Above Ground Podcast

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from

Above Ground Podcast

The Great Holiday Suicide Swindle, is a myth buster episode. In a time when  media perpetuate debunked ideas as fact and the general public is too busy or ignorant to fact check. Will helps you understand what you need to know and how you can help.

The Great Rock and Roll Swindle is the rockumentary of The Sex Pistols and more importantly their manager, Malcolm McLaren. McLaren's spin was that the Pistols and more importantly punk rock, was a scheme perpetrated by him to make money. Wow, shock that someone self anointed themselves king of something. 

Today, Will fly's solo for this episode. I thought that suicides rose during the holiday season. I have a mother who suffers from a seasonally affected schizo affective diagnosis. I live with a seasonal affected depression, so I felt like the holidays would have seen an uptick of suicide. People have to rush to consume and spread joy that we generally don't feel. Spend time and buy gifts for people we don't always like with money we don't always have for what. To keep another tradition that so many outgrow and cannot afford. 

But when you read this article from Psychology Today

you will be surprised to find that feelings weren't fact checked. I was also misinformed by my own perceptions. 

 Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania has been been studying these trends since 2000. Can't argue with metrics. Even if they go against what you want to hear, feel AND BELIEVE.

Remember that not everyone enjoys the holidays. If someone needs help know where you can send them. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention can help you learn what to look for, how to help and provide you with support.

Be. well, be safe, be Above

Stigma; as defined by Merriam-Webster states that it is a mark of shame or discredit. I find those words disturbing. The definition is brutal enough without faces staring and mouths shouting. So many of us, fight the world alone. We are here to make the world less scary, overwhelming and stick a middle finger up to all the haters. We are here to Stomp Out Stigma

I do not view mental illness as shameful or discrediting. We here at AGP find this to be one of our amazing superpowers. You can too, if you don't already. 

This is why we are here and have been called in to action. I believe that when an individual is gifted with a crisis or situation that they survive, we are mandated to share with everyone what we have learned. If no one listens, just shout it louder. 

Strap up your tool belt, tie on your cape...

Lace 'em up and let's STOMP OUT STIGMA

One of my fave self-cultivation gurus, Jim Rohn, said;" those living with a victim mentality never get to experience the joy of accomplishment because they are always waiting for someone else to come to the rescue."

This week's episode is all about victim vs. victor.  I will let the conversation speak for itself. We also have the first installment of Tim's Tough Love Tips. 

Enjoy!

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When you are anxious, depressed, angry and even worse, suicidal; the last thing you are thinking about is being grateful. Yet gratitude can help us gain our personal strength to fight through the times we are weakest and at our most vulnerable. 

During these next few weeks with the hustle and bustle of the holidays; this can be a very tough time for people. We see an uptick in suicides during this season. Everyone has forgotten their manners and seem to only care to get their, me, mine, most on. We forget that others are hurting and struggling. Being grateful can be a great way to remember what this time is really for.

A Harvard study by Drs. Robert A. Emmons of UC Davis and Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami found that over a ten week period, participants who wrote about things they were grateful for were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. They exercised more and had fewer trips to the doctors office. They were happier in general than the participants who only wrote about the negative. 

Writing in a gratitude journal can be a great way to positively affect your mood. Especially during the holidays and we are so busy trying to please everyone with a lot of nonsense, if you need to bring your self back to earth. Gratitude might be the tether you need to smile again. 

It doesn't take any extra energy to be grateful, it just might provide fuel to live your best life or just help you live another day.

"Feet sometimes on solid ground, sometimes at the edge", vociferates Tim Mcllrath from Rise Against. Their song Survive is the basis of this episode.

This Saturday, November 23rd, is International Survivor of Suicide Day all over the world. This special day happens every year on the Saturday preceding Thanksgiving on the calendar. 

Each year, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention supports hundreds of large and small Survivor Day events around the world, in which suicide loss survivors come together to find connection, understanding and hope through their shared experience. While each event is unique and offers various programming, all feature an AFSP-produced documentary that offers a message of growth, resilience and connection.

I chose a Rise Against song for this Survivor's Day episode. This year I will be remembering the loss of my good friend Patrick. He turned me on to how good Rise Against was. I will be forever grateful for his love of music and his friendship and guidance in life. We lost him this past March. We are better for knowing him.

Rest In Peace, until we meet again somewhere.

Show Me Your Vulnerability...

O.k. it wasn't always about the money was it? Yep, you guessed it. Will and Tim discuss who is who's 'Ambassador of Quan' and Will's obsession with Cameron Crowe 's great movie,  Jerry Maguire

Episode 25 is a special one as the boys talk up a little vulnerability and fear of making mistakes. Real talk, real lives. 

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Until next week

be well, be safe, be ABOVE

Emotional Rescue-

This week the boys will be steadfast and true in their discussion on emotions and how to live with the damn things. Buckle up and ride the roller coaster.

Your knights in shining armor are coming to you loudly in the night.

ooh-ooh...

This week the boys dive back into the ocean known as F.E.A.R. (Fraudulent Emotional Antiquated Reaction) and surface with a booty of discussion. 

It is estimated that nearly ten million people live with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

In this part of the lower 48, how can you not get a bit bummed at this time of year? It is dark at 410pm, it?s generally cold and often snowy. This week join Will & Tim on another ear twisting adventure, as they roll along the ever changing roads of the seasons.