribe by visiting Substack and following substack.com/@parkermolloy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Felicia Day on Depression, Anxiety, Achievement, Burnout, and Failed Prodigies

shows@maximumfun.org (Felicia Day) — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Pre-order your copy of Third Eye, out October 5,2023, at Audible.com. Join Felicia's streams on Twitch by following her at www.twitch.tv/feliciaday.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Comedian Aparna Nancherla is Neither Perfect Nor an Impostor

shows@maximumfun.org (Aparna Nancherla) — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Aparna Nancherla’s new book, Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome, covers a lot of mental health territory, much of which she talks about in this interview. Despite being an accomplished comedian and actor, thus having no reason to suffer from impostor syndrome, she still does, because that particular phenomena is impervious to logic. Nor does her success keep away perfectionism, dysthymic depression, or anxiety. In her book and in conversation, Aparna doesn’t go for the easy laugh, instead finding a deeper sort of humor brought about by insight into what it’s like to live with mental health conditions on an ongoing basis. She also talks about her decision to step away from standup comedy for several years and why she has returned.

Unreliable Narratordrops tomorrow, September 19th, 2023! Get your copy wherever books are sold. Learn more about Aparna, her work, and her coming tour dates by visiting her website, www.AparnaComedy.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Investigating Your Family, Uncovering Shame and Secrecy

shows@maximumfun.org (Meg Kissinger) — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Investigative reporter and Columbia University journalism professor Meg Kissinger has, for many years, specialized in uncovering the catastrophic state of mental health care in America, particularly in Milwaukee, where she has lived for many years. Recently, she used that reporter’s tenacity in learning and telling the story of her own family of origin in her book While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence.

Meg grew up in a suburban Chicago Catholic family with two parents, seven siblings, and a number of mental health issues that were never acknowledged or discussed. Through her investigation, Meg learned new information about family suicides, psychiatric hospitalizations, and more of the things that never got talked about when they were happening. She offers some tips if you want to do some investigating of your own.

Get your copy of While You Were Out wherever books are sold. Learn more about Meg Kissinger and her work by visiting her website, www.MegKissinger.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Lydia Loveless Keeps Laughing and Writing About Suicidal Ideation

shows@maximumfun.org (Lydia Loveless, Laura House) — Mon, 4 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

“Every time I’m on the sidewalk, I want to step into the road,” sings Lydia Loveless on her new song “Runaway.”
“Let this Kia flatten me cause I don’t want to come home.”

It’s a set of lyrics that packs a wallop but one that she laughs about in our interview. Lydia is in a pretty good place right now, anticipating the release of her new album, Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again and with her depression under pretty good control at the moment. But she says that depression and thoughts of suicide have been with her since childhood and throughout some tough times with relationships and a record label.

Pre-order your copy of Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again, out September 22nd, 2023, wherever records are sold. For more information about Lydia Loveless, tour dates, music, and merch, visit her website, www.LydiaLoveless.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Sure, Maria Bamford Will Join Your Cult

shows@maximumfun.org (Maria Bamford) — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Pre-order your copy of Maria's new book, Sure, I'll Join Your Cult, out September 5, 2023, wherever books are sold. Listen to Maria's latest comedy album, Crowd Pleaser, on the streaming platform of your choice. Learn more about Maria by visiting her website, www.MariaBamford.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Actor Patrick Page Knows How to Get to the Dark Places

shows@maximumfun.org (Patrick Page) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Patrick Page has earned a reputation as one of the top classical actors in America today and one of the best at playing villains. He’s played Iago in Othello, the Grinch, Marc Antony and Brutus in Julius Caesar, Scar in The Lion King, King Lear, and Hades in Hadestown to name very few of his roles in a decades long career. But Patrick has faced off against a classical villain off stage as well, having battled a depressive disorder ever since he was five years old. He talks about his experiences with bipolar depression and substance use disorder and his own efforts to get and remain healthy. He also discusses the emotional toll of taking on very heavy roles and playing them on stage while dealing with his mental health. It’s a revealing conversation about mental health and about art.

Learn more about Patrick by visiting his website, www.PatrickPageOnline.com. Get tickets to Patrick's newest play, All the Devils Are Here, previews beginning September 29th at the DR2 Theater, by going to www.AllTheDevilsPlay.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Misnomer That is Impostor Syndrome

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Valerie Young, Dr. Ken Duckworth, Laura House) — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Have you ever felt like an impostor? Some of you, the listeners, wrote in to answer this question. According to Dr. Valerie Young from the Impostor Syndrome Institute, about 70% of you will answer that question with a “yes.” Dr. Young joins us to discuss both the internal and external factors that cause impostor syndrome, as well as what individuals and organizations can do to lessen it. Dr. Ken Duckworth, the chief medical officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, also talks to us about why impostor syndrome is not considered a mental health condition but shares how the feeling might be addressed.

Learn more about Dr. Valerie Young, her book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, and her work by visiting www.ImpostorSyndrome.com.

Learn more about Dr. Ken Duckworth, his book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health, and his work by visiting www.NAMI.org.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jamie Lee Curtis: Self-Professed Dope Fiend of Show-off Business (Aired August 1, 2022)

shows@maximumfun.org (Jamie Lee Curtis) — Mon, 7 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on August 1, 2022.

Getting Jamie Lee Curtis to open about her many years spent addicted to Vicodin is, frankly, not very difficult. She wants to talk about it. And that’s for a couple of reasons. One, she wants to make it clear that she’s no different from any other addict in any other walk of life. That’s why she calls herself a dope fiend. She just happens to have had success in an industry she derisively calls “show off business”. Two, because she committed to sobriety after reading someone else’s story of addiction so maybe her story can help someone too.

We talk to Jamie about how she got hooked, how she sustained the habit, and how she carried on a perfectly successful movie star life without anyone catching on. Until they did catch on.

Listen to Letters from Camp, now on its third and final season, at Audible.com. Follow Jamie Lee Curtis on Twitter @jamieleecurtis and on Instagram @curtisleejamie.

Jamie's Gifts to John:

"At such a time, it seems natural and good to me to ask myself these questions. What do I believe in? What must I fight for and what must I fight against? Our species is the only creative species and it has only one creative instrument: the individual mind and spirit of a man. Nothing was ever created by two men. There are no good collaborations whether in music, in art, in poetry, in mathematics, in philosophy. Once the miracle of creation has taken place, the group can build and extend it, but the group never invents anything. The preciousness lies in the lonely mind of a man. And now the forces marshalled around the concept of the group have declared a war of extermination on the preciousness, the mind of man. By disparagement, by starvation, by repressions, forced direction, and the stunning hammer blows of conditioning. The free roving mind is being pursued, roped, blunted, and drugged. It is a sad, suicidal course our species seems to have taken. And this I believe that the free exploring mind of the exploring human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for. The freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I'm about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind for this is the one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system. Surely I can understand this. And I hate it. And I will fight against it to preserve the one thing that separates us from the uncreative beasts. If the glory can be killed, we are lost." - John Steinbeck, East of Eden

"When things go unexamined for a long enough time, certain things happen. They become very very powerful. They create conformity. They intimidate." - E.L. Doctorow

"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." - The Dread Pirate Roberts, The Princess Bride

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Sasheer Zamata on SNL, Buzz Lightyear, and Panic Attacks

shows@maximumfun.org (Sasheer Zamata) — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Before she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live, Sasheer Zamata was a cast member at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where she would climb inside the character costumes and mingle with guests at the park. One particular costume, Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, was particularly cumbersome and uncomfortable and that’s where Sasheer had her first ever, full-blown panic attack. She shares that story in this interview as well as her experiences with an irregular heartbeat, a wise life coach, and a strategic approach to navigating the intensity and stress of SNL.

Pre-order and watch Sasheer Zamata's upcoming stand-up special,The First Woman, out Tuesday, August 15th at 800poundgorillamedia.com. Learn more about Sasheer, her podcast, Best Friends, with Nicole Byer, and her comedy specials by visiting her website, www.Sasheer.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Bethany Cosentino On Inner Child Work, ADHD, and Making Sense of the World

shows@maximumfun.org (Bethany Cosentino) — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Bethany Cosentino describes her new album as “a coming-of-age story about a 36-year-old woman reclaiming her life and what matters against the landscape of the world ending.” That last bit of that description is hard to miss and indeed climate anxiety figures heavily in the record but let’s not look past the middle part of the description, the part with the reclaiming life and what matters. In this fun and insightful interview, Bethany talks about recently being diagnosed with ADHD just a few weeks ago and how it’s helping her gain insight on many elements of her life. She also discusses the photo she keeps of herself as a young child, back when she was a child actor in commercials, and how it serves as a reminder that taking care of herself today means also taking care of that same kid.

Bethany's new album, Natural Disaster, is out July 28, 2023. Watch the music video for "It's Fine", the first single from Natural Disaster, on Youtube. For tour dates, her music, and more about Bethany, visit her website, www.BethanyCosentino.com. Follow Bethany on Instagram @bethany_cosentino.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Nick Seluk of Those Delightful Heart and Brain Comics

shows@maximumfun.org (Laura House, Nick Seluk) — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Nick Seluk had been drawing an online comic called Awkward Yeti about a socially stumbling cryptid named Lars while working a corporate day job as a graphic designer. Eventually, Seluk started creating strips where Lars’s heart and brain were walking around on their own, trying to strike a balance between their emotional and logical tendencies. And audiences responded, sending Heart and Brain into viral meme territory. In this interview, Seluk talks about how these resonant characters, which he now draws full-time, are a reflection of his own ADHD and are informed by the anxiety and depression he has dealt with.

Read Heart and Brain as well as Nick Seluk's other comics at his website, www.TheAwkwardYeti.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Dr. Laurie Santos on How to Get More Happiness (Aired September 12, 2022)

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Laurie Santos) — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on September 12, 2022.

In the entire 321-year history of Yale University, the most popular class ever is a relatively new one called “Psychology and the Good Life”, taught by Dr. Laurie Santos. Since it’s debut in 2018, it has proved to be so much in demand that Yale now offers a version of the class for free online to anyone in the world.

Part of the appeal is that Dr. Santos is a really great professor. She’s smart, presents lessons in a compelling way. But beyond that, the class holds appeal because so many people these days are not happy at all, with college students reporting depression and anxiety in numbers that are astronomical and terrifying. This trend was happening before the pandemic and has only gotten worse since.

In this interview, Dr. Santos, who also hosts the podcast The Happiness Lab, talks about what happier people have in common and how to implement practices in your own life to start doing better. Importantly, this isn’t a recipe for suddenly being a character in a musical comedy, jumping and singing for joy all the time. That’s unrealistic and frankly a bit gross. But students who learn from her teachings report an incremental uptick in their levels of happiness, laying the foundation for better times ahead.

Helpful Links:

Paul Rudd goofing around to the Partridge Family in Ant Man and The Wasp: youtube.com/watch?v=LzXywwT9fI0
The Worry About Yourself Video: youtu.be/4A6Bu96ALOw
The Science of Well-Being course on Coursera: coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being
Dr. Santos at the Aspen Ideas Festival: youtube.com/watch?v=ZizdB0TgAVM

Listen to Dr. Laurie Santos' podcast, The Happiness Lab, wherever fine pods are cast. Learn more about Dr. Santos' Yale course, Psychology and the Good Life, by vising her website at DrLaurieSantos.com. Follow Dr. Santos on Twitter @lauriesantos and on Instagram @lauriesantosofficial.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Emi Nietfeld on Mental Health, Trauma, and Acceptance

shows@maximumfun.org (Emi Nietfeld) — Mon, 3 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

When Emi Nietfeld was applying to colleges, she had her eyes set firmly on the Ivy League. Through her childhood years spent in foster care, shelters, psychiatric hospitals, very occasionally with her problematic mother, and finally a boarding school, Emi was fixated on getting into the most difficult college she could. In an effort to tell her full story, she wrote an application essay that included the struggles she had experienced with mental health issues like eating disorders, depression, and suicidality. That’s what she sent off to Yale as her early decision application and she didn’t get in. Then Emi went back, kept all the homelessness stuff but removed the mental health portions and subsequently gained acceptance into Harvard.

Emi discusses the various meanings of the term “acceptance” in her life and why she chose to write about her own sexual assault in unsparing detail.

Emi Nietfeld's memoir, Acceptance: A Memoir, is out now and will be available in paperback August 1st, 2023. Learn more about Emi and her writing by visiting her website, www.EmiNietfeld.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Dogs Who Are Always There For You and Friends Who May Not Be

shows@maximumfun.org (Kate Speer) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Kate Speer is a New England writer, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate. She has a popular Instagram account and Substack newsletter where she often talks about mental illness, recovery, and how her psychiatric service dogs Waffle and Tugboat have helped along her mental health journey. Kate’s loyal readers have also heard a lot about her friend Maura, how they met in an in-patient facility and became very close, and how Maura died due to her depression. But as we learn in this episode, you may not know Maura as well as you, or Kate, may have initially thought. Kate's story is rich, and a conversation with her covers a lot of ground. We discuss everything from Kate's journey starting in elementary school to going through college, hospitalizations, misdiagnoses, exposure therapy, the joy of dogs, and, of course, Maura.

Learn more about Kate by visiting her website, www.KateSpeer.com. Subscribe to her Substack, Probably Anxious, at www.katespeer.substack.com. Follow Kate on Instagram @kate_speer.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Noah Kahan’s Mental Health Is In His Songs

shows@maximumfun.org (Noah Kahan) — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Listen to Noah Kahan's latest album, Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever), on the streaming service of your choice. Learn more about Noah Kahan by visiting his website, www.NoahKahan.com.

Correction: We mistakenly refer to Noah's song, "Growing Sideways," as "Moving Sideways."

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Michael Landsberg Gives Up the Highs to Escape the Lows

shows@maximumfun.org (Michael Landsberg) — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

A good day for Michael Landsberg goes up to about a seven but not really any higher than that. His mood doesn’t raise up to an eight, nine, or ten due to the medication he takes for his longstanding major depressive disorder. But Michael’s low days don’t go below a four thanks to the same medication. It’s a bargain that Landsberg is comfortable with. We also discuss Landsberg’s discovery of his own depression and anxiety, how he’s treated it, and whether the fight against stigma is going well.

Learn more about #SickNotWeak, the charity founded by Michael and his daughter by visiting www.SickNotWeak.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Dark Nebraska of Bruce Springsteen

shows@maximumfun.org (Warren Zanes, Laura House) — Mon, 5 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Bruce Springsteen was coming off his first number one album and first top ten single when, in 1982, he retreated to a small New Jersey bedroom to record something unexpected. What he made, the album Nebraska, is darker, starker, simpler, and deeper than any of his previous work and it reflected some of the more painful components of Springsteen’s mental makeup. Warren Zanes, a musician himself as well as an author and professor, interviewed Springsteen about all that went into Nebraska, how childhood trauma informs the mood of many of the songs, and why Springsteen’s story compares neatly to that of Odysseus. The result is Zanes’ new book, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska.

Get your copy of Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska wherever books are sold. Learn more about Warren Zanes and his work by visiting his website, www.Warren-Zanes.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Sen. Tina Smith on Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (Senator Tina Smith) — Mon, 29 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Members of Congress answer to their constituents, ultimately. They work for us. So this week, we check in on one of our employees, the junior senator from Minnesota, Tina Smith. Smith is very active on the topic of mental health and gives us updates on legislation that is moving - sometimes slowly, sometimes swiftly - through the U.S. Senate. We discuss the provider shortage, the innovation around telehealth, and whether congress can or should do anything about regulating social networks to better protect the mental health of young people. We also hear Smith’s own story as a person who has experienced major depressive disorder first hand.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Legacy of a Narcissist

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Stephanie Kriesberg) — Mon, 22 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Some important questions tackled in this week’s episode with the author of Adult Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers:

When does someone have an actual personality disorder and when are they simply being a bit of a jerk?
Can someone with genuine NPD even recognize that they have it?
What does therapy look like for someone with NPD?
How does a narcissistic parent influence the mental and emotional makeup of their child?

Get your copy of Adult Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers and learn more about Dr. Stephanie Kriesberg, by visiting her website, www.DrStephanieKriesberg.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Cheryl Strayed on Wise Inner Sage Voices

shows@maximumfun.org (Cheryl Strayed) — Mon, 15 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

We talk with Cheryl about voices, her new television series Tiny Beautiful Things, turning points in life, heroin, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and much more.

Watch Tiny Beautiful Things on hulu now.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Samantha Irby is Very Nervous About the Driver Behind Her

shows@maximumfun.org (Samantha Irby) — Mon, 8 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Samantha's newest book, Quietly Hostile, is due out on Tuesday, May 16th. Pre-order your copy wherever books are sold. Learn more about Sam and her other books by visiting her website, www.SamanthaIrby.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month and We Are Winning

shows@maximumfun.org (Laura House) — Mon, 1 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

When our society and our entire culture gets behind a cause, we can really make a difference. And it’s happened before. Back in the day, littering made public spaces look awful but we got together and did something about it. We created an owl mascot and, more directly, changed our way of thinking. We got together on causes like smoking and drunk driving and while those problems have not been eradicated, we got better. Back then, mental health and the stigma around it did not receive the same treatment and the cultural representation was more about cartoon depictions of straight jackets and padded rooms. But the tide has finally turned, society has woken up to mental health, and we’re tackling it in a variety of ways from, as described in this episode, eccentric stickers to athlete statements to political bipartisanship. This awareness comes at a good time as we’re fighting a societal mental health crisis.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Mental Health Support While You Game

shows@maximumfun.org (Brian Chhor, Savannah Napier) — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Hero Journey Club is a business that offers mental health support groups for video game enthusiasts, run by therapists. The group sessions happen over the online voice and instant messaging platform Discord and the participants, the gamers, are playing games while the sessions take place. Sometimes collaboratively on the same game, sometimes on completely different games. The group members are usually similar in age and have a shared desire to work on particular mental health issues.

We talk with the company’s co-founder and CEO, Brian Chhor, and one of the “Journey Guides,” Savannah Napier, about how all this works and why a distraction can lead to a more relaxed and deeper support experience. We also hear from some Depresh Mode listeners about games that help them.

Learn more about Hero Journey Club by visiting their website, www.HeroJourney.Club.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Lori Gottlieb on How to Get the Most Out of Therapy

shows@maximumfun.org (Lori Gottlieb) — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 08:59:23 +0000

Therapy is not a competition. You can’t defeat other clients or come in first place. Still, there is such a thing as getting better at going to therapy. There are ways to get the most out of that valuable hour or so you get with a professional. And for that, we turn to professional therapist, author, and podcaster Lori Gottlieb, who offers some plain-spoken advice on building a great relationship, not expecting the depictions you see in movies and on television, and why people generally don’t lie down during sessions.

Get your copy of Lori Gottlieb's book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, wherever books are sold. Find out more about Lori by visiting her website, www.LoriGottlieb.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Ana Marie Cox on Writing Your Recovery Story

shows@maximumfun.org (Ana Marie Cox) — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Writer, blogger, podcaster, pundit, and reporter Ana Marie Cox joins her good friend John Moe for a conversation about writing. Ana teaches what she calls Third Story Workshops that are dedicated to helping people get their stories out of their minds and onto the page. She says you can look at your story in three parts: what it was like before, what happened, and what you are like now. It’s that third bit that she really concentrates on with students. John, who published a memoir in 2020, shares his thoughts about the self-discovery that can take place through the act of writing about your own experiences.

Learn more about Ana Marie Cox by visiting her website, www.AnaMarieCox.com. Learn more about the Third Story Workshop by visiting www.AnaMarieCox.com/ThirdStory.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Chris Powell: Reality TV Star, Fitness Guru, Person With Mental Illness

shows@maximumfun.org (Chris Powell, Laura House) — Mon, 3 Apr 2023 13:44:20 +0000

Chris Powell is probably best known as the host of the ABC reality show Extreme Weight Loss, which ran for five seasons. On that show, Chris used his experience as a fitness trainer and all around motivational human to help people who wanted to lose 200 pounds or more. And Chris doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to experience mental illness. He comes across as very energetic, very positive, and someone not at all hounded by personal demons. But that’s the thing about disorders like anxiety and depression and substance use, anyone can get them and anyone can get damaged. In this interview, Chris talks about his childhood experiences with debilitating anxiety, his time spent as a flight instructor who was desperately afraid to fly airplanes, and his time addicted to painkillers. He also details the effect his divorce had on his mental health.

But Chris is healthy now and has some very practical advice based on how he’s been getting healthier.

Listen to the I Needed That Podcast with Chris Powell & Mathew Blades wherever fine pods are cast. Learn more about Chris at his website, www.ChrisPowell.com/About.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Bonus Content Preview: What Works For Me

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 21:20:57 +0000

A special preview of this year's MaxFunDrive Bonus Content! Listen to the whole episode by becoming a member. Go to MaximumFun.org/join and pick a level that works for you!

We’ve said it many times on our show: there isn’t one thing that works for everyone to improve mental health. But chances are there’s something out there that will work for you. Maybe it’s a certain type of medication. Perhaps it’s a particular modality of therapy. Could be a medical treatment of some kind does the trick. Or maybe it’s something far more obscure that you wouldn’t hear in a doctor’s or therapist’s office.

To arrive at that technique, unfortunately, generally requires a journey of trial and error, possibly a long journey. To get you started on that road, to get your brainstorming imagination going, we put a question to our listeners: What works for you?

In this special bonus content episode, we hear their answers and we guarantee there’s stuff in here that you’ve never considered. Good luck and happy travels!

OH AND ALSO it’s the week 2 of our annual MAX FUN DRIVE! Now is your chance to support Depresh Mode so it can keep happening!

To entice you, we are offering:

The satisfaction of helping make this show, which helps people, possible!
Access to WHAT WORKS FOR ME, our all-listener bonus content episode. Regular people share the tips and tricks of what works for them to improve their mental health or at least make the day a little more manageable.
A one-of-a-kind Depresh Mode restickable sticker featuring Oops Nope, our official Depresh Mode mascot. That’s right: restickable.
The Maximum Fun Family Cookbook, featuring recipes from all your favorite shows, including John Moe’s famous Marshmallow Crappy. We also have a jar of Max Fun seasoning, which can go with just about any food, and the MAXIMUM YUM APRON, which is stylish and also black, so it hides stains.
Hats, messenger bags, and so much more!
Go to maximumfun.org/join, find a level that works for you, and join us RIGHT NOW! Exclamation points!

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Gary Gulman Is Feeling Much Better

shows@maximumfun.org (Gary Gulman) — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0000

What is it like to feel better in your mental state? And what does it take to get there and to stay that way? Those are some of the questions we ask in this interview with the great comedian Gary Gulman. Gary sounds very different than when John Moe first interviewed him back in the fall of 2017 when Gary had been hospitalized for depression and was just beginning to turn things around. We hear about how he convinced himself to begin a very kind and manageable exercise regimen, how he tended to his nutrition, and how he took a pretty radical approach to saying yes to just about every opportunity that came his way, even when that meant having lunch with audience members who asked on the day after a show.

From this episode, host John Moe says, “We spend a lot of time on this podcast talking about what it’s like to feel terrible. Because it’s good to know that and people can relate and feel less alone. We carry each other’s load. But I thought it would be good to also hear about what recovery can sound like.”

For more live shows and more information, visit Gary's website, www.GaryGulman.com.

OH AND ALSO it’s the week 2 of our annual MAX FUN DRIVE! Now is your chance to support Depresh Mode so it can keep happening!

To entice you, we are offering:

The satisfaction of helping make this show, which helps people, possible!
Access to WHAT WORKS FOR ME, our all-listener bonus content episode. Regular people share the tips and tricks of what works for them to improve their mental health or at least make the day a little more manageable.
A one-of-a-kind Depresh Mode restickable sticker featuring Oops Nope, our official Depresh Mode mascot. That’s right: restickable.
The Maximum Fun Family Cookbook, featuring recipes from all your favorite shows, including John Moe’s famous Marshmallow Crappy. We also have a jar of Max Fun seasoning, which can go with just about any food, and the MAXIMUM YUM APRON, which is stylish and also black, so it hides stains.
Hats, messenger bags, and so much more!
Go to maximumfun.org/join, find a level that works for you, and join us RIGHT NOW! Exclamation points!

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Dana Gould Was His Own Parent and He Sucked At It Real Bad

shows@maximumfun.org (Dana Gould) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0000

As far as Dana Gould could tell, he had been awake for 11 days. He logically knows that this was probably medically impossible but even if he had slept, he had no memory of doing so, which is pretty significant right there. This incident and the hospitalization that followed it is just one part of Dana’s mental health journey.

He talks about growing up in a family where alcohol was a strong presence and a comedy industry where drugs were everywhere but Dana didn’t drink or use drugs. Dana also shares the story of being on stage for a standup comedy set and having a debilitating panic attack on stage and relates what fatherhood has taught him.

OH AND ALSO it’s the very beginning of our annual MAX FUN DRIVE! Now is your chance to support Depresh Mode so it can keep happening!

To entice you, we are offering:

The satisfaction of helping make this show, which helps people, possible!
Access to WHAT WORKS FOR ME, our all-listener bonus content episode. Regular people share the tips and tricks of what works for them to improve their mental health or at least make the day a little more manageable.
A one-of-a-kind Depresh Mode restickable sticker featuring Oops Nope, our official Depresh Mode mascot. That’s right: restickable.
The Maximum Fun Family Cookbook, featuring recipes from all your favorite shows, including John Moe’s famous Marshmallow Crappy. We also have a jar of Max Fun seasoning, which can go with just about any food, and the MAXIMUM YUM APRON, which is stylish and also black, so it hides stains.
Hats, messenger bags, and so much more!
Go to maximumfun.org/join, find a level that works for you, and join us RIGHT NOW! Exclamation points!

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Episodes We Just Can’t Stop Thinking About

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0000

To celebrate our journey into triple digit episode numbers, we take a look back at episodes that have really stayed with us. They’re not even necessarily our favorite, mind you. It’s not that we think they’re so much better than all the rest. They’re just some episodes that come to mind pretty quickly.

Discussed on this show:

Depression, Anxiety, and Devil Horns: Chelsea Ursin Saves Her Soul with Rock n’ Roll

Amanda Knox on the Difference Between Exoneration and Freedom

The Beautiful World of Mentally Nutritious Video Games

Jamie Lee Curtis: Self-Professed Dope Fiend of Show-off Business

Jackie Kashian Did What You Should Do

Kevin Love: All-Star in the NBA and in Destigmatization

Shane Koyczan Says Sometimes “Bullying” Is Just Assault

The Surgeon General Wants Your Boss To Build You a Healthier Workplace

The Whimsy and Depth of Depressed Cake Shop

Household Chores, Struggle Care, and Your Mental Health

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Rachel Smythe, Creator of Lore Olympus, on Gods and Humanity

shows@maximumfun.org (Rachel Smythe, Laura House) — Mon, 6 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Greek gods, as depicted in Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus series, are far from stately and dignified. Indeed, they’re neurotic, depressed, and anxious. They’re gossipy and bitter and nasty and petty sometimes. Probably some legit mental disorders banging around, some trauma likely in there as well. In other words, they’re pretty human.

Rachel Smythe tells us why mythology has always spoken so deeply to her, what she learned from being a social pariah in school, and how she’s handling international fame and being a number one New York Times best-selling author.

Along the way, we talk about making art and depression and ADHD and night terrors. And trauma. And being a workaholic.

Get your copies of Rachel Smythe's Lore Olympus books and pre-order Volume 4 wherever books are sold. Read Lore Olympus online at Webtoon.com or on the Webtoon app. Follow Rachel on Twitter @used_bandaid and on Instagram @usedbandaid.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Zach Zimmerman Thought He Was Going to Hell, Which Was Depressing

shows@maximumfun.org (Zach Zimmerman) — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

It was pretty simple in comedian and writer Zach Zimmerman’s mind when he was a kid: you had to accept Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior or you would spend all eternity being tortured in the fiery pits of Hell. And he wanted to do that accepting. Problem was, God never spoke to young Zach or gave him any indication that he was saved. No revelatory ecstatic church service or voice from beyond to give Zach a sign, just constant doubt and terror.

And that can mess someone up. Zach struggled for years with depression and anxiety.

His mental health took a further hit when a close friend was killed in what was the largest mass shooting in American history at the time.

Zach got to college at Princeton and in short order figured out that he was atheist and vegetarian and that the guys playing volleyball shirtless outside his dorm were pretty darn attractive.

Now a successful author, Zach has received good therapy and can reflect on the experiences that formed his frame of mind.

Preorder your copy of Zach's book, Is It Hot in Here (or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)?, due April 18, 2023, wherever books are sold. For tour dates and more information about Zach, visit his website www.Zach-Zimmerman.com. Follow Zach on Twitter @zzdoublezz.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

BONUS EPISODE: Sleeping with Celebrities - Andy Daly Tends His Own Lawn

shows@maximumfun.org (Andy Daly, Laura Swisher) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 23:31:51 +0000

Enjoy the debut episode of John Moe's new sleep-aid podcast Sleeping with Celebrities and be sure to subscribe!

Andy Daly is a comedian, actor, and podcaster. He starred on the Comedy Central series “Review” and was a supporting actor on HBO’s “Eastbound and Down” as well as a cast member on “MadTV.”

Like many people, Andy has a yard at his home and is thus charged with the task of taking care of it. To do this, he sets aside about half a day per week, although that day varies because Andy’s weekly schedule is somewhat erratic.

Andy Daly’s yard has some day lilies, which he does not particularly enjoy, and some olive trees. Andy likes olives but finds the process of turning an olive from his own tree into an olive he can eat to be pretty challenging because it turns out it takes several steps. Once when he was a boy, his parents gave him some olives as a birthday present because they knew how much he liked olives and they thought it would be funny. Andy didn’t think it was all that funny but they gave him other gifts too so don’t worry. He thinks it would be hard to kill someone with a weed whacker but he’s willing to speculate on how that might happen.

He hopes you sleep well and have pleasant dreams.

Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber?

Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org.

Follow the Show on:

Instagram @sleepwcelebs

Twitter @SleepWithCelebs

TikTok @SleepWithCelebs

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback.

Neal Brennan Has Tried a LOT of Things

shows@maximumfun.org (Neal Brennan) — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

If you’ve listened to our show before, you know that we recommend a period of trial and error to find a mental health treatment that works best for you. Nothing works for everyone, after all, so you have to see what you respond to. Neal Brennan is the embodiment of that concept and in this interview he reports back on how well or poorly it went for him trying Freudian therapy, antidepressants, transcranial magnetic stimulation, a special kind of TMS available in China, ketamine, ayahuasca, 5 MeO-DMT, and other solutions. The good news: Neal’s mental health is doing much better than it had been.

The not-so-good news: he went through some mind-blowingly bad horrific experiences along the way.

Neal’s latest standup special, Blocks, is available now on Netflix.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Household Chores, Struggle Care, and Your Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (KC Davis) — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The title of KC Davis’s book paints a pretty vivid picture of what her work is about: How To Keep House While Drowning, subtitled “a gentle approach to cleaning and organizing.” KC, a therapist and podcaster, specializes in helping people who have dealt with mental disorders, trauma, postpartum, and other issues but who are still faced with piles of laundry and dishes that need to be addressed. She joins us on a room by room tour of an imagined house to figure out how to take on care tasks while caring for yourself.

Get your copy of How To Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing wherever books are sold. Learn more about KC at her website, www.StruggleCare.com and listen to her podcast, Struggle Care with KC Davis, wherever fine pods are cast. Follow KC on Instagram @strugglecare.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Christian Finnegan Carries Baggage, Makes Jokes

shows@maximumfun.org (Christian Finnegan, Laura House) — Mon, 6 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In many ways, Christian Finnegan’s earlier career path made a lot more sense given the path he has traveled. He went to NYU, tried and then dropped acting, and then set out to be a very serious writer and artist. He worked in publishing and fancied a career where his writing would be at the center of his work, possibly as a monologist but never as a stand-in-front-of-a-brick-wall comedian. The serious path would make sense given that Christian reached he has experienced some serious stuff: the death of both his older brother and his younger brother, a mother who was unstable and dealing with some mental health issues, an alcoholic father.

Whether it’s despite the difficult times he had or maybe because of them, Christian did enter the world of standup comedy where he’s been performing for many years, in specials on Amazon, on several comedy albums and on shows like Best Week Ever, Conan, and The Today Show. He has acted on Chappelle’s Show and The Good Wife.

Watch Christian Finnegan's newest stand-up special, Show Your Work, on Amazon Prime.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Chris Walla on Quitting, Norway, Alcohol, Perfectionism, and Terrible Music Teachers

shows@maximumfun.org (Chris Walla) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Chris Walla’s life today is very different from where it has been in the past. The musician and producer isn’t in the Pacific Northwest, for instance, where he grew up and lived for many years. He’s in Trondheim, Norway, where he is putting down roots and continues to compose and produce. And while that happens, Death Cab for Cutie, the band he co-founded in the 1990s, is in the midst of a 71-stop international tour.

In this interview, Chris talks about music instructors and academic experiences that didn’t quite kill his love of making music. He weighs the thrill of playing music with his friends to the painful drudgery of touring and the experience of losing connection with the songs. And he details his struggles with depression, alcohol, and, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the nagging feeling that people don’t really want to hear what he makes.

Learn more about Chris Walla and his Seattle recording studio by visiting HallOfJusticeRecording.com. Listen to Chris Walla's music on the streaming service of your choice. Follow Chris on Twitter @calculizer.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Autism In Your Mental Health Mix

shows@maximumfun.org (Lauren Ober, Finn Gratton) — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Veteran podcaster Lauren Ober suspected something was up and that it went beyond covid stress and professional stress and all the other reasons she had been going to therapy for so long. She had been a journalist for many years and her instinct for the story led her to start piecing together that the life she had been experiencing all this time fit the profile of autism. Well spoiler alert, she tested and found out that, yeah, she’s on the autism spectrum. Then it was a matter of finding therapy that took into her account her neurodivergent brain so she could make some progress. We talk with Lauren about her mental health and her neurological condition.

And we talk with Finn Gratton, a therapist who is autistic and who works with a lot of clients who are as well. They discuss the issue of masking, pretending to not be neurodivergent in a world designed for the neurotypical, and why they don’t believe autism is a disorder.

Listen to Lauren Ober's podcast, The Loudest Girl in the World, wherever fine pods are cast. Learn more about Lauren by visiting OberandOut.com. Follow Lauren on Twitter @OberandOut and Instagram @oberandout.

Learn more about Finn Gratton and their work by visiting GrattonPsychotherapy.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Kate Beaton on Isolation, Oil, and Ducks

shows@maximumfun.org (Kate Beaton) — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Kate Beaton’s new book, Ducks, is not about ducks. At least not really. It’s about people, specifically Kate and the people she worked with during a two-year period after finishing university, working in the remote oil sands region of northern Alberta, Canada.

The camps at the oil sands housed hundreds of employees and they were not an easy place to be, filled with depression, broken marriages, and rampant substance use. Kate was one of only a handful of women working at the oil sands, a fact that introduced a number of other problems.

Get your copy of Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands wherever books are sold.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Paulina Porizkova Without Filters

shows@maximumfun.org (Paulina Porizkova) — Mon, 9 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

It’s easy to assume that the life of Paulina Porizkova has always been an easy one. Most people first knew her as an internationally famous model, posing on the covers of fashion magazines and Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. She married a rock star, Ric Ocasek of The Cars, whom she met while filming a music video for the band. Seems like the sweetest life possible, right? Well, not so fast.

Paulina tells stories in this interview that show another story. She was orphaned in Czechoslovakia at age three when her parents fled to Sweden, left with her grandmother, then torn away from her grandmother at age nine to be reunited with her parents in Sweden just as their marriage was collapsing. She talks about being a teenage model in Paris, not knowing that what was happening was sexual harassment or assault. And she tells the story of her marriage to and divorce from the late Ric Ocasek, who left her out of his will.

Not so glamorous, really.

Get your copy of Paulina Porizkova's memoir No Filter: The Good, The Bad, and The Beautiful wherever books are sold. Follow Paulina on Instagram and Twitter @paulinaporizkova and @paulinaporizkova.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Stories That David Sedaris is Finally Free to Tell (Aired June 13, 2022)

shows@maximumfun.org (David Sedaris, Laura House) — Mon, 2 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Honestly, I really expected to call this episode “Covid Sedaris” because David Sedaris had just tested positive for COVID when we taped the interview. But when we spoke, he wasn’t feeling it much at all. Had some symptoms that might have been allergies or COVID but were barely noticeable. Other people have it a lot worse, he says.

David has been delighting audiences for 30 years now, ever since the broadcast of Santaland Diaries. His latest book, Happy-Go-Lucky, is deceptively titled, containing a lot of stories and memories that are pretty painful. David’s father died last year at age 98 and liberated David to share some things he hasn’t shared so openly before. He talks about how his father ridiculed him, belittled him, and just flat out didn’t like him. He shares the story of being invited to give the commencement address at Princeton and bringing along his dad, who told the university president that they should have booked his sister Amy Sedaris instead.

David also shares stories of his sister Tiffany, who died by suicide in 2013. He’s caught heat over the years for writing and talking about how difficult it was for him to deal with her when she was at her most unstable. He also talks about the charges of abuse Tiffany made against David and their father before he died.

There are still plenty of laughs in the interview because, come on, it’s David Sedaris, but there’s also pain and melancholy that you might not have heard from him before.

Get your copy of David Sedaris’ Happy-Go-Lucky wherever books are sold.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Kim-Joy of The Great British Bake-Off

shows@maximumfun.org (Kim-Joy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

On The Great British Bake-Off season nine, Kim-Joy became well known not just for how cute her baked goods were but for how meticulously, exquisitely crafted they were. Her success on the show has been parlayed into a series of cookbooks and even a collaborative card game. Before all that success, things were different for Kim-Joy, including a strained relationship with her father in an unusual housing arrangement, years of selective mutism at school, and a lot of loneliness, depression, and anxiety.

Kim-Joy eventually found her way into a career as a mental health provider and found herself in a relationship with a man, now her husband, who encouraged her creative pursuits and helped provide a safe space in which to create.

How does someone go from isolation to a medium that asks you to share everything? And how did she manage her world once she got there? We talk to Kim-Joy and find out.

Pre-order Kim-Joy's new book, Bake Me A Cat: 50 Purrfect Recipes for Edible Kitty Cakes, Cookies and More!, at the bookstore of your choice. For more books, YouTube videos, and Kim-Joy's board game, Kim-Joy's Magic Bakery, visit her website at www.KimJoysKitchen.com. Follow Kim-Joy on Twitter @kimjoyskitchen and on Instagram @kimjoy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Holiday Survival for People With Complicated Minds

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Ksera Dyette, Megan Devine) — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year when tv commercials and store decorations implore you to feel merry and jolly (words we only use this time of year). And if you do feel that way without any complications or nuance, well, good on ya. But for people who live with depression, anxiety, problematic stress reactions, this season can be a real minefield.

We’re joined this week by two therapists who are also friends of the show.

Dr. Ksera Dyette talks about strategy come holiday time and how to protect yourself from toxic or problematic family members as you head into those visits. Megan Devine takes on the subject of grief and she has some notes of constructive criticism on the option of “I’ll just get super drunk and feel nothing.”

Learn more about Dr. Ksera Dyette by visiting her website, www.cupofteacounselling.org. Follow Dr. Dyette on her Instagram @cteacounselling and on TikTok @drdyette.

Learn more about Megan Devine and get your copy of her book, It's OK That You're Not OK by visiting her website, www.refugeingrief.com. Listen to Megan's podcast, Here After with Megan Devine, wherever fine podcasts are found.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Comics Creator Ellen Forney on Bipolar and a Monster Named Smedmerts

shows@maximumfun.org (Ellen Forney) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It wasn’t until her late twenties that Ellen Forney noticed that her friends couldn’t really keep up with her. Ellen had boundless energy that took the form of dancing for long stretches at home, smoking a lot of pot, vibrating with intense sexuality, and latching on to new friends who were just as unrelentingly intense as she was. But to Ellen, this was just her living her best life. It wasn’t until these episodes were followed by intense, debilitating crashes of depression that she thought something might be wrong here. A psychiatrist walked her through the various symptoms of bipolar disorder and, despite a heap of early denial, Ellen arrived at an understanding that this was a condition she had. From there, it was a long road of treatments to get her stable.

Ellen Forney tells her story and the plan she developed for herself and others to take care of mental health. It involves a monster named Smedmerts (she is a cartoonist so of course she drew Smedmerts), whose name is a helpful acronym.

Get your copy of Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice From My Bipolar Life, as well as Marbles and Ellen's other books, by visiting her website, EllenForney.com. Follow Ellen on Twitter @ellen_forney and on Instagram @ellen_forney.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Power of Story in Shaping Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (Rachel Aviv, Laura House) — Mon, 5 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There is no shortage of self-help books in the world positing that the human mind can be explained, that there is a tidy order to things and a discernible reason why everything happens. These are books that claim to have answers. Rachel Aviv’s new book, Strangers to Ourselves, goes in the opposite direction. Through a series of profiles, she presents people and their behavior that defy easy explanations and who produce more questions than answers. Does Ray represent the triumph of medication over talk therapy or is his story more complex? Is Bapu experiencing religious ecstasy or schizophrenia? Ultimately, Rachel Aviv shows how any understanding of a person with a mental disorder shouldn’t begin and end with a one-word diagnosis because there are so many stories to be told.

Get your copy of Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us wherever books are sold. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachelAviv.

Read Rachel's most recent pieces for The New Yorker by going to: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/rachel-aviv

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Whimsy and Depth of Depressed Cake Shop

shows@maximumfun.org (Valerie Van Galder, Sascha Biesi) — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

I mean, even before you see the baked goods available at Depressed Cake Shop, the name alone is good for a laugh. Because what could be less depressing than a cake shop? And then you see the storm cloud cookies or the cupcakes with gray frosting and the joke gets even funnier. The world of depression? It can be pretty hilarious at times. Depressed Cake Shop isn’t fixed to one location, rather it’s a series of pop-up shops selling funny/bleak sweets to benefit local mental health charities. We speak with Valerie Van Galder, the CEO of the organization that helps make all the little shops possible.

We also meet Sascha Biesi, co-owner of Skull and Cakebones, a bakery near Austin, Texas that has been hosting Depressed Cake Shops every May for years. And we get Sascha’s own story of a life struggling with depression, bipolar losses, and devastating grief.

Both Sascha and Valerie also talk about the connection between mental illness, baking, art, and drawing people together.

Go to DepressedCakeShop.org to learn more, get involved, and bear witness to the cakes! Follow Depressed Cake Shop on Twitter @depressedcake, Instagram @depressedcakeshop, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DepressedCakeShop.

Visit the Skull & Cakebones website at www.skullandcakebones.com or visit the bakery at 3991 E Hwy 290 A, Unit A, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Psychedelically Tripping Out For Your Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (John Semley, Valerie Moffat) — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Granted, there have been people very high on the prospects of psychedelics for a long time as a means of achieving better mental health. But these folks didn’t appear in scientific and medical circles so much as they appeared in drum circles. Things are different now, with very promising research and results being reported on the ability of these drugs to kind of un-stick one’s mind and achieve a better state of mental health.

We talk with freelance reporter and researcher John Semley, who has been reporting on the gold rush among scientists and pharma companies to create and patent new drugs. We find out when these treatments might be available in clinical settings for the general public and when you can pick some up at your local Walgreen’s.

The High-Stakes Race to Engineer New Psychedelic Drugs by John Semley in Wired

Follow John Semley on Twitter @johnsemley3000.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Kristin Hersh Wanted to Play Magenta Chords

shows@maximumfun.org (Kristin Hersh) — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Kristin Hersh is an acclaimed and accomplished musician and songwriter through her solo work and as part of the bands Throwing Muses and 50 Foot Wave. When Kristin Hersh was young, her father, Dude (that’s what everyone calls him), taught her some basic chords on the guitar. And that was fine but to Kristin, Dude was just showing her the red, blue, and green chords whereas she wanted to learn, like turquoise, burgundy, and magenta chords. Synesthesia has always been part of Kristin’s approach to music, she sees sound as color. Another more alarming aspect of her music was that for many years she didn’t really remember performing. She was mentally present between songs and all the rest of her day but when it came time to play the song, it was like someone else was doing it while Kristin just went... elsewhere.

We talk about those phenomena as well as trauma, car accidents, babies, misdiagnosed bipolar disorder, and her journey of mental health discovery.

Kristin’s web site - https://www.kristinhersh.com/

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jason Kander on War, Politics, and PTSD

shows@maximumfun.org (Laura House, Jason Kander) — Mon, 7 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Jason Kander had heard of post-traumatic stress disorder. He just didn’t think he had it. After all, he hadn’t been in any firefights while stationed in wartime Afghanistan, he had merely worked as an intelligence officer. And even though that job put him in positions of tremendous vulnerability where he may have to kill or be killed in an instant, it never occurred to him that he was experiencing trauma.

So when Jason got back stateside and remained hypervigilant, was destroyed by night terrors, patrolled his house with a gun, and was generally a mess, he figured it was something that would soon go away. As he waited for that to happen, he climbed the ranks of Democratic politics, eventually being told by Barack Obama that he should consider running for the highest office in the land.

But you can’t run from mental illness forever. It catches you. It caught Jason in the middle of a race for Mayor of Kansas City. That’s when he hit bottom and got help. It’s a story told in his new book, Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and PTSD.

Get your copy of Jason's book, Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and PTSD, wherever books are sold. Listen to Majority 54, Jason's podcast with Ravi Gupta, wherever fine pods are cast. Visit Jason Kander's website at JasonKander.com. Follow Jason on Twitter @JasonKander and on Instagram @jasonkander.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Tabitha Soren on Photography, Panic Attacks, and Overwhelming Grief

shows@maximumfun.org (Tabitha Soren) — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

People are many things. Tabitha Soren became famous for her conversations with star musicians of the 90’s during her stint on MTV News. But that’s not who she is anymore. Tabitha is, among many things, a mother grieving the loss of her daughter, Dixie, in a 2021 car accident. She talks about the challenge of having to come up with words to talk about Dixie and what her family has been through in the last year and a half. And she talks about the inspiration she stills draws from the life Dixie led. Tabitha is also a successful and acclaimed artist, working within the medium of photography to create pieces that are vibrant, complex, and multi-layered in both the literal and figurative sense.

And yeah, she is still the same person who had a front row seat to important musical moments. She fills us in on what it was like to be an extra in the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right” music video. It involved cream pies that were far from fresh.

For more information and Tabitha's photography, visit her website at TabithaSoren.com. Follow Tabitha on Twitter @tabithasoren and on Instagram @tabithasoren.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Surgeon General Wants Your Boss To Build You a Healthier Workplace

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Vivek Murthy) — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, is serving his second non-consecutive term as U.S. Surgeon General, having previously served under President Obama. Dr. Murthy’s office has issued a Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace. It’s a set of guidelines aimed at reducing burnout at work and promoting positive mental health:

1. Protection from Harm
2. Connection and Community
3. Work-Life Harmony
4. Mattering at Work
5. Opportunity for Growth

But the framework isn’t really aimed at employees as much as it is aimed at employers. Management has the power to create better environments, retain more employees, attract new ones, and increase productivity.

We talk with the Surgeon General about the challenge and opportunity employees and employers face and how realistic these goals are. We also get into the effect of social media on our collective mental health and the ongoing problem of loneliness in America.

Read the Surgeon General's Workplace Well-Being framework in full here: www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Song Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway Becomes a Creative Block Exploder

shows@maximumfun.org (Hrishikesh Hirway) — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

If you’re a fan of the podcast Song Exploder, and a whole lot of people are, you know that it’s all about creativity. A musician walks the audience through the components of their song and the inspirations and decisions that went into forming those parts as they came together as a whole. Meanwhile, Hrishikesh Hirway, creator of the show, drops in separated tracks so you can follow the story.

It’s somewhat surprising then that Hrishi, a musician himself, was unable to write a song for years, even during the run of his show that so many other people find inspirational. Any idea he would get would be shot down by the negative voices in his brain, which told him that anything he made was bound to suck, that he had no business even attempting music.

Finally, an invitation came from musician Jenny Owen Youngs to collaborate on a song for her podcast about Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The pressure was off and Jenny’s belief in Hrishi’s talent was enough to break through those horrible voices.

Hrishikesh Hirway has a new single, Still Dreaming, out October 19th, and he’s on tour with Jenny Owen Youngs.

For music, tour dates, podcasts, and more information, visit Hrishikesh Hirway's website at hrishikesh.co. Follow Hrishi on Twitter @HrishiHirway and on Instagram @hrishihirway.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John’s acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Hilarious World of Depression, a memoir

shows@maximumfun.org (Mary Devorak) — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

A lot of people think of clinical depression as a condition wherein the patient lies in bed immobilized with sadness and despair. And sure, it can present that way. But depression can show up in a lot of other ways too, including road rage, which John details in a harrowing and darkly funny chapter of his memoir. Learn why frat bros in fancy trucks set off a potentially dangerous episode at the city dump.

We also hear about John finally getting help for his depression at the urging of his wife after a great deal of resistance. John experiences the unexpected joy and exhilaration of being told he has a chronic mental illness.

And we check in on a role-playing game in the Dungeons & Dragons tradition that’s helping teenagers navigate therapy.

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250209566/thehilariousworldofdepression

Learn more about Mary Devorak and Dungeons & Dragons therapy here: https://taggsummit.org/using-rpgs-with-family-systems/

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Kevin Love: All-Star in the NBA and in Destigmatization

shows@maximumfun.org (Kevin Love, Laura House) — Mon, 3 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

From a very early age, Kevin Love was great at sports. He had the talent, the size, and, most of all, he loved playing basketball. In this way, he was just like his father, Stan, who played in the NBA long ago. But with high achievement comes more pressure than Kevin was ready to handle and depression and anxiety came calling.

As Kevin’s career progressed - scholarship player at UCLA, 5th overall pick in the NBA draft, All-Star selections, an NBA championship - he waited for the next big achievement to solve his mental health problems. He didn’t realize that mental health doesn’t work that way. It took an on-court panic attack during a game against Atlanta to get him the help he finally needed. Now, 34 and a respected veteran in the league, he’s telling his story in order to help players and non-players alike.

Find out more about Kevin's mental health advocacy work by visiting KevinLoveFund.org.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Mental Health Expert Says YOU are a Mental Health Expert

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Ken Duckworth) — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

You Are Not Alone: the NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health is a deep and thorough look at mental health and mental illness as they are experienced by people from all walks of life. The book’s author, Dr. Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, interviewed 130 people who have dealt with trauma, depression, psychosis, OCD, and just about any other mental disorder you can think of. He hadn’t intended to talk to so many but it was all too fascinating to stop. He says it was only a book deadline that prevented him from talking to 130 more. Ken contends that there are two kinds of experts: the ones who get advanced degrees and career achievements in psychiatry and psychology and the ones who become experts by living through mental health situations.

In this interview with Depresh Mode, Ken talks about the vast knowledge and wisdom we can gain from one another and how the new societal openness about mental health is creating a better world.

We also talk about Bigfoot.

Get your copy of You Are Not Alone: the NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health wherever books are sold. Learn more about the National Alliance on Mental Illness by visiting nami.org.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Annie Weisman on Bulimia, Television, Catharsis, and Rude Internal Monologues

shows@maximumfun.org (Annie Weisman) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Eating disorders are, unfortunately, pretty common. It’s also pretty common to experience shame and anxiety about them and thus suffer in silence. Annie Weisman is a veteran playwright and television writer and producer. From her late teens to age 30, Annie dealt with bulimia. She was binging and purging and not telling anyone. Even after she got help for the condition (she now considers herself to be recovered), she kept quiet about that part of her history. That is, until she made a TV show called Physical, which debuted last year.

In this interview, Annie Weisman talks about taking on the most painful mental health experiences of her life and translating them into this show, which stars Rose Byrne as a character not precisely based on Annie but with a lot in common. She also talks about the pain of keeping the bulimia a secret and the pain of those around her when they finally found out.

Watch the first two seasons of Physical on Apple TV+. Follow Annie Weisman on Twitter @mrsanniemac and on Instagram @annieweisman.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Dr. Laurie Santos on How to Get More Happiness

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Laurie Santos) — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Helpful Links:

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jonathan Ames, Detectives, and Your Own Mysteries

shows@maximumfun.org (Jonathan Ames, Laura House) — Mon, 5 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

It used to be that Jonathan Ames read and wrote all kinds of books. But somewhere along the line everything but detective novels kind of fell away and now that’s pretty much his thing. His big project these days is a detective series, featuring private eye Happy Doll, a 50-year-old Angeleno who tries to solve cases and not get killed in the process.

Ames says we relate to detective stories because we’re all constantly trying to solve our own mysteries. That’s hard in real life, to put it mildly. But when we know a book has 250 pages, we also know that by the time those pages are read, we will have some answers.

Get your copy of Jonathan Ames' latest book, The Wheel of Doll, out September 6th, 2022, wherever books are sold.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Lola Kirke on Body Image, Music, Acting, and Being a Lady For Sale

shows@maximumfun.org (Lola Kirke) — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Maybe you, dear podcast listener, put on a couple of pounds during COVID. You were home more because there weren’t as many other places to go. You just weren’t as active. That was the case with actor and singer Lola Kirke, who describes this period of cocooning at home as being a time she was very happy.

But chances are you weren’t prevented from working in your chosen field as a result of that body change. Lola Kirke was.

Lola has starred in television shows like Mozart in the Jungle and in movies like Gone Girl and Mistress America. She’s really good at acting, acclaimed by critics, loved by audiences, she’s at the top of her game. But she says her team of agents and managers have told her that she’s a leading lady and needs to lose weight if she wants those parts.

Meanwhile, Lola poured her heart and soul into her new album, Lady For Sale, only to find that it didn’t meet with the reception she was hoping for.

While Lola has observed eating disorders in people close to her, she says she’s never experienced it herself. She was however, dealt with depression, recently emerging from an extended down cycle.

We hear from Lola about being a brand, a commodity, a lady for sale.

Get your copy of or listen to Lola Kirke's new album Lady For Sale on the music service of your choice. Visit Lola Kirke's website at LolaKirkeMusic.com. Follow Lola on Twitter @LolaKirke and on Instagram @lolakirke.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Elizabeth Ito on Anxiety, Art, and Things You Can’t Control

shows@maximumfun.org (Elizabeth Ito) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000

You really should watch City of Ghosts. It’s on Netflix, six episodes long, and it’s a delightful and important exploration of Los Angeles, cultures, and how we manage history. City of Ghosts also happens to be, at least at first glance, a show for children. It’s animated and features a group of kid characters who fan out across L.A. to interview and record the ghosts that live there. It’s guileless and smart and often very funny.

Elizabeth Ito created the show. She wanted to create something less intense and anxious for her son, who often got overwhelmed by children’s shows. She also wanted to pay tribute to her hometown and the people and cultures that have been there. You can tell City of Ghosts comes from the heart.

Unfortunately, the show was canceled after just one season. Then it won the prestigious Peabody Award. And all of this made for a tremendous emotional roller coaster for Elizabeth, who is prone to anxiety and depression.

She joins us to talk about the need to create and the wringer that being an artist in the practical world puts her through.

Watch City of Ghosts on Netflix. Watch Mall Stories, Welcome to My Life, and Elizabeth's Peabody victory dance video at her website, ElizabethIto.com. Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @kikutowne and on Instagram @ottersnaps.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Gaby Dunn on Bipolar Disorder, Gender, Sexuality, and Personal Finance

shows@maximumfun.org (Gaby Dunn) — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Gaby Dunn is well-known to podcast audiences for her shows Just Between Us, co-hosted by Allison Raskin, and Bad With Money with Gaby Dunn. They’re well-known to readers for books like I Hate Everyone But You and Bury the Lede and articles in The New York Times and Buzzfeed.

But Gaby Dunn hasn’t always been well-known to Gaby Dunn. Raised in Florida, where talk about sexual orientation was scarce and talk about transgenderism was non-existent, Gaby had a long journey to figure out who they were in terms of orientation and gender. And then there were problematic hypomanic episodes that landed Gaby in Paris on a whim, broke and with no clear plan for what comes next.

Gaby shares with us the story of figuring out that what was happening in terms of mental health was bipolar 2, which doesn’t feature the extreme mania of bipolar 1 but can still be incredibly destructive. As Gaby recovered and found their bearings, they channeled their learning into helping other people find their bearings in regard to money.

Listen to Bad With Money with Gaby Dunn and Just Between Us wherever fine pods are cast. Get Gaby's books, Stimulus Wreck, I Hate Everyone But You and Please Send Help... (with Allison Raskin), Bury the Lede (with Miguel Muerto and Claire Roe), and Bad With Money wherever books are sold. Listen to Gaby's audio drama, Apocalypse Untreated, on Audible. Follow Gaby on Instagram @gabyroad and on TikTok @dabygunn.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Tom Scharpling on Suicidal Ideation, Depression, In-Patient Care, ECT, and Memory Loss

shows@maximumfun.org (Tom Scharpling) — Mon, 8 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Within the comedy world, Tom Scharpling is known as a bit of a Swiss Army Knife. He’s the host of the long running Best Show, online now and on WFMU before that. He’s a veteran TV writer on shows like Monk and What We Do In The Shadows. He directs music videos. Now he’s a book writer, with the memoir It Never Ends. In that book and in our interview, he tells stories of his own mental health journey that he’s never shared with an audience before.

Tom started running into trouble with depression when he was around ten years old, which evolved into two hospital stays, the second of which involved electroconvulsive therapy. That treatment wiped out the depression but wiped out a big chunk of his memory in the process.

Get your copy of Tom's memoir It Never Ends: A Memoir With Nice Memories! at www.tomwroteabook.com or wherever books are found. Follow Tom on Twitter @scharpling.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jamie Lee Curtis: Self-Professed Dope Fiend of Show-off Business

shows@maximumfun.org (Jamie Lee Curtis) — Mon, 1 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000

We talk to Jamie about how she got hooked, how she sustained the habit, and how she carried on a perfectly successful movie star life without anyone catching on. Until they did catch on.

Listen to Letters from Camp, now on its third and final season, at Audible.com. Follow Jamie Lee Curtis on Twitter @jamieleecurtis and on Instagram @curtisleejamie.

Jamie's Gifts to John:

"When things go unexamined for a long enough time, certain things happen. They become very very powerful. They create conformity. They intimidate." - E.L. Doctorow

"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." - The Dread Pirate Roberts, The Princess Bride

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Open Mike Eagle, the Former Obfuscating Mike Eagle

shows@maximumfun.org (Open Mike Eagle) — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Issues of depression and anxiety have been present in Open Mike Eagle's raps for a long time. His most played track on Spotify is "Ziggy Starfish (Anxiety Raps)" and it's from 2015. Mike has always been more prone to self-effacement and worry than to the boasting and swagger you might find in other hip-hop artists. But after a year that saw him lose his tv show, his touring income, his marriage, and his home, Mike became more open than ever before and hit record on all of it. His album, Anime, Trauma and Divorce, touches on his experiences and the psychological narratives of his life.

Listen to or buy your copy of Anime, Trauma, and Divorce here. Find out more about Open Mike Eagle, his music, tour dates, and his podcasts at his website, mikeeagle.net. Join his Patreon and follow him on Twitter @Mike_Eagle and Instagram @open_mike_eagle.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe

Shane Koyczan Says Sometimes “Bullying” Is Just Assault

shows@maximumfun.org (Shane Koyczan, Laura House) — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Even if you’re not completely aware of Shane Koyczan’s poem “To This Day”, at least 25 million other people are. That’s how many views the YouTube video of the poem has as of the time we made this episode. It’s not just a great poem, it strikes a nerve. “To This Day” talks in a very direct and meaningful way about the effects of bullying and how people can carry it with them from the playground deep into adulthood. Because, many times, it’s not just kids messing around, it’s actual assault or emotional abuse or a kind of terrorism that can fall under the category of trauma.

Shane was bullied from a very young age and had a hard time making friends throughout his childhood. He also had a key ally: his grandmother Loretta, who encouraged him to write things down. When he reached university, he found more encouragement for his writing and his talent bloomed.

Today, Shane is a successful writer and a person with depression and a performer who has had a hard time getting by during the pandemic.

In this episode, Shane Koyczan shares a poem about his grandmother that left us speechless.

Find out more about Shane Koyczan at his website, ShaneKoyczan.com. Listen to "To This Day" on Shane's Youtube channel, Youtube.com/ShaneKoyczan. Follow Shane on Twitter @Koyczan and on Instagram @shane_koyczan.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jamie Loftus Wasn’t a Budding Journalist, She Had Friggin’ OCD

shows@maximumfun.org (Jamie Loftus, Laura House) — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Right now, in Jamie Loftus’s childhood home in Brockton, Mass., there are dozens, maybe hundreds of notebooks in storage boxes. They’re from second grade up through middle school and each of the notebooks is filled, cover to cover, with detailed descriptions of where she was and what was happening: who was there, what were they wearing, what was on the walls. The descriptions are all written in a shorthand Jamie developed and that no one else could read. At the time, the adults in her life thought this indicated that she was a budding reporter. But no, it was obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Over time, her OCD would evolve into self-harm and put her in the emergency room. That’s where she found a doctor who understood her and could help.

Today, Jamie stays aware of her OCD tendency as she experiences a booming career in comedy and, yes, journalism, through her stage performances and podcasts. She says that she’s able to better control the same world that used to be so much more chaotic.

Find out more about Jamie Loftus's podcasts, comedy, videos, and writing on her website JamieLoftus.xyz. Follow Jamie on Twitter @jamieloftusHELP and on Instagram @jamiechristsuperstar.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Justin McElroy: My Anxiety, My Anxiety, and Me

shows@maximumfun.org (Justin McElroy, Laura House) — Mon, 4 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000

This episode of Depresh Mode with John Moe came about as part of a challenge to our listeners: if we reached our member goal during the last Max Fun Drive, we’d make and release an episode with Justin McElroy. We hit the goal, here it is. Of course, making that goal can be and was a pretty nervous-making enterprise. There’s more than a bit of anxiety involved.

Appropriately to that proposition, anxiety is something our guest knows well.

Justin is one of three McElroy brothers hosting the comedy advice podcast, My Brother, My Brother, and Me, a long-running hit here on Maximum Fun. He’s also a person who has struggled with an anxiety disorder for a long time. He talks about the disorder flaring up especially fiercely during times of great stress in his life, including during his wife’s pregnancy, and not so stressful times, such as simply trying to gather quotes as a newspaper reporter.

Listen to My Brother, My Brother, and Me, Sawbones, The Adventure Zone, and all things McElroy on the podcatcher of your choice. Visit the McElroy Family on their website, themcelroy.family. Follow Justin on Twitter @JustinMcElroy and on Instagram @justinmcelroy.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Faith Salie Was Miss Aphrodite, Then Things Got Complicated

shows@maximumfun.org (Faith Salie, Laura House) — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The CBS News Sunday Morning commentator, Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me panelist, and veteran actor had all the approval and validation one could want early in her life. She was a pageant winner, Harvard grad, and Rhodes Scholar by the time she went to Los Angeles to make it in film and television. But the vagaries of the entertainment industry, the death of her mother, and an unsuccessful marriage showed her that there’s only so much you can prepare and study for. Faith talks about her experiences with anorexia, depression, and eventually finding love and family. We also discuss approval, specifically who you seek it from and why.

Get your copy of Faith Salie's book, Approval Junkie: My Heartfelt (And Occasionally Inappropriate) Quest to Please Just About Everyone, and Ultimately Myself, wherever books are sold. Listen to the Off-Broadway production of Approval Junkie on Audible. For more information, visit www.FaithSalie.com. Follow Faith Salie on Twitter @Faith_Salie and on Instagram @faithsalie.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Is Tim Heidecker Depressed or Does He Just Sing About It Very Accurately?

shows@maximumfun.org (Tim Heidecker) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000

It’s not actually all that hard to tell when Tim Heidecker is kidding and when he’s not, but it does take a little bit of practice. When he’s performing on shows like Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! or Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories, it’s comedy. When he acts in comedic movies, sure, that’s comedy as well. But on albums such as his new one, High School, you don’t need to listen carefully for the punchline because there isn’t one. He’s not trying to fake you out with his music, he’s giving it you straight as a singer/songwriter with a bit of a 1970’s sheen to it.

Tim says he’s never been diagnosed with depression but he’s had some rough times. He talks about losing close friends to drugs and alcohol and he talks about an incident several years ago when he got stabbed by someone he knew.

We talk to Tim about comedy, tragedy, and whether a clinical diagnosis of a particular disorder is really all that necessary when dealing with the dark parts of life.

Pre-order Tim Heidecker's new album High School, out June 24, 2022 on Spacebomb Records, here. For tour dates and more information, visit Tim's website at www.timheidecker.com. Follow Tim on Twitter @timheidecker and on TikTok @timheideckermusic.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Stories That David Sedaris is Finally Free to Tell

shows@maximumfun.org (David Sedaris, Laura House) — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000

There are still plenty of laughs in the interview because, come on, it’s David Sedaris, but there’s also pain and melancholy that you might not have heard from him before.

Get your copy of David Sedaris' Happy-Go-Lucky wherever books are sold.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Ginny Hogan Has More Mental Health Issues Than a Plate of Refried Beans Does

shows@maximumfun.org (Ginny Hogan, Laura House) — Mon, 6 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Comedian and writer Ginny Hogan got interested in standup comedy when she was in her twenties and working at a tech startup in San Francisco. Soon she was hooked on comedy. And alcohol. She got hooked on alcohol as well. The comedy was definitely more positive and healthy than the alcohol.

In this interview, Ginny recounts a habit she developed for getting drunk, picking up a little extra wine to take with her, and then spending the night walking the streets of San Francisco and New York with headphones on. We also talk about her experiences with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and ADHD, and she speculates on which of those might a symptom of which other ones.

Ginny is sober now and in recovery and she can have some hard-won laughs about those days. She’s also dating once in a while, which she says is a different kind of thing when you’re sober compared to when you’re not. She writes a lot about the often strange and confusing world of dating in her new book, a collection of essays called I’m More Dateable Than a Plate of Refried Beans.

After you hear the interview, come on back here to catch her standup hour:

https://youtu.be/NnFTAYIhdy8

For tour dates and more information, visit Ginny's Linktree at linktr.ee/ginnyhogan or her website: www.ginnyhogancomedy.com. Follow Ginny on Twitter @ginnyhogan_.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jamie Tworkowski of To Write Love On Her Arms

shows@maximumfun.org (Jamie Tworkowski, Laura House) — Mon, 30 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Jamie never expected to be a mental health advocate. He was working in the industry that had always been his dream career: surfing apparel. But things changed after several days spent taking care of a young woman he didn’t know, who was struggling with suicidal thoughts, substance use disorder, and self-harm. Renee had carved the word “fuckup” onto her arms but couldn’t get into a treatment facility for several days. Jamie’s essay about their time together became a viral sensation on MySpace, which led the way to t-shirt sales to help fund Renee’s recovery. From there, the essay became a large, successful mental health advocacy non-profit.

Jamie tells that story as well as why he ultimately left TWLOHA, how he perseveres through bleak suicide statistics, and what he’s doing about a recent breakup.

Visit Jamie's website at JamieTworkowski.com. Follow Jamie on Twitter @jamietworkowski and on Instagram @jamietworkowski. Check out Jamie's new clothing company Needs An Ocean at NeedsAnOcean.com. To learn more about To Write Love On Her Arms and to read Jamie's original story, visit twloha.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Maggie Smith on Despair, Hope, Divorce, and Poetry

shows@maximumfun.org (Maggie Smith, Laura House) — Mon, 23 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Right now, in our society, there is so much to be anxious about. There are many factors that could lead one to feel depressed and defeated. If one already has a tendency toward anxiety and depression, that path can be even shorter. But as a member of that society, one must look for hope anyway. It’s that dynamic relationship between despair and hope that led us to reach out to Maggie Smith. The American poet Maggie Smith, not the British actor Maggie Smith.

Maggie is the author of several volumes of poetry and her work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Paris Review, the New York Times, and the Best American Poetry anthology. She became very well known in 2016 when her poem “Good Bones”, about the bleakness of the present and the possibility of a better future, became a viral hit.

In this interview, she talks about her anxious childhood, the pessimism people knew her for as an adult, a divorce that changed her significantly, and how to unleash your inner weirdness for the benefit of yourself and your writing.

For books, events, and more poems, visit Maggie's website at www.MaggieSmithPoet.com. Follow Maggie on Twitter @maggiesmithpoet.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Language of Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (Helen Zaltzman, Dr. Ksera Dyette) — Mon, 16 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The English language is constantly growing and evolving, and so is our usage of that language. We don’t refer to people with mental illness as “lunatics” anymore. At least we shouldn’t. But there was a time when that was a commonly accepted term.

Even language that we think to be more enlightened can fall out of favor. Person-first terminology has become popular in recent years. That’s where you don’t say “Tom has depression.” You say, “Tom is a person with depression,” in an effort to convey that Tom is a person above anything else. But the person-first has detractors as well, who argue, among other things, that one’s personhood shouldn’t require reiteration and that doing so could call it into question.

We’re joined by Helen Zaltzman noted wordsmith and host of The Allusionist podcast. And we speak with Dr. Ksera Dyette, a therapist in practice in Boston.

Listen to The Allusionist podcast wherever fine pods are cast. Follow Helen Zaltzman on Twitter @HelenZaltzman and on Instagram @helenzaltzman. Learn more about Dr. Ksera Dyette and Cup of Tea Counselling by visiting beacons.ai/cteacounselling. Follow Dr. Dyette on Instagram @cteacounselling and on TikTok @drdyette.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Shamir Hits It Big in Music, Looks for Retail Jobs

shows@maximumfun.org (Shamir) — Mon, 9 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

A lot of people listen to Shamir’s music, and have since he was 19 years old and his songs began circulating. People listen for the innovative arrangements, the poetic lyrics, and the artist’s unique singing voice. The music has been described as house-hop, disco, and indie-pop.

Shamir pays a lot of attention to the music as well. He’s listening to make sure he’s staying true to himself. He wants to make certain that what he’s creating forms an accurate portrait of who he is. This conviction, this personal requirement to stay true to himself, has helped guide Shamir through depression, self-doubt, bipolar disorder, and a psychotic break.

In this episode, Shamir walks us through his career and the challenges he has faced along the way.

For tour dates, music, and more, visit Shamir's Bandcamp at shamir.bandcamp.com. Follow Shamir on Twitter @ShamirBailey and on Instagram @shamir326.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

S.E. Cupp, Panic Attacks, Breakdowns, and Making New Boundaries

shows@maximumfun.org (S.E. Cupp) — Mon, 2 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Current events in the world today can be a lot to deal with even as a regular person. You got war in Ukraine, anti-democracy and pro-Putin forces in a major political party, a movement against LGBTQ and trans people, COVID, and environmental worries to name just a few things. And it might be even more intense if you’re one of the people producing the news. S.E. Cupp has to follow the news very closely, it’s part of her job at CNN and as a newspaper columnist. But she says the close proximity to things like the war in Syria and school shootings have taken their toll on her and she hasn’t always had a great strategy for managing that kind of potentially traumatic stress. S.E. was in line in a store last summer, just out running errands, when she checked her Twitter feed and saw a kid on a ventilator. That sight was the final straw and she had a terrifying panic attack that wounded her mind pretty severely. She’s more functional now, though she says she’ll never be the same. And that experience has prompted her to make some big changes in how she approaches something like social media.

It is week 2 of MAX FUN DRIVE! Now is your chance to support Depresh Mode so it can keep happening!

To entice you, we are offering:

The satisfaction of helping make this show, which helps people, possible!
Access to SLEEPING WITH CELEBRITIES, our star-studded sleep aid mega-episode! It features beloved voices like John Hodgman, Peter Sagal, Janet Varney, Jordan Morris and Jesse Thorn, and more talking about the most boring stuff imaginable. You can put it on, let it soothe you with it’s lack of drama and surprises, and drift off to sleep!
A one-of-a-kind Depresh Mode patch featuring Oops Nope, our official Depresh Mode mascot!
Hats, messenger bags, and so much more!
Go to maximumfun.org/join, find a level that works for you, and join us RIGHT NOW! Exclamation points!

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats on Anxiety, Violence, Drugs, Youth in Peril, and TikTok

shows@maximumfun.org (John Darnielle) — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The singer, songwriter, guitarist, and acclaimed author John Darnielle is one of the more prolific creative forces you’re likely to run across. He’s released 20 full-length studio albums, plus a mess of EPs, tapes, and singles over his 25-plus years of recording. And he’s written three novels in recent years as well.

In this interview, John talks about his interest in written material about violence and horror and what he thinks might be behind society’s stronger than ever fascination with true crime. We also hear about his experiences on drugs, his need to get off drugs to avoid going to prison, and his modern relationship with wine at parties, which has a connection to his lifelong relationship with anxiety.

Learn about a nervous party experience with John Hodgman and why he also makes sure to have lunch with John Hodgman at every opportunity, even if he has a full schedule. Yep, John Darnielle, in conversation with John Moe, talks about John Hodgman. So many Johns. It’s a Johnslaught. They form a Johntourage.

OH AND ALSO it’s the very beginning of our annual MAX FUN DRIVE! Now is your chance to support Depresh Mode so it can keep happening!

To entice you, we are offering:

The satisfaction of helping make this show, which helps people, possible!
Access to SLEEPING WITH CELEBRITIES, our star-studded sleep aid mega-episode! It features beloved voices like John Hodgman, Peter Sagal, Janet Varney, Jordan Morris and Jesse Thorn, and more talking about the most boring stuff imaginable. You can put it on, let it soothe you with it’s lack of drama and surprises, and drift off to sleep!
A one-of-a-kind Depresh Mode patch featuring Oops Nope, our official Depresh Mode mascot!
Hats, messenger bags, and so much more!
Go to maximumfun.org/join, find a level that works for you, and join us RIGHT NOW! Exclamation points!

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Sarah and Nippy Sought Self-Improvement, Ended Up in a Cult

shows@maximumfun.org (Sarah Edmondson, Anthony "Nippy" Ames) — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Sarah Edmonson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames were doing okay in life. They were healthy, they were working, and, like a lot of people, they were looking for more success. So when they were introduced to some self-help courses called the Executive Success Program, they gave it a shot. When it seemed to be working pretty well, naturally, they stuck with it.

The group they ended up in, pronounced “nexium” but spelled in unpronounceable capital letters, manipulated that desire for success and happiness, eventually consuming the time, money, and lives of the people who joined. Members were made to follow the charismatic leader, Keith Raniere, as though he were a divine figure. You could move up in rank and wear special symbolic sashes. Many members were encouraged to move to Albany to live together and be near Raniere.

From the introduction to this episode:

“I’ve always been fascinated by the mental health aspect of cult membership. How was someone doing, psychologically, before they joined up? What happened to their mind during their time with the cult. And how their mental health was after being in a group like that. I think it’s comforting to think, well, I could never be sucked into something like that, I’m too smart and aware. But I think a lot of us feel psychologically incomplete at times. Adrift. In some form of peril. I know I do. And if someone charismatic comes along, welcomes you, seems to be able to help, how can you not listen?”

Sarah's resources can be found at SarahEdmondson.com/Resources. Listen to the A Little Bit Culty podcast wherever pods are cast. Get your copy of Sarah's book Scarred wherever books are sold. Follow Sarah and Nippy on Instagram @sarahedmondson and @anthonyames11.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Now We’re Two Years Into Covid and Burnout Has Gotten So Much Worse

shows@maximumfun.org (Jennifer Moss) — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

41% of people are planning to quit their jobs in the next three months. 41%!

We first tackled the topic of employee burnout a year ago and much has happened since then: a bunch of variants, restrictions being lifted and reset, and an event known as The Great Resignation, where more people have quit their jobs than ever before.

And now we’re starting to see the effects of prolonged work-from-home jobs and from employers who are doing little or nothing to address burnout. We’re seeing a blurring of lines between job and life, an old work system we’re never going back to, and people who just can’t take it anymore. They’re quitting their jobs, often with no new job to go to, because they are flat out done.

What about you? How can you detect burnout and what can you do to solve it? How much of it is even yours to solve and what should fall to your boss. And where do we go from here?

Jennifer Moss is a burnout expert who fought burnout herself when writing her book, The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It. She tells us about innovative approaches that companies like HP are taking and how other employers are giving out football tickets and hoping for the best.

Visit Jennifer Moss’ website here. Get your copy of her book, The Burnout Epidemic, wherever books are sold. Follow her on Twitter @JenLeighMoss.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

You’re Wrong About ADHD with Sarah Marshall from You’re Wrong About

shows@maximumfun.org (Sarah Marshall) — Mon, 4 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

For people who have never lived with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the condition can be seen pretty simply. They might think it means the person can’t concentrate on anything, that they can’t focus on much of anything. But for the writer and podcast host Sarah Marshall - and for many like her - it’s not that simple. She grew up with the issue of being very focused on things she cared about and not caring so much about the aspects of school that didn’t intrigue her. Eventually she was diagnosed with what was then referred to as attention deficit disorder (ADD) and given what she refers to as “homework pills.”

Later in life, she became intensely interested in researching and picking apart the case of Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, who, like Marshall, was from the Portland area. On her hit show, You’re Wrong About, Marshall continues to do intense, highly concentrated analyses of historical events that other people, who don’t pay as much attention, might misunderstand.

In the introduction of this episode, John talks about a college freshman whose ADHD manifested in a similar way. In his case, it meant typing just ridiculously fast, as you can see in the video below.

Typing 220 WPM For 15 seconds (100% accuracy Fast Typing Sounds)
Qualifying for a $1,000 typing tournament [200 WPM with Dvorak Keyboard]

Listen to Sarah Marshall's podcasts, You're Wrong About and You Are Good, wherever pods are cast. Visit Sarah's website at RememberSarahMarshall.com. Follow Sarah on Twitter @Remember_Sarah.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Dylan Marron Has Conversations With People Who Hate Him

shows@maximumfun.org (Dylan Marron) — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Online comments sections have become synonymous with cruelty, hatred, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, and the jerks who spew that kind of thing out. Most of us roll our eyes at that or, if at all possible, avoid even looking at that dispiriting part of the internet altogether. But Dylan Marron is not most of us. When his viral comedy videos led to strongly vitriolic comments aimed directly at Dylan, he started collecting those comments in what he called his Hate Folder. He wondered who these people were who were making them and what they were like in real life. This interest led to the podcast and book, Conversations With People Who Hate Me.

Dylan was able to trace the haters, often through publicly available Facebook accounts, and get many of them to agree to talk on the record. In conversation, his subjects were often revealed to be, if not always apologetic, at least complicated people.

In this episode, Dylan talks about what the comments and conversations have meant to his mental health and his view of the world.

Get your copy of Dylan's book, Conversations With People Who Hate Me wherever books are sold. Listen to Conversations With People Who Hate Me wherever pods are casted. Follow Dylan Marron on Twitter @dylanmarron, Instagram @dylanmarron, and on his Youtube channel.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Liz Scheier’s Mom Had Borderline Personality Disorder and Some Heavy Secrets

shows@maximumfun.org (Liz Scheier) — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

First time author Liz Scheier’s book, Never Simple, is aptly named. Liz had always known that her mom suffered from depression and anxiety but she didn’t know until her early twenties that borderline personality disorder was also part of her mother’s mental framework. BPD, according to Mayo Clinic, “impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others, causing problems functioning in everyday life. It includes self-image issues, difficulty managing emotions and behavior, and a pattern of unstable relationships.”

In practice, that meant threatening to have Liz followed around New York City, tracking down what hotels she stayed in and calling them to check in on her, and protecting Liz from basic truths like who her father was and the fact that Liz never had a birth certificate. Later in life, with Liz married and with a family of her own, her mother’s health deteriorates and her life unravels. And at that point, Liz, like many people dealing with a family member’s mental illness, tries to help as best she can while being unsure how much help is even possible.

Learn more about Borderline Personality Disorder here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/borderline-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20370237

Get your copy of Liz Scheier's memoir Never Simple wherever books are sold. Visit Liz's website at lizscheier.com. Follow Liz on Twitter @LizScheier.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Nick Kroll and Brandon Kyle Goodman Have Emotional Meetings with Human Resources

shows@maximumfun.org (Nick Kroll, Brandon Kyle Goodman) — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Human Resources, a spinoff of the Netflix show Big Mouth, is a very honest, truthful, and illuminating program about how mental and emotional health operate. It’s well-researched and displays depth and accuracy. And all of that might be surprising given that it’s full of extremely horny monsters, panicky mosquitoes, ambition gremlins and a ton of other cartoon creatures. And just so much extremely graphic talk about sex and bodily functions. So much, you guys. But the show is smart and anyone who has dealt with a mental health obstacle might spot something relatable in the show. We’re joined by Nick Kroll, co-creator of the show, and Brandon Kyle Goodman, a writer and consultant on it, both of whom also act in Human Resources. We find out how they took some fairly abstract mental health notions and turned them into cartoon characters.

Watch Human Resources on Netflix on March 18th and watch Big Mouth now. Follow Nick Kroll and Brandon Kyle Goodman on Twitter @nickkroll and @brandonkgood. Follow Nick on Instagram @nickkroll and check out Brandon Kyle Goodman's Messy Mondays at his Instagram @brandonkylegoodman.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Joel Kim Booster Is In A Pit

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 7 Mar 2022 10:29:41 +0000

It’s tempting to try to look for a reason why Joel Kim Booster, ordinarily a very funny and engaging person, feels dead inside, trapped in a persistent depressive state. His father recently died of COVID. The two hadn’t been very close (Joel’s dad was a conservative Christian, Joel is a gay Hollywood star) but were beginning to reconnect. You could point to the pandemic, which left Joel in an apartment he doesn’t like for extended periods.

But it’s just as easy to point to things that aren’t especially depressing about Joel’s situation. He’s got movie and TV deals, he’s taping an hour-long Netflix special, he has recently fallen in love, and he’s doing well enough that he’s about to buy a house.

The truth is that any of those factors might influence Joel’s mood and behavior but depression isn’t simple enough to be routinely caused or prevented by one’s fortune in the rest of life.

Depresh Mode host John Moe says this interview is the strongest representation of what depression is like that he’s done in all his years of interviewing people on the subject.

Visit Joel Kim Booster's website here. For tour dates, visit his Linktree. Follow Joel Kim Booster on Twitter @ihatejoelkim and on Instagram @ihatejoelkim. Watch his Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Patty Schemel Was Introduced to Bacardi and The Clash in the Same Moment

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 10:02:00 +0000

Drummers have different styles. Patty Schemel’s drumming has always been tight and precise but she plays hard and heavy, big thick beats that powered songs like “Miss World” and “Violet”. Her substance use was also hard and heavy, keeping pace with or exceeding the consumption of her peers in the Seattle music scene of the 90’s and of her band’s leader and frontwoman, Courtney Love. It started with alcohol and worked up to heroin and crack. In our interview with Patty, she details her career ascent and her substance descent and she sheds light on substance dependency. Even though her band was headlining festivals, even though she had lost her close friend, Kurt Cobain, to drugs and suicide, even though her band’s bassist, Kristen Pfaff, died of an overdose, she just kept using. And she kept using after being fired from the band and having 22 attempts at sobriety. But the 23rd time was the charm. Patty is sober, the author of the memoir Hit So Hard and subject of a documentary of the same name, and telling her story.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

When Home DNA Tests Blow Up Everything You Thought You Knew

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It used to be a lot easier to keep family secrets about issues of paternity. That was before companies like Ancestry.com and 23 & Me came along and offered genetic testing for a small fee and some spit in a cup. Now, what might have started out as some fun, idle curiosity is often turning into something more earth-shattering, more of an existential crisis. It can result in strained family relationships, negative mental health consequences, and sometimes fun and friendly meetings. It’s a lot and it’s high stakes. We talk with Eve Sturges, an LA-based therapist and creator/host of the Everything's Relative podcast, which is about these revelations and their aftermaths. Eve, who has been through this experience herself, shares stories of people learning that they aren’t who they thought they were and what they did about it.

Listen to Everything's Relative with Eve Sturges on the podcatcher of your choice. Visit Eve's website at www.evesturges.la. Follow Eve on Twitter @evesturges and on Instagram @evesturges.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Shelley Had Dissociative Identity Disorder. You Have Multiple Personalities.

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Shelley Kolton, Dr. Richard Schwartz, Laura House) — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Dissociative identity disorder (DID), a condition formerly referred to as multiple personality disorder, is very rare almost everywhere in the world except for one place: Hollywood. Not among actual people there but among characters in movies that are often very over the top. So while you and I might know people with depression or anxiety, the only reference we have for people with DID are fictional characters.

We change that today. Dr. Shelley Kolton is an OB/GYN in Manhattan and the author of the book Brain Storm: A Life in Pieces. She tells us about how she came to finally get diagnosed later in life and how the condition developed as a means of coping with childhood trauma.

We also talk with Dr. Richard Schwartz, a family therapist behind the notion of internal family systems (IFS). He argues that we all have multiple personalities inside us, even if we don’t dissociate when they are active. Listening to those voices and communicating with them about what they want and what they’re trying to tell you, he says, can be extremely beneficial to your mental health.

Visit Dr. Shelley Kolton's website at ShelleyKoltonMD.com. Get your copy of Brain Storm: A Life in Pieces wherever books are sold. Learn more about Dr. Richard Schwartz, his books, and Internal Family Systems by visiting the IFS website at ifs-institute.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Drew Magary on a Mysterious Traumatic Brain Injury, a Coma, an Intolerable Personality, and a Recovery

shows@maximumfun.org (Drew Magary, Laura House) — Mon, 7 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As if sustaining a traumatic brain injury and being in a coma for a few weeks wasn’t bad enough - and it certainly was - Drew Magary had the added complication of becoming a real asshole. Which was unexpected. You’d think that surviving an ordeal like that would make one glad to be alive, more conscious of appreciating one’s family and all that life had to offer. And it did to some extent but he also turned into a complete jerk.

Drew is a co-founder and writer for Defector.com, a columnist for SF Gate, and author of the memoir The Night The Lights Went Out, which is all about his injury and recovery. He’s not an asshole anymore. So in the interview and in the book, he tells the story of how he came to understand his condition, how he worked with a therapist, and how he made some changes.

By the way, I’m really glad to be working in podcasting because I think “asshole” is exactly the right word to use to describe him. Maybe “real piece of shit” would work but then you’d be up against the same cuss word problem.

Follow Drew Magary on Twitter @drewmagary. Get your copy of The Night The Lights Went Out wherever books are sold.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jen Kirkman on Anxiety, Epiphanies, and How to be an Unacceptable Airline Passenger

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Anxiety has cost Jen Kirkman several things over the course of her life, including, as she explains in our conversation, a study abroad program in Amsterdam, an effective outcome of a fear of flying class, and a pleasant time on a Ferris wheel. She doesn’t even remember that trip on the Ferris wheel but she knows it happened from an old photo where she looks absolutely haunted. Among the other problems anxiety has caused is confusion in kindergarten about whether she actually had parents. Along the way, Jen has become a successful comedian, comedy writer, and best-selling author, known for her candid and often hilarious stories of her life and the situations she’s found herself in.

Jen is managing her anxiety now. She’s recognizing the cognitive distortions and relying on her own accumulated skills and experience to get through the moments and events that anxiety is intent on messing up.

Visit Jen Kirkman's website at www.jenkirkman.com. Subscribe and listen to the Anxiety Bites podcast and the No Fun podcast on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow Jen on Twitter @JenKirkman and on Instagram @jenkirkman.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Sex Episode

shows@maximumfun.org (Cindy Meston, Renee Segal) — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

NOTE: Not a great episode to listen to with your kids in the room. Everyone would be uncomfortable.

Sexual health is part of health. Mental health is also part of health. This week, we talk about the relationship between the two and some ideas to take care of both.

This is a topic that emerged from our Preshies listener discussion group on Facebook. A lot of people find that the depression or anxiety or other mental disorders they’ve been dealing with have made it a lot more difficult to enjoy the kind of sex life they want to have. Could be a lack of energy, could be a self-image issue. It could be side effects from the antidepressant medication they’re taking, forcing them into a tough decision about whether to alleviate their mood and hurt their sex life or help their sex life and endanger their mental health. So what to do? Well, we don’t know so we asked people who do.

Visit Renee Segal's website at EvolveTherapyMN.com. Visit Cindy Meston's website at MestonLab.com.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Amanda Knox on the Difference Between Exoneration and Freedom

shows@maximumfun.org (Amanda Knox) — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

You can find plenty of articles online about Amanda Knox and her Italian court case, some from more reputable publications than others. Amanda was convicted twice and cleared twice of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while the two were studying abroad in the Italian city of Perugia. She spent four years incarcerated in Italy before her name was finally cleared. Our interview picks up, for the most part, after that exoneration and it’s about how to manage one’s mental health after going through all that. We hear about some disastrous therapy sessions, a Matt Damon movie that co-opted her trauma, and her struggle to imagine how she’ll tell her newborn daughter about all this some day.

Listen to Labyrinths: Getting Lost with Amanda Knox on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow Amanda Knox on Twitter @amandaknox. Support Knox Robinson on their Patreon.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Connor Franta’s Struggles With Identity, Sexuality, and Mental Health Are Available on YouTube

shows@maximumfun.org (Connor Franta) — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Most people have pictures of themselves at a younger age, maybe even a couple moderately embarrassing home videos kicking around. In Connor Franta’s case, he has a vast library of often deeply personal videos on YouTube spanning half his life that are regularly watched by over five million subscribers. And yes, plenty of those videos, especially when he was a lot younger, make him cringe a lot today.

But these records also trace the path of a young man growing up, facing then sharing the truth about his homosexuality, and eventually confronting some long-standing mental health issues having to do with depression and anxiety. The Connor that appears in recent videos, now almost 30 years old, is wiser and more mature and very honest about the mental health journey he’s still on. And he’s branched out from YouTube into best-selling books, entrepreneurial projects, and public speaking.

Visit Connor Franta's Youtube page. Get your copy of Connor's latest book House Fires wherever books are sold. Follow Connor on Twitter @connorfranta and on Instagram @connorfranta.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The View From Inside ADHD with Carolina Hidalgo and Dave Holmes

shows@maximumfun.org (Carolina Hidalgo, Dave Holmes) — Mon, 3 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can wreak havoc in a person’s life, especially when you don’t know you have it and especially when you have to deal with a lot of people who don’t understand it. We hear stories of those struggles this week but we also hear about victories that were earned through hard work and wisdom. For writer and comedian Dave Holmes, the best part of getting his ADHD diagnosed, treated, and under control is the experience of drying the last dish when he does the dishes. Before he made his improvement, that simply never happened because he was drawn away by other tasks that became crucially important (and that he never finished either). Comedian Carolina Hidalgo has been dealing with ADHD for most of her life and now has it tamed enough that she can take on a task that seems pretty intimidating for someone in her position: she hosts a music history podcast that requires massive amounts of research, book after book after book on the same topics. She gets it done.

Carolina's Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2DTloiK4aOEVmJCqcuqii4?si=e2c093f905674b63

Carolina also recommends this playlist for reading: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ByzdKSKWgv9M18IEUScfQ?si=7f05b873e4da4fb5

Listen to No Dogs In Space and Troubled Waters on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow Carolina Hidalgo and Dave Holmes on Twitter @CarolinaDoesOk and @DaveHolmes.

Carolina also recommends this playlist for reading: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ByzdKSKWgv9M18IEUScfQ?si=7f05b873e4da4fb5

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

It’s Not You, It’s The World: Covid, Mental Health, and What Comes Next

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

There is plenty of information coming out of the CDC about COVID that has nothing to do with actual viruses in droplets. America’s mental health condition is not really good right now, with rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation measuring way, way above how they were before the pandemic. Once the virus is contained and the worst of the threat has passed, we won’t be out of the woods. We’ll just be entering a different kind of woods. In this week’s episode, a talk about how complex trauma from a period such as this is likely to affect us in the long term. Short answer: it’s going to get nasty. At the same time, we are well positioned to talk to each other, share sympathy, and share kindness because of modern technology and because of a growing openness in society to talk about mental health challenges.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Our Wildly Speculative and Totally Unqualified Psychological Analysis of Major Christmas Characters

shows@maximumfun.org (Broti Gupta, Hal Lublin, Carolina Hidalgo) — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Sure, we know Santa Claus flies around the world delivering presents, but doesn’t that seem awfully compulsive? And what’s with the meticulous list of judgments he keeps? And why is he fixated on everyone believing in him? Like, ultimately, what’s Santa’s deal, mental health wise?

John is joined by Broti Gupta, Carolina Hidalgo, and Hal Lublin to analyze (without being at all qualified to do so) a variety of Christmas figures who seem prone to rather odd behaviors. We have familiar characters like the Grinch, Scrooge, and the Little Drummer Boy but we also dive deep with Jack Skellington, the Gremlins, and Det. Martin Riggs from Lethal Weapon. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek. Please note, if you are an actual gremlin or reindeer with a glowing nose and you’re having a tough time, please consult an actual therapist.

Listen to Tights and Fights and No Dogs in Space on the podcatcher of your choice. Subscribe to Broti's Patreon to listen to the Lecture Hall podcast. Follow Broti Gupta, Carolina Hidalgo, and Hal Lublin on Twitter @BrotiGupta, @CarolinaDoesOk, and @hallublin.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Bridger Winegar Had a Nervous Breakdown on a Mormon Mission, Which is Never Good

shows@maximumfun.org (Bridger Winegar) — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

It’s not really the most direct route to comedy success: grow up in conservative Mormon Utah, be closeted about your sexuality even to yourself, try to live up to what is expected of you, ditch it all for show biz, come out of the closet, and then make it big. But we know it’s worked for at least one person: Bridger Winegar. The host of the I Said No Gifts podcasts walks us through his effort to figure out who he was, which included a long stretch of figuring he’d have to keep his homosexuality shielded for the rest of his life. We hear about a Mormon mission to Malaysia that ended very prematurely with a nervous breakdown, an offer to get treatment in a Singapore mental hospital, and a return to Utah. And we hear about the extraordinary support and kindness he received from his boss when his boss happened to be Jimmy Kimmel.

Listen to I Said No Gifts on the podcatcher of your choice.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Aimee Mann Couldn’t Hear Very Well or Write Songs. That’s Inconvenient Because She’s Aimee Mann.

shows@maximumfun.org (Aimee Mann) — Mon, 6 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Aimee Mann has a brilliant new album out called Queens of the Summer Hotel with songs about mental illness and identity, all inspired by the book Girl, Interrupted. The album is new but the songs are not, mostly written and recorded before Aimee had a career-threatening health scare. About a year ago, she lost part of her hearing, leaving her unable to pick up on certain frequencies. What had been music before became what she describes as a fuzzy, distorted electronic sound.

This presented a significant problem for Aimee as a musician and songwriter. It was like having broken instruments and gear but much more significant because you can’t just swap out your own head at a music store. Eventually, Aimee found that the problem was coming from her brain in the form of stress and trauma. With that knowledge, she set about addressing those issues and began to make progress. She says she’s about 80% recovered.

Turns out sometimes it helpful to not think of “mental health” as something separate from “physical health”. There’s just health.

Get your copy of Queens of the Summer Hotel wherever albums are sold. Follow Aimee Mann on Twitter @aimeemann.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Broti Gupta Would Prefer Not To Be Serious For Even One Hour, Thank You

shows@maximumfun.org (broti gupta) — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

It wasn’t supposed to be like this for Broti Gupta. This comedy thing. It wasn’t supposed to be happening at all. She grew up the daughter of a doctor and there was an expectation she’d follow the same path. But as a college student, she just couldn’t shake the strong interest in comedy that led her down a different path entirely, away from med school and toward places like the New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and Second City. Today, she’s a writer for The Simpsons and a rising star in comedy circles.

One indication that her heart was not in medicine? A visit to a college counselor who challenged Broti to not try to make him laugh for one entire appointment. It’s a challenge she did not accept. For Broti Gupta, the laughs were not just a way of coping with some mental health issues but also a way of approaching life itself.

Follow Broti Gupta on Twitter @BrotiGupta. Listen to and support Broti's podcast with Dylan Gelula, Lecture Hall, on Patreon.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Josh Gondelman, the Good Boy of Comedy, is Somehow Just Fine. Gary Gulman is Baffled.

shows@maximumfun.org (Josh Gondelman, Gary Gulman) — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

(takes a moment to secure tongue firmly in cheek)

It would be rude to make fun of Josh Gondelman just because he’s a little strange. Or not strange. Instead, we’re going to learn from Josh about his career, his life, and how, even though he’s very bad at dancing he does it anyway. Then our pal comedian Gary Gulman for a response to what we heard. Gary is arguably the king of depressed comedy, having taken off the issue in his special The Great Depresh.

Follow Josh Gondelman and Gary Gulman on Twitter @joshgondelman and @GaryGulman. Visit JoshGondelman.com and GaryGulman.com for tour dates, books, and more.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Ivan Maisel Wants To Tell You About His Son Max

shows@maximumfun.org (Ivan Maisel) — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Ivan Maisel’s words have been available to the general public for decades. It’s just that those words have tended to be about what’s happening with the Crimson Tide’s offense or who got the head coach job at UCLA. And although his work as a college football reporter is important to him, Ivan’s writing about his late son, Max Maisel, goes infinitely deeper.

Max died by suicide in 2015. Max’s death, and more so his life, are the subject of I Keep Trying To Catch His Eye, Ivan Maisel’s new memoir. Ivan has decided to be very open about everything including Max’s neurodivergence, his depression, the weight of grief and guilt that followed his death, and the conscious effort to move forward with full descriptions of everything.

Ivan’s story is often sad, because of course it is, but it’s not really about sadness. It’s about accepting the incomprehensible and leaning on love.

Get your copy of I Keep Trying To Catch His Eye: A Memoir of Loss, Grief, and Love wherever books are sold. Follow Ivan on Twitter @Ivan_Maisel.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Let’s Get Our Minds Ready For the Gig Economy

shows@maximumfun.org (Morra Aarons-Mele, John Ross Bowie) — Mon, 8 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

You’ve seen John Ross Bowie on a screen before. I’m sure of it. Maybe it was the Big Bang Theory or Curb Your Enthusiasm or some of the other eight zillion credits he has. John’s been dealing with depression and anxiety even longer than he’s been an actor, which has meant guiding a complicated brain across uncertain situations for quite a while.

And maybe, if we believe the forecasts about the gig economy, a lot more of us will be living a similar lifestyle before too long. No, we won’t all be on tv shows but you know what I mean. John gives us some applicable wisdom.

Morra Aarons-Mele is the host of The Anxious Achiever podcast and has spent a lot of time in both traditional and self-employed jobs. And she’s been battling a nasty depression as well. Morra talks about some specific techniques for not letting your anxious brain take over. You’ll learn exactly how to figure out what to put on the piece of paper you tape to the wall in front of you.

Listen to Household Faces and The Anxious Achiever on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow Household Faces and Morra Aarons-Mele on Twitter @HouseholdFaces and @morraam.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

The Beautiful World of Mentally Nutritious Video Games

shows@maximumfun.org (Maddy Myers, Greg Lobanov, Gregory Lobanov) — Mon, 1 Nov 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Let’s get this out of the way first: there are a LOT of video games available, including a lot of games that don’t require you to kill people and don’t involve Mario, Luigi, Wario, or Waluigi. And among those are several games that approach mental health issues in a truthful and sympathetic way. These games, often made by small independent studios, might take place in fantastical worlds but they can involve honest examinations of depression, trauma, and anxiety. And playing the games can bring a lot more insight and relief to the player than you might think.

We talk with Maddy Myers of the Max Fun podcast Triple Click for her recommendations on enlightened independent games and Gregory Lobanov, creator of the game Chicory: A Colorful Tale.

Listen to Triple Click on the podcatcher of your choice. Visit Greg's website at greg.style. Follow Maddy on Twitter @MIDImyers and Greg @thebanov.

Maddy’s Game Recommendations:

GAMES LITERALLY ABOUT DEPRESSION

Chicory: A Colorful Tale (2021)
Depression Quest (2013)
Actual Sunlight (2014)

GAMES FIGURATIVELY ABOUT DEPRESSION

Celeste (2018)
Gris (2018)
Sea of Solitude (2019)

GAMES I’VE PLAYED WHEN DEPRESSED AND I’VE FOUND MEANING IN THEM

The Metroid Series
Dark Souls (2011)

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Lane Moore on Being Alone, and Not Swiping Right on Naked Blood-Soaked Guys

shows@maximumfun.org (Lane Moore) — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Forming emotional bonds with fellow human beings is one of the most basic instincts we have. There’s a primal urge to attach yourself to others, for safety, for mating purposes, or hell just to have lunch. But just because that desire is present doesn’t mean that it’s easy or even inevitable to actually form those connections.

At the same time, we’re all going to spend some time alone. Maybe in brief moments, maybe for very long stretches.

Comedian, actor, and writer Lane Moore thinks about these things a lot. She is perhaps best known for Tinder Live, a touring series of live shows where she checks out profiles of men looking for connections and provides live commentary and live swiping before an audience. She finds that most people are pretty nice, honest people but that some of them do some pretty weird stuff. Stuff like posing for their profile pictures while covered in blood, naked, next to a deer they killed. Or being naked except for a strategically placed top hat.

She tours with the show a lot but has also given quite a bit of thought to the other side of the coin and has written a book titled “How To Be Alone.”

Lane shares her thoughts on all this plus living with complex post-traumatic stress disorder in a deeply personal conversation that’s valuable if you’ve ever been alone or with someone else. Which covers everyone, I’m pretty sure.

Also, stick around after the main interview for a meditation minute with our pal Laura House.

Visit Lane's website at lanemoore.org or her Linktree at linktr.ee/hellolanemoore for tour dates, her book, and more. Follow Lane on Twitter @hellolanemoore and on Instagram @hellolanemoore.

Understanding Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: https://www.healthline.com/health/cptsd

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Meet the Neighbors: Depresh Mode with John Moe x Go Fact Yourself

shows@maximumfun.org (John Moe, J. Keith van Straaten) — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 07:05:00 +0000

Depresh Mode with John Moe and Go Fact Yourself got together to celebrate MaxFun Block Party!

If you enjoyed this conversation we had with host J. Keith van Straaten, be sure to subscribe to Go Fact Yourself on maximumfun.org.

Amos Lee Gets Deep, Gets Dark, Makes Jokes

shows@maximumfun.org (Amos Lee) — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Amos Lee has a wonderfully smooth singing voice and plays the acoustic guitar beautifully. And if you never paid attention to his lyrics, you might even find his music to soothing and mellow. If you do lean into his lyrics a little and if you open yourself up to his tone and phrasing, you will soon find references to pain, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and trauma. This is especially the case on Amos’s upcoming album, Dreamland. He says he’s more comfortable talking about that side of himself now than on the other seven albums he’s released dating back to 2005.

In this interview, Amos shares plenty, including how he went from being a second grade teacher named Ryan Massaro to being a musical sensation named Amos Lee pretty much in one night. We also hear about a pivotal mental health crisis in college that realigned his priorities and how he made a woman in hospice dance when she didn’t think she wanted to.

Visit Amos Lee's website and listen to Shoulda Known Better and Worry No More at www.amoslee.com. Follow Amos on Twitter @amoslee and Instagram @am0slee.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Tom Scharpling on Suicidal Ideation, Depression, In-Patient Care, ECT, and Memory Loss

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Get your copy of It Never Ends: A Memoir With Nice Memories! at www.tomwroteabook.com or wherever books are found. Follow Tom on Twitter @scharpling.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Six Things You Need To Know For Your Mental Health

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Fri, 8 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

World Mental Health Day is this coming weekend and Depresh Mode host John Moe is feeling a bit reflective. When your job involves talking about mental health all the time, every day is kind of World Mental Health Day. All the ones ending in Y anyway.

In this special bonus episode, John narrows down what could have been a list of hundreds of important things to know to just six. It was hard to pack in. He was shooting for three or four. Please listen to the episode for full elaboration but you should know certain things. Thing 1: you’re okay. Thing 2: not you’re fault. Thing 3: shit’s fucked up. Thing 4. Depression lies. Thing 5: don’t get hung up on terms. Thing 6: actively seek hope.

Join us for a mini-episode and then all your mental health issues will be solved forever. Well, maybe not, but it might he helpful.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Alison Rosen on Postpartum Depression, the Anxiety of Scales, and Best Friendship

shows@maximumfun.org (Alison Rosen) — Mon, 4 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Alison Rosen cautions us to not read too much into the title of her show. It’s really just an expression that was popular in slang vernacular a few years ago when the podcast started. Besides, if every person listening or appearing on the show was her new best friend, that makes her pretty fickle on friendship. But the name works really well because she does things a friend should. She shares her stories, she’s vulnerable, and she genuinely cares about the person she’s talking to.

In this episode, we hear how postpartum depression kicked her into taking therapy a lot more seriously. She tells us how she still struggles with not tying her quantitative measurement on a bathroom scale to her value as a person. And she shares why it didn’t really bother her when Adam Carolla called her “baby girl” as long as it was on the air.

Listen to Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow her podcast on Twitter @ARIYNBF and Alison herself on Twitter @AlisonRosen and Instagram @alisonrosen.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Janet Varney Wasn’t In Being John Malkovich. But She Lived It.

shows@maximumfun.org (Janet Varney) — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Podcast listeners know Janet from the JV Club podcast here on Maximum Fun. Television audiences know her from You’re The Worst and Stan Against Evil, among many other credits. And fans of live comedy might know Janet as one of the founders of SF Sketchfest.

But there was a time in Janet’s life when she didn’t know her as much of anything. As a young person, she dealt with depression and anxiety as well as a condition that you don’t hear talked about nearly as often: DPDR, or depersonalization derealization disorder. It’s a condition that brings about periods where you feel like you’re separate from the body that you’re traveling around in and like the world you’re in isn’t necessarily real.

Janet says the movie Being John Malkovich was a revelation in that she saw a big screen depiction of what this felt like.

We learn about Janet’s girlhood goth phase, wearing lots of black in the hot Arizona sun, an exciting move to California, a dispiriting foray into live journalism, and, well, figuring out who she is.

Listen to Janet Varney's podcast The JV Club on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow Janet on Twitter @janetvarney and on Instagram @thejvclub.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Movies and TV Shows That Get Mental Illness Right and Some That Get It Wrong

shows@maximumfun.org (Linda Holmes, Tre'vell Anderson) — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

We’ve all seen screen portrayals of people with mental illnesses and we’ve all seen ones that miss the mark pretty badly. Someone has a vague sense of “crazy” about them so they turn into an evil sadist. A motel manager in the rather broadly titled film “Psycho” dresses up as his dead mother and murders a guest in the shower. Or someone just hamming through an over the top performance as a person with multiple personalities.

In this episode, we blow the whistle on some stuff like that but we also recognize some artists who go the extra mile to create portrayals of mental illness that are truthful and integral to the story. We have two sharp-eyed pop culture watchers with us and some guest commentators from our Preshies group on Facebook.

Listen to FANTI and Pop Culture Happy Hour on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow Tre'vell Anderson and Linda Holmes on Twitter @TrevellAnderson and @lindaholmes.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jackie Kashian Did What You Should Do

shows@maximumfun.org (Jackie Kashian) — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Therapy isn’t about hating your mother. It’s not about crying over something that happened when you were six and then dwelling on it for the rest of your life. And the difficulty or trauma you faced back then is not something you can simply “get over” or “move past”.

Good therapy is much more like what Jackie Kashian did, as she describes in this episode. She talks about the violence in her home growing up. And the neglect. And the substance use and death of her mother. Then she talks about going to therapy and figuring out how that past informed her adult life, how it guided her decisions, and how it laid a foundation for the life she would live.

With that understanding in place, she could better distinguish between healthy and unhealthy habits. It’s not dwelling in the past, it’s getting a map for the future.

Listen to Jackie Kashian's podcasts, The Jackie and Laurie Show and The Dork Forest on the podcatcher of your choice. For tour dates, visit Jackie's website, JackieKashian.com. Follow her on Twitter @jackiekashian.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

School is Starting, Kids are Psychologically Messed Up, and We All Need to Help

shows@maximumfun.org (dr. robin gurwitch, ruby ramirez) — Mon, 6 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

COVID has been traumatic for young people. For a year and a half now, it’s either been impossible to go to school or the place that they go to doesn’t match what they used to know as school. The virus may have caused severe illness or death in their families. It’s a frightening time for all of us and especially so among the youngest and most vulnerable. So as in-class education really begins again in earnest, what’s the state of these people showing up to the classrooms and how can we, not just as parents or teachers but members of society, help?

We speak with Ruby Ramirez, principal in the Dallas Independent School District, about how she prepared her school for the state of mind the students are returning with. One thing that’s helped everyone feel better? Masks. Yep, the things that made everyone so uncomfortable in the earlier days of COVID now give students a sense of security in the classroom and hallways.

Masks are a big deal for Dr. Robin Gurwitch as well. She’s a psychologist and Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine and she points out that one of the best ways to recover from our societal trauma is to stop the virus itself. To do that, wear your dang masks where you’re told to wear it. In the interview, Robin mentions some online resources that could help anyone.

Here they are:

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (www.nctsn.org or https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/disasters/pandemic-resources)
American Psychological Association (https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/parenting-caregiving)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with COVID-19
https://www.nctsn.org/resources/supporting-children-during-coronavirus-covid19
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress: https://www.cstsonline.org/assets/media/documents/CSTS_FS_Discussing_Coronavirus_w_Your_Children.pdf
https://www.cstsonline.org/assets/media/documents/CSTS_FS_Finding_Right_Words_Talk_Children_Teens_Coronavirus.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/for-parents.html
American Psychological Association at https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19).

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Meditation is Good and Helpful and Doesn’t Require All That Woo-Woo Mysticism

shows@maximumfun.org (Laura House, Dr. Darshan Mehta) — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000

When we asked Dr. Darshan Mehta, Medical Director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Boston and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, about the image problem that meditation had, he knew exactly what we were talking about. As he points out, when media outlets write about meditation, it tends to be accompanied by a photo or illustration of a glowing, athletic white woman in a particular yoga pose. This tendency is kind of funny, sure, but it also conveys that unless you look like that, you can’t meditate.

Not so. Laura House, a comedian, writer, podcaster, and meditation instructor, explains that anyone can learn to meditate, reduce stress, and find more calm in their lives. It doesn’t necessitate any religious beliefs or New Age philosophy.

Dr. Mehta walks us through the medical side of it and how it helps blood pressure levels and recurrence of depression. It can also give your immune system help as it broadly reduces inflammation of cells and tissue.

Listen to Tiny Victories here or on the podcatcher of your choice. Visit Laura House's website and follow her on Twitter @imlaurahouse. Find out more about the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at their website here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Tuca & Bertie’s Lisa Hanawalt on Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Funneling All That Knowledge Into Cartoon Birds

shows@maximumfun.org (lisa hanawalt) — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000

The first thing that I noticed when watching Tuca & Bertie was that there was a LOT going on. Bertie is frantically trying to navigate her magazine job at Conde Nest AND her dream of being professional baker AND her relationship with her loving and sometimes perplexing boyfriend Speckle. Tuca is just trying to navigate what it means to be a responsible adult as she manages sobriety, romance, and a changing relationship with her best friend, Bertie. Beyond that, there’s just a lot happening on the screen, like quick visual gags, complex background characters, and a universe where plants sometimes have human bodies and are somewhat mystical.

We were excited to find out all about it from our Maximum Fun colleague, Lisa Hanawalt (co-host of Baby Geniuses), who created the show and runs it. Lisa shares her stories of mental health’s role in her life from being a shockingly morbid preschooler to panic attacks on the freeway as an adult. We never do get her to explain the plants with human bodies but she does fill us in on the Sex Bugs, which may be both pubic lice AND a touring rock band.

Watch Tuca & Bertie Sundays at 11:30 pm on adultswim or online. Listen to Baby Geniuses here on on the podcatcher of your choice. Visit Lisa Hanawalt's website for books and prints.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

How to Express Concern About Someone’s Mental Health and When to Shut Up About It

shows@maximumfun.org (quanah walker, megan auster-rosen) — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000

It’s tricky. That’s what we found when we set out to answer a question we get a lot: “How do I approach a loved one who I’m worried about in terms of mental health?” Obviously, you want to let them know you care but you want to express the depth of your concern. You don’t want to scare them away and make them less likely to seek help. So where’s the line?

According to Quanah Walker, of MakeItOK.org and Director of Behavioral Health at HealthPartners, it starts with knowing the person you’re talking to and knowing yourself. It’s not so much a matter of picking the right words as it is gaining an understanding of your friend.

Megan Auster-Rosen, a licensed psychotherapist in Los Angeles, says it’s important also to know your limitations and respects someone’s boundaries. Don’t go busting in to solve all their problems. Maybe just keep your mouth shut once in a while and learn how to listen a bit more. Depresh Mode burnout episode - https://maximumfun.org/episodes/depresh-mode/if-youre-miserable-at-work-maybe-its-not-your-fault/

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Griffin Newman with Co-Stars Depression, Anxiety, Comedy, Lousy Bikes, The Tick, Kevin Costner, and Woody Allen

shows@maximumfun.org (Griffin Newman) — Mon, 9 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000

You’ll notice that this episode is longer than most of our episodes. That’s just the way it tends to go with Griffin Newman. Episodes of his own podcast, Blank Check, regularly clock in at more than two hours. He acts in films and those often top two hours as well. And although he’s only in his thirties, Griffin has had a long career, growing up in a showbiz-adjacent family and starting in standup while not yet out of middle school. We hear how he quit acting (several times) and always got pulled back in, sometimes for dream-come-true roles like Arthur in The Tick, sometimes for experiences that ended up being nightmares, like acting in and then deeply regretting acting in a Woody Allen movie. Griffin Newman examines the roles that depression and anxiety played in his life decisions and where one can see them poking out in his performances.

Listen to Blank Check with Griffin & David on the podcatcher of your choice. Watch The Tick on Amazon Prime and Masters of the Universe: Revelation on Netflix. Watch The George Lucas Talk Show live Sunday nights 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT on PlanetScum or on YouTube. Follow Griffin Newman on Twitter @grifflightning and on Instagram @GriffLightning.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Song Imploder with A.C. Newman of The New Pornographers feat. Anxiety and Depression

shows@maximumfun.org (ac newman) — Mon, 2 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000

In this Song Imploder edition of our show (borrowing a format from the podcast Song Exploder), Carl (who records as A.C.) Newman walks us through “Whiteout Conditions”, a song created when his sister was dying of cancer but when he had to get into the studio.

Seems like it’s safe to say that when people are in a terrible mental state, they are least equipped to do something as creative as writing songs. But Carl isn’t like most people. The leader of the Canadian group The New Pornographers says that he simply can’t stop writing songs. There’s nothing elective about it. He has 50 songs in various states of completion all loaded up on the computers in his Woodstock, New York home.

He also talks about how despite battling depression and anxiety his whole life, he’s still able to get up on stage and sing and lead a band. It helps, he says, having Neko Case in his band because he thinks audiences figure if Neko’s okay with him then he must be an acceptable guy.

Purchase your copy of the Whiteout Conditions album at The New Pornographer's website or on Apple Music. Follow A.C. Newman on Twitter @ACNewman and The New Pornographers @TheNewPornos.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Depression, Anxiety, and Devil Horns: Chelsea Ursin Saves Her Soul with Rock n’ Roll

shows@maximumfun.org (Chelsea Ursin) — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Rock music isn’t a cure for depression or anxiety. You can’t wail away on “Smoke on the Water” and have all your mental difficulties melt away. That would be awesome, sure, but that’s not how it works. But for Chelsea Ursin, playing was a lot of other things: a break from the nagging mental disorders that created so many problems from a young age, a channel through which to express herself, and an opportunity to help the next generation of girls have a smoother and healthier time than she did. Ursin is the creator and host of Dear Young Rocker, a podcast that started with letters from her modern-day self to her teenage self and which now features other women in rock telling the stories of their younger selves.

Listen to Dear Young Rocker here or on the podcatcher of your choice. Listen to Chelsea's band Banana on Bandcamp. Follow Chelsea on Twitter @RockerDear and on Instagram @dearyoungrocker.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Kelly Williams Brown Has Bad Times With Mental Health, Physical Health, and Marriage But Better Times With Crafts

shows@maximumfun.org (Kelly Williams Brown) — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:00:00 +0000

You can tell a lot about Kelly Williams Brown’s life by looking at her multiple bowls of tiny origami. Her “lucky stars” are folded in a pattern that Kelly learned and then repeated over and over and over to help her get through the moments of her life when all seemed lost, when death felt preferable. There are many bowls filled with these stars and they are all very large bowls. There must be tens of thousands of these stars and she keeps the bowls in easy reach in her Salem, Ore. home, reminders of how horrible her depression got and how she got through the worst of it. The title of her memoir, which is not a craft book but a memoir, reflects the sense of humor that was with her all along.

Watch Kelly Williams Brown teach John how to make a yarn ball friend.

Get your copy of Kelly Williams Brown's Easy Crafts for the Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things here or wherever books are sold. Visit Kelly's website here. Follow her on Twitter @KWilliamsBrown and on Instagram @kellywilliamsbrown.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

“Hey, Topics! You’re Not So Tough! Wait! Ow! Yes You Are!” with Anna Sale

shows@maximumfun.org (Anna Sale) — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 09:00:00 +0000

It’s much easier to talk about the weather than it is about mental health. We all know this. Because it’s a lot easier to face the idea of a rainy day than the idea of a mental disorder that might last the rest of one’s life. Still, getting those conversations going with a friend, with a therapist or psychiatrist, or even with yourself is the best way to make the situation less scary and more easily managed.

After facing up to some tough issues in the wake of the end of her first marriage, public radio veteran Anna Sale became interested in our collective resistance to talk about touchy topics, like the three mentioned in her podcast’s title. Now she’s added family and identity to that list in her new book, Let’s Talk About Hard Things.

Anna talks about why mental health is one of those scary things to talk about that could benefit from the conversation. She also offers some insight on how to approach a difficult conversation you need to have for yourself. It’s a great episode for people looking to make talking about all this stuff less weird and more productive.

Get your copy of Let's Talk About Hard Things here or wherever books are sold. Visit Anna Sale's website here. Listen to Anna's podcast, Death, Sex & Money, here or wherever pods are cast. Follow Anna on Twitter @annasale and on Instagram @annasalepics.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Joel Kim Booster Is In A Pit

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 5 Jul 2021 09:00:00 +0000

The truth is that any of those factors might influence Joel’s mood and behavior but depression isn’t simple enough to be routinely caused or prevented by one’s fortune in the rest of life.

Depresh Mode host John Moe says this interview is the strongest representation of what depression is like that he’s done in all his years of interviewing people on the subject.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Eating Disorders, What We Knew Before and What We Know Now, with Alexandra Paul

shows@maximumfun.org (alexandra paul, dr. jillian lampert) — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Alexandra Paul wasn’t allowed sugar as a kid but she snuck it anyway, not for the taste but for the comfort it provided. As a teen, Alexandra’s modeling and acting careers were going great. Her relationship with food, on the other hand, had become a real mess. At boarding school, it seemed right and normal to deny herself food in order to be as skinny as possible. The other girls were doing it and no one ever talked about it as a disorder. Over time, as she moved into modeling in New York City and acting in Hollywood, the anorexia turned to bulimia and she got hooked on the ritual of bingeing and purging. She’s stayed away from that behavior for the last 30 years but still feels like she could slip back if she’s not careful.

Dr. Jillian Lampert, who also dealt with eating disorders herself as a young person, is the Chief Strategy Officer for the Emily Project, an organization that treats and studies eating disorders. She says there’s a lot of recent research indicating that genetics are much more responsible for who will develop eating disorders of all kinds than we previously thought.

Alexandra Paul personal site

Alexandra Paul IMDb page

Alexandra Paul Wikipedia

Alexandra Paul on Twitter - @alexandra_paul

The Emily Program - https://www.emilyprogram.com/

Dr. Jillian Lampert - https://www.emilyprogram.com/about-us/leadership-team/jillian-lampert/
Reward sensitivity article: https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-017-0138-2
Sensation and emotion study in progress: http://eatingdisorders.ucsd.edu/research/our-research.html
Sensation study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955712/
Another sensation study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230430/
Bodily sensations study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29483865/
Sensation study looking particularly at disgust: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6759364/
Broader study on interoceptive awareness (awareness of body cues): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7927286/
Genetics and neurobiology: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21243469/

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Grief Feels Like You’re Losing Your Mind. But ARE You?

shows@maximumfun.org (megan devine) — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:00:00 +0000

When a loved one dies, the world can become chaos. Everything has changed. The way you drive a car, the way food tastes, the way you even talk to people can feel different and wrong and weird. It feels like you are - for lack of a better term - going crazy. How far apart are grief and mental illness? The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual), the standard reference for mental illness, says that if you’re still messed up from grief six months after the death of your person, you have something called Prolonged Grief Disorder.

For Megan Devine, an author and psychotherapist who specializes in grief, the sudden loss of her partner Matt meant being at the grocery store and temporarily forgetting how money worked. But she says that’s not a problem. That’s a truthful response to a horrifying event. That’s just being horrified.

Megan rejects the idea that being upset for as long as you need to be is a problem. She advocates recognizing the personal truth and reality of what’s going on inside yourself.

Megan’s website Refuge in Grief - https://refugeingrief.com/

Our previous episode with Stephanie Wittels Wachs, which gets referenced a lot - https://maximumfun.org/episodes/depresh-mode/stephanie-wittels-wachs-and-the-pain-and-frustration-of-watching-addiction-happen/

Get your copy of Megan's books, How to Carry What Can't be Fixed: A Journal for Grief and It's OK That You're Not OK here or wherever books are sold. Follow Megan on Twitter @refugeingrief and on Instagram @refugeingrief.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Stephanie Wittels Wachs and the Pain and Frustration of Watching Addiction Happen

shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Hi, folks. John Moe here. I knew about Stephanie Wittels Wachs for quite a while before I met her but correctly figured I’d get to know her one of these days. That’s because our stories have an awful lot of overlap. We’re both writer, we both host podcasts, I live in the Twin Cities and her company, Lemonada, is based here, and most importantly, we both lost our brothers. Lost them twice, really. First to addiction, at which they became different people. Someone in the grip of an addiction exists to get more of the substance and their personal relationships are secondary to that. From there, I lost my brother Rick to suicide, Steph lost her brother, the well-known and successful comedy writer Harris Wittels to an overdose.

Looking back on it, I think I was nervous to read what she had written about Harris because I’d be overwhelmed.

And yes, we finally did meet up and became instant friends. And I read what she wrote, of course, and I was comforted by the similarities and the differences. Mostly, I was comforted that in this hell of grief and loss, I was able to find someone in the same kind of hell. Someone who could say, “Man, it’s so hot!”

Listen to Last Day here or wherever podcasts are found. Get your copy of Everything is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love and Loss here or wherever books are sold. Follow Stephanie on Twitter @wittelstephanie and on Instagram @wittelstephanie.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Bipolar 101: What It Is and What It Isn’t with Ana Marie Cox & Dr. Ken Duckworth

shows@maximumfun.org (ken duckworth, ana marie cox) — Mon, 7 Jun 2021 09:00:00 +0000

No, bipolar disorder doesn’t mean that you’re kind of cheerful one day and a little bit glum the next. Those are just moods. That’s not a disorder. The Mayo Clinic says of bipolar, “When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania (less extreme than mania), you 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.”

We unpack what bipolar means from the perspective of our friend, Dr. Ken Duckworth, medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Alliance. He’s a psychiatrist and also grew up with a bipolar father. Writer and pundit Ana Marie Cox is in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction and she deals with what’s known as bipolar II, a variation on the disorder, that comes with symptoms that can be subtle but powerful.

Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI here.

Visit Ana Marie Cox's website here. Listen to her podcast With Friends Like These on the podcatcher of your choice. Follow Ana Marie Cox on Twitter @anamariecox and on Instagram @anamariecox.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Pretty Sure Allison Raskin Knows More About OCD Than Khloé Kardashian

shows@maximumfun.org (allison raskin) — Mon, 31 May 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Allison Raskin has been attempting to manage her obsessive compulsive disorder for most of her life. It’s meant knowing when she can be home to take a shower during the day. It’s meant not being able to pet a friendly dog she met because even though she adores dogs, the thought of contamination was too overwhelming. She’s treated her OCD to help get the symptoms more under control but it’s a daily challenge to manage things.

Allison is pretty honest about that and other struggles on the very popular Just Between Us, the YouTube comedy and conversation series she co-hosts with creative partner Gaby Dunn. Recently, however, all of her efforts to have a normal, stable life have been put to the test, first by the pandemic and also by the abrupt end of her engagement last fall to the man she figured she’d be with forever.

Subscribe to the Just Between Us Youtube channel and listen to the Just Between Us podcast on the podcatcher of your choice. Visit Allison's website, follow her on Instagram @AllisonRaskin and on Twitter @AllisonRaskin. Follow her mental health account @emotionalsupportlady and support her Patreon here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Jarrett Hill and the Quest for the Therapist Who Knows What You’re Talking About

shows@maximumfun.org (kristen bennett, jarrett hill, dr. ksera dyette) — Mon, 24 May 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Before he was a podcast host, radio personality, or a journalist breaking major political news, Jarrett Hill was a kid growing up gay in a religiously conservative environment. So when it was time to come out, it meant defying the homophobic words of his pastor who had urged parents to not let their kids grow up to be “sissies”. He had first started seeing therapists as a result of his parents’ protracted divorce and went intermittently over the years. Finally, with the help of a particularly observant therapist, he put it together that a pattern of thinking and behavior he had experienced was, in fact, major depressive disorder.

Jarrett Hill has found that the most helpful therapist for him is a woman of color. He was used to opening up to women in his life more than men and having a person of color meant that his therapist would know what he’d been through and believe him. Dr. Ksera Dyette, who is a therapist and sought help herself, talks about how safety itself is at stake in a search for people who share your cultural experiences. She offers advice on how she screens potential therapists and the difference it makes.

Listen to Jarrett's podcast with Tre'vell Anderson, FANTI, here or wherever podcasts are found. Follow FANTI on Twitter @fantipodcast, follow Jarrett Hill on Twitter @JarrettHill and on Instagram @jarretthill, and visit Jarett's website here.

Visit Dr. Ksera Dyette's website here as well as her COVID-19 Resources page here. Follow her on Instagram @cteacounselling and on TikTok @drdyette. Visit Dr. Dyette's linktree here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Mental Health Care is On Screens For Good Now, Let’s Get Ready

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Anthony Sossong, Chet Wisniewski) — Mon, 17 May 2021 09:00:00 +0000

The American mental health care system has had some very fundamental problems for a while now: there are too few therapists, way too few psychiatrists, and it all adds up to not enough people getting the care they need. With COVID, the system needed to make some rapid changes that might go a long way to addressing the problems.

Dr. Anthony Sossong is a psychiatrist and he does a lot of work on telehealth platforms. He says the technology has been in place for a while and even though there are some glitches, the necessity of long-distance psychiatry has brought some gifts. Doctors can see more people, which is especially important in underserved communities.

Chet Wisniewski, an online security and privacy expert, joins us with a look at the app side of behavioral health. He examines the fine print on apps like Talkspace and reveals the personal information you give up for the convenience of hand-held therapy.

We also hear about the ups and downs of the new online mental health world from some of our listeners and learn a bit more about Preshies, the new online mental health discussion group that we started.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Zach Kornfeld of The Try Guys, Ira Glass, and Rhett Miller Separately But Related By a Theme

shows@maximumfun.org (ira glass, rhett miller, zach kornfeld, gabe mara) — Mon, 10 May 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Yeah, this became a pretty big show. Just kept filling up with more guests. It started with a conversation with Zach Kornfeld of The Try Guys, a YouTube comedy troupe that is preposterously famous and beloved. Because these guys are open about their lives and challenges, we know that Zach had a bumpy ride full of mental illness diagnoses and possible trauma. Zach mentioned a talk he heard from Ira Glass that was very influential so we called Ira to see if we could talk to him as well and Ira said sure. Then it was the Max Fun Drive so we did a little chat with Rhett Miller of the Old 97's, who wrote and recorded our show's theme song "Building Wings". And that's not all! Even Gabe Mara, the producer of the show, got on the mic to talk about the importance of supporting Depresh Mode. Whew. Lot of show. Good show, though. You'll like it.

It's Max Fun Drive! Support Depresh Mode here at www.maximumfun.org/join. Get your Depresh Mode pin starting at the $10 donation level.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Peter Sagal Has These New People In His House

shows@maximumfun.org (Jesse Thorn, Peter Sagal, Laura Swisher) — Mon, 3 May 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Peter Sagal always sounds chipper and fun on the hit NPR quiz show Wait Wait Don't Tell Me but that's always been just one part of his personality. In recent years, Sagal went through a divorce that resulted in his three daughters cutting off all contact with him. He spent some time coming to grips with some depression issues that he had been experiencing and largely walking away from most of his life

Peter was also up against the portrayal of the dad who loses everything in movies and television, where said dad somehow proves to be a hero and wins back the hearts of everyone who left him. Because in Peter's case, that's not how it worked. His daughters still don't speak to him.

But now some other people do. He remarried and recently became the father to a baby boy named Elliott ("two Ls, two Ts, don't get it wrong, I have," he says). It's been a hard road in recent years but Peter's learned a lot about walking through it and he likes where he ended up.

Joining us on Depresh Mode this week for the Max Fund Drive are Maximum Fun founder and Bullseye host Jesse Thorn and Depresh Mode senior producer Laura Swisher.

It's Max Fun Drive! Support Depresh Mode here at www.maximumfun.org/join!

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

What To Expect When The Virus Is Gone But COVID Trauma Goes On

shows@maximumfun.org (Dr. Ksera Dyette, Dr. Ken Duckworth) — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Look, we’re all going to be messed up for a while from COVID. Some of us a lot, some of us a little, some for a very long time, others for not as long. But it’s trauma. It’s an event more powerful than the brain can handle and that means mental health repercussions down the road. So let’s talk about what might happen. Dr. Ken Duckworth, medical director of NAMI, provides insight into how trauma works. Then therapist Dr. Ksera Dyette tells us the trauma signs she’s already seeing in her practice.

Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI here.

Visit Dr. Dyette's website here as well as her COVID-19 Resources page here. Follow her on Instagram @cteacounselling and on TikTok @drdyette. Visit Dr. Dyette's linktree here.

Dr. Dyette recommends these additional resources:

Website: Mental Health Resources for BIPOC Massachusetts General Hospital Listing

Website: Inclusive Therapists; IG: @inclusivetherapists

Website: Mental Health Mukbang - Asian Mental Health Collective

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe

Jenny Lawson, Magnets, Puppetry, and Small Business Ownership

shows@maximumfun.org (Jenny Lawson) — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Author Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, has connected with a lot of people through her essays and books about the challenges of daily life, getting a lot of laughs from topics that might not appear all that funny. Jenny deals with depression and anxiety that can get pretty fierce. In her new book, Broken, she details her semi-successful TMS treatment and she explains to John Moe how odd and helpful it was. Nowhere, Jenny’s new bookstore in San Antonio, is now open.

Get your copy of Broken (in the Best Possible Way) here or wherever books are sold. Visit Jenny's website here. Check out Jenny's bookstore in San Antonio, Texas and join her Fantastic Strangelings Book of the Month Club here: Nowhere Bookshop.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe

Open Mike Eagle, the Former Obfuscating Mike Eagle

shows@maximumfun.org (Open Mike Eagle) — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe

If You're Miserable At Work, Maybe It's Not Your Fault

shows@maximumfun.org (Jennifer Moss) — Mon, 5 Apr 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Burnout is burning out of control. A lack of motivation at work. A sense that the effort you put in ultimately has no point. A feeling that all of this stuff is getting worse and you can’t do anything about it. Sound familiar? The levels of burnout among employees all over the world are soaring as we pass the year mark of the pandemic. In a global survey, 89% of people say their well being has diminished as part of work. It comes at a time when burnout is listed in the International Classification of Diseases as a legit phenomenon. And the response of employers? Maybe a discounted gym membership or a Zoom yoga class. In other words, it’s an employee problem when in generally the issue is a lack of understanding and compassion in the way humans are treated.

We’ll talk about what to do about it and hear from a top researcher in burnout, Jennifer Moss, and get listener tales of workplace burnout in the past year. Including autopsy burnout, which seems really next level.

So hey. Maybe it’s not you. Maybe it’s them.

Visit Jennifer Moss' website here. Her book, The Burnout Epidemic, is available for pre-order here or wherever books are sold. Follow her on Twitter @JenLeighMoss.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe

Kelsey Darragh Lives Out Loud

shows@maximumfun.org (Kelsey Darragh) — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Comedian, vlogger, author and podcast host Kelsey Darragh keeps a running inventory of the mental health challenges she’s faced and continues to deal with. There are a lot. But panic disorder, depression, and anxiety tend to be her big three. And she doesn’t have them all under control all the time because, well, that’s not how it works. But she’s found that by talking about them and writing about them for herself and an audience, she can make a lot of progress and help people out. Kelsey had figured that comedy was going to be her path, somewhere along the Amy Schumer or Amy Poehler route, but when she started having the mental health conversations no one else was having, a new path was illuminated for her and one that she’s happy to be on.

Visit Kelsey's website and Youtube channel. Get your copy of Kelsey's book, Don't F*cking Panic, here or wherever books are sold. Listen to Kelsey's podcast Confidently Insecure here, on her Youtube channel, or wherever podcasts are heard. Follow Kelsey on Twitter @kelseydarragh and on Instagram @kelseydarragh.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe

Patton Oswalt Talks About It Because It Happened

shows@maximumfun.org (Patton Oswalt) — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Depresh Mode with John Moe.

In this episode, John explains how he came to be in the unique business of having open conversations about the kinds of mental disorders that have been kept quiet for a very long time. He welcomes in Patton Oswalt, who is one of the top comedians in the country today as well as being a popular actor from films like Ratatouille and Big Fan and tv series like King of Queens and AP Bio. Patton explains the role of depression in his own life and how his comedy is based on the things that fascinate and energize him. Patton Oswalt’s wife, Michelle McNamara, passed away in 2016 and Patton explains how he took the worst moments of his life and brought them to an audience.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

Coming March 29th!

shows@maximumfun.org (John Moe) — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 02:13:57 +0000

Honest, humane, and even funny conversations about common mental disorders like depression, anxiety, addiction, OCD, PTSD and more. Hear from top artists and entertainers what it’s like to live with an interesting mind and explore big issues in mental illness with experts. No shame, no stigma, and more laughs than you might expect.