Jul 8, 2019
Emily Harman, host of Onward Podcast, interviews Todd Kruder, a Retired Navy Captain, whom she met when they were both working at the Naval Air Systems Command. Todd Kruder speaks about his journey into and out of the fog of depression and reveals how he turned his pain into purpose, ultimately earning a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work.
Episode Highlights:
- Emily Harman introduces Todd Kruder.
- Todd tells us that depression doesn’t always look like we might imagine.
- Did Todd know he was depressed when he was working long hours, staying busy?
- Todd describes how he wore his uniform to try to hide his depression.
- Todd describes his obsession with exercise.
- How did a visit to the sleep doctor impact Todd?
- Being depressed can put people in a zone to become a different person in an effort to hide their pain.
- What was the breaking point that made Todd know he needed help?
- How should one approach someone about their possible depression?
- Was there one thing in particular that spawned Todd’s depression?
- Todd found writing helpful as he explored possible triggers for his depression.
- Todd explains the fight-or-flight nature of depression.
- How did people in the military respond to CaptainTodd Kruder being in uniform and speaking out about mental health?
- How does the stigma of mental health affect people and families?
- How has Todd moved onward from his mental health struggles?
- Todd explains why he went back to school for his Master's degree in Social Work.
- Having an awareness of depression triggers can be extremely beneficial to address it quickly.
- Todd talks about the benefits of a service dog.
- What helped Todd move onward from suicidal thoughts?
- Every time an obstacle slows us down, there is an opportunity for rebirth.
- We are in constant movement as human beings and are steadily changing.
- Emily shares her thoughts about the information Todd Kruder shared.
3 Key Points:
- The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that 22 veterans commit suicide every day, about 8,000 annually.
- Watch for the small things that appear off about someone as an alert about their potential depression.
- Our mind is the last place where we are free. Mental health issues can take that away from us.
Tweetable Quotes:
- “For someone who is depressed, or with a classic depression, you are either going to sleep too much or you don’t sleep well at all.” – Todd Kruder
- “The understanding of the brain...right now the science of it is kind of like looking at the Earth from outer space. Yeah, we know its Earth. But, the details of it we can’t make out.” – Todd Kruder
- “Therapies and approaches can range from anything from exercising, I’m a huge advocate of “eye rest,” which is a form of meditation. All these things can help.” – Todd Kruder
Resources
Mentioned:
http://lswgroup.org/ Lucius Seneca Wellness Group (LSWG) was the
idea of a military spouse. Mrs. Kruder’s husband returned from a
military deployment changed and not the same person as he left. Her
husband found himself deep in a depressive state. Ignoring the
signs of a serious behavioral health crisis, her husband continued
to journey into the darkness. Mrs. Kruder personally witnessed her
husband pull himself away from treatment rather than face the
stigma associated with mental illness. Mrs. Kruder knew the issue
was bigger and broader than just the military. It was the
combination of these experiences that drove her to creating LSWG in
the summer of 2015.
Buy Todd’s books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B074PP4CXT
Descriptions below are
from Amazon.com.
A Journey in the Fog of Depression: A Military
Officer's Experience; What
if you never achieved your goal? What if your goal was to erase a
moment in time? If your decisions in life were influenced by a
series of events, a series of moments in time? The Journey through
the Fog of Depression begins serendipitously. Through a seemingly
series of unrelated events, a Military Officer, with over 25 years
of service, a loving wife, and five children realizes his mental
pain and anguish had brought him so perilously close to
self-destruction may very well be deeply rooted in the events of
his past. The Officer takes us with him on his personal voyage. A
voyage that takes us in the perils of the fog. As his thoughts
become more and more obscured by his fog of depression, he begins
to seek solace in both despair and loneliness. Standing on the
balcony of the fifth floor bachelor quarters one fall night,
peering down at the ground below, imagining the relief that he
would feel through his own death and recalling the stoic words,
“What is the highway to freedom? Any vein in your body -- Lucius
Seneca the Younger.” The Officer realizes for the first time that
his depression is on a collision course with death. Voyaging
through his experiences with multiple therapist and drug therapies,
he gives a firsthand account of the stigma and devastating effects
of depression. As he enters therapy for the third time, he makes a
final attempt at trying desperately to find the reason for his
unhappiness. He begins to journal those experiences that he could
never seem to get away from. Those experiences we all have that
linger in the darkest corners of our minds, always there, waiting,
waiting for a weak moment to remind you of a past failure or
devastating embarrassment. It was through this journaling approach
that he has his “ah ha” moment. As he reads the journal entries, he
discovers a common thread, a common theme. A theme that he can now
trace back to a year, a day, and a time. The Officer discovers and
contemplates his decisions of the past. Like the ringing of a ships
bell transiting in the fog announcing the ships position to others.
He hears the clinging sound, a sound that resonated from within his
past and now heard clearly today. His is on a journey not yet
completed.
Mending the S.E.A.M.: A Process for Enhancing
Traditional Depression Therapies (A Journey in the Fog of
Depression) (Volume 2) is the
second book in the series by the author of A Journey in the Fog of Depression: A Military
Officer's Experience;
Discover how he utilizes his ability to define processes in the
development of a game changing, step by step model, that blossoms
into a fascinating fresh look deep into our own unique experiences.
Through a detailed approach, he takes the intangible form of an
experience and transforms it into a 3D object. Using only pencil,
graph paper, and coins; he demonstrates each step in detail. Learn
how the young boy turned military officer finds himself sitting in
his family room, alone, depressed, and contemplating his own
suicide muttering the words: "The quickest path to freedom is
through any vein in your body." The phrase echoes in his mind,
resonating, and haunting him. Carrying him deeper into the fog of
his depression. A compelling book developed for the purpose of
enhancing existing therapies available to our active duty,
veterans, and their families suffering the devastating effects of
depression.
The Journey in the Fog of
Depression: A Military Spouse’s Experience is a unique view into the life of a military
spouse and her personal accounting of the events and effects of her
husband’s depression. Written in a narrative style, the authors
describe in detail, the events, challenges, and experiences of what
life is like married to a military officer. We learn how the early
challenges of their marriage and the frequent deployments instilled
in her, the strength and determination to save the life of her
spouse. A compelling description of relentless perseverance and
hope.
https://cnsmaryland.org/2013/12/11/militarys-mental-illness-stigma-pushes-navy-captain-to-edge/
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/nation/military/navy-captain-opens-up-about-depression-and-hope/285231709
- https://emilyharman.com
- https://www.soulpajamas.com/home
- https://www.facebook.com/Onward-Podcast
- https://www.instagram.com/onwardpodcast
- https://www.podcastpress.io/
Todd Kruder: Linkedin