One of the many things depression and other chronic or invisible illnesses steal from us, is our energy. In this 17-minute episode, we discuss Christine Miserandino's Spoon Theory as a way to both manage and explain our often-limited resources. The theory is a metaphor describing the amount of physical and/or mental energy that a person has available for daily activities and tasks, and how it can become limited. It offers a kind of shorthand for communicating why we need to make choices (i.e. cancelling plans, saying no to opportunities, etc.) The Spoon Theory can help with establishing bounda ..read more

In his 16 seasons in the NFL (13 with the Philadelphia Eagles and three with the Denver Broncos) Brian Dawkins earned the nickname "Weapon X" and a reputation as one of the league's hardest hitters. Yet when depression was his opponent, Dawkins nearly lost the fight. He retired recently to become a mental-health advocate and philanthropist. He joined GVTD co-host Terry for a candid discussion about how continues to tackle depression. www.briandawkins.com/ betterman.gotothehub.com https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/psychology-of-sport-and-exercise https://health.clevelandclinic.org/mental-he ..read more

In last week's episode we met singer/songwriter/guitarist Matt Weedon, whose honest description of his depression and anxiety was made music, and a hit song at that, by his band The Tors. We focused on the song's first verse and Matt's description of keeping his room dark to match his mood, and about how a dear friend supported him by phone so he knew he wasn't alone. Today, we focus on the second verse of the hit song "Anythng Can Happen" and the day Matt knew he was coming out of it when he not only opened his bedroom window to let in light, but even noticed and enjoyed the birds singing whe ..read more

What do you get when a singer/songwriter/guitarist decides to share openly and honestly about his struggles with depression and anxiety? In this case, you get a hit song. Matt Weedon of the Tors Band in the UK joins us for a 2-episode conversation about his mental health struggles and how putting them to music is helping not just him, but listeners across the world as well. The Tors website: http://tors.band ..read more

A Philadelphia trauma surgeon whose depression required hospitalization learns what it's like to be a patient. He shares his story in the hopes that others will learn from his frightening experience and believe him when he says recovery is possible, no matter how deeply depressed you are. Article link: medschool.ucsd.edu/som/hear/resour…Perspective.pdf YouTube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qBobGOF0fs&t=5s ..read more

"Physician heal thyself." But what happens when depression convinces you you're not worthy of healing? Doctors and other healthcare professionals face uniquely-stressful situations during their education, training and careers. Sleep deprivation, myths and routinely witnessing human suffering can contribute to or trigger depression. In this episode, Dr. Michael Weinstein, a trauma surgeon, candidly and vulnerably discusses his depression, the "revolution" needed in medical training, and his long road to recovery. This remix is the first of a 2-part interview with the doctor. https://www.nejm.or ..read more

A triggering trauma. A deep depression. A helpful therapist. A new hobby and mission. That's part of Kathleen's story and the genesis of The Little Heart Project. This episode is a 22-minute Valentine's Day reminder of the power of kindness ..read more

"About a third of all people experiencing mental illnesses and about half of people living with severe mental illnesses also experience substance abuse. These statistics are mirrored in the substance abuse community, where about a third of all alcohol abusers and more than half of all drug abusers report experiencing a mental illness," according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. That statistic, like all statistics, is about real people. Not numbers. This episode's guest, Donald, is one of those people. And he shares his story of dual diagnosis- living with substance use disorder in a ..read more

Depression is an illness that convinces us it is not one and that we should keep our symptoms secret. This week's guest, Sandeep Saib, shares about her mental health journey that includes bullying, anger, isolation, eating disorders and OCD, all of which contributed to a suicide attempt. Since then, her family has committed to keeping the lines of communication open and has even devoted regularly scheduled Family Trust Circles. Here is a link to a documentary featuring Sandeep and her family if you would like to learn more about their mental health journey: https://youtu.be/_CQr45tIGC0 Sandeep ..read more

We don't need to tell anyone listening to this podcast that it can be difficult to care for ourselves when we're mentally ill. Now add in the responsibilities and challenges of parenting. In this 16-minute episode, Michelle, the adult daughter of a mother with bipolar disorder, shares about the unpredictability and pains of that relationship. We've named this "When a Parent Struggles with Mental Illness, Kids Can Struggle Too" for a reason. Michelle, like many children in such situations, suffered. Co-host/therapist Dr. Anita Sanz offers some counsel to parents who want to do right by their ch ..read more