Depresh Mode with John Moe

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!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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 

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!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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 

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!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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 

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!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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines  

Kit Williamson, an actor and writer known for his roles in 'Mad Men' and 'Eastsiders,' dives into mental health through his series 'Unconventional.' He discusses the struggles of living with depression and anxiety, sharing how storytelling can foster healing. Dr. Charles Conway, a psychiatry professor, reveals groundbreaking insights on vagal nerve stimulation therapy for treatment-resistant depression. They explore the science behind this treatment, personal journeys, and the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community.

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!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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 

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!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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines  

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!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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines  

In this engaging discussion, Alex Goldman, the host of Hyperfixed and former Reply All host, shares his journey through ADHD, depression, and bipolar disorder. He opens up about his late diagnosis, the challenges of managing medication, and the chaotic allure of hypomania. Alex highlights the complexities of balancing creativity with mental health struggles, the importance of open discussions about these topics, and how personal branding intersects with his experiences in podcasting. Join him for a candid exploration of resilience and self-worth!

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 FirefliesAftersunAmourDancer in the DarkPan’s LabyrinthRobocop (2014 remake)Cries and WhispersSynecdoche, New YorkCape FearFunny GamesLetterboxd: Truly Depressing Movies from Depresh Mode with John MoeThank 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-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines