Welcome to the first episode of 'Dancing with Depression,' in which I take you behind the scenes to explain how this podcast came to be.
I am your host, Adam Turner.
In this episode, I dive into the origins of the podcast name and what it symbolizes for me. I reflect on how my daily "dance" with depression once dominated my life, leaving me mentally exhausted by dinnertime.
I'll share candidly about my initial misconceptions regarding the causes of depression and how I came to realize that I was only scratching the surface of this complex issue.
Moreover, I discuss my heartfelt intention behind starting this podcast: to create a safe and supportive space where people can feel genuinely heard and understood.
Lastly, I give special thanks and shout-outs to the individuals who inspired and guided me on this journey of podcast creation.
Join me as we embark on this journey together, exploring the depths of depression and finding strength in sharing our stories.
Stay tuned for more episodes of 'Dancing with Depression.'
Dancing With Depression is part of QuietLoud Studios.
A podcast network where reflection and voice come together.
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https://quietloudstudios.com/Need assistance with your podcast? Connect with KazCM. They make content creation enjoyable and accessible.
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More about this episode "Behind the Name: ‘Dancing with Depression’":
In today’s episode I will shed some light on how this Podcast came to be, what Dancing With Depression means to me & How I was “introduced” to my Depression!
The podcast was a combination of guilt, curiosity & technology. The guilt was my inability to stay connected with my parents. I noticed that I would go days – then weeks without talking to my parents. I often thought about calling them and even set alarms to remind myself, but the phone felt like a ton of bricks, and I would convince myself that I would call them tomorrow…then tomorrow came, same thing & on & on & on. I can recall conversations with a couple of close friends that shared they talk to their parents EVERYDAY, so I questioned myself as to why I didn’t call mine.
I looked to my job, a marketing consultant, as to the reason why the phone felt so heavy, but quickly realized that was just an excuse. Sure, my day consists of making 50-70 phone calls, running 3-4 Zoom Meeting, not to mention prep work, follow up & paperwork…but everyone is doing that much work if not more in the course of their day…so I knew I had to look deeper.
I determined that my depression was like a shadow – it was always by my side! So, I’m constantly addressing it to get through my day. I must remind myself before each phone call why I am doing this – to pay bills, I have to make things appear to be ok, when internally all I wanted to do was push MUTE, so I don’t have to hear all of the thoughts swirling around in my brain. I’ve known for years that sales wasn’t my calling – for starters my personality would be categorized as introverted but depending on the environment I can also be an extrovert – specifically my work environment…I didn’t pick sales; my Credit Card Balances did!!! (LOL)
I was Dancing with Depression all day and was too tired to do anything else. We all know Dancing for 8-10 hours a day would make our legs feel like Jell-O…so does the mental aspect of trying to direct my depression where I needed it to go throughout the day. When my depression wanted to go left; I had to redirect that energy to the right…For instance - If I had a meeting, I had to be ON – that meant smiling (even when I was down), I had to be friendly (even when I wanted to be alone, I had to educate (even when well you get the point). At the end of the day, it all added up to being MENTALLY EXHAUSTED, which was negatively affecting all other aspects of my life!
So, I became curious – what was fostering my depression. Growing up, I believed that depression was often linked to a traumatic childhood…like physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, neglect, parents with mental illness or addiction, severe childhood illnesses, domestic violence, bullying, or racism. These experiences can undoubtedly increase the likelihood of depression, but at the time I didn’t recall experiencing any of these traumas….So, I was left puzzled about the root cause of MY depression.
Finally, I was looking for a way to connect – safely with others that were experiencing what I was experiencing. When I was first diagnosed with depression, I remember feeling lonely, as if I had to hide something from everyone. Only to later find out 5 of my close co-workers were taking Anxiety or Depression Medication – knowing I wasn’t “the only one” provided me the comfort I was seeking. Which got me thinking – Could others benefit from knowing they aren’t alone?
I felt strongly the answer to that was YES, but I knew it had to be in a safe space. After giving it a little thought, I recalled a conversation about Podcasts I had a few years ago, with my cousin, Elizabeth. At the time she was working at ESPN and it felt like every other word out of her mouth was Podcast. Which made me feel old because I had only listened to a couple of episodes of random podcasts. I did, however, remember feeling secure and not worrying about what someone thought regarding the content I was listening to. It was the very platform I needed to share Dancing With Depression.
So I had the Topic: Depression – The Reason: Connect & Share - & The Platform: Podcast…but there was still one thing holding me back - I had NO CLUE WHAT TO DO! So, the idea sat on the shelf for months, collecting dust. With my inability to motivate myself after 6 p.m., I was convinced it would stay there for eternity. But then, I met Nadia through a sales lead at my company. After a brief conversation, we both realized that she didn't need the services we provided. But while reviewing her website, I noticed a section about podcasts. We spent a good hour discussing her services, and she had the layout and experience to guide me. She asked me about my ideas, what I wanted to accomplish and, well, HERE WE ARE! It's still hard to believe, but I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to share this journey with you. And I hope you'll share your experiences with me.
What is Dancing With Depression?
Welcome to Dancing With Depression. This is a podcast dedicated to opening up the conversation about mental health, focusing specifically on depression. I was diagnosed with depression in 2015.
I've realized how crucial it is to talk openly about this topic, breaking its stigma. Like taboo subjects such as income, politics, or religion, depression should not be off-limits.
Through sharing my journey, from my upbringing to my personal experiences and moments of vulnerability, I aim to convey that it's okay to feel this way. We are not alone, and most importantly, we did nothing wrong. Depression doesn't confine itself to a specific upbringing, socio-economic status, or background. I hope my stories encourage others to share their own experiences, highlighting how depression affects not just individuals but their loved ones as well.
Every day with depression is different for me. Some days, it's a mild waltz; other days, it can start with a tap dance, shift into a Salsa, and by noon, I’m a Ballet dancer – leaping, bending, lifting (the weight of my depression), and balancing myself on the tips of my toes all while spinning rapidly.
I invite you to join me as we navigate the complex dance with depression together, all while striving to Take The Lead!