The Peripheral

It's hard to wrap your head around the untold number of unreported rapes that happen. It also might be hard for some to understand why we don't report when we've been assaulted or raped. In this episode I speak with two guests who talk about the aftermath of reporting their attacks. The results should shed light on why victims hesitate to report this crime.  

I've never had much exposure to eating disorders and did not understand the havoc they wreak on the human body. On this episode I speak with Kristel and Lauren who both suffer from bulimia. This wasn't an easy episode for me to do and I know it wasn't easy for them. I hope anyone listening gains an understanding that eating disorders are a combination of compulsion, addiction and many other disorders.   

For this episode I speak with Ruckus who walks me through the underground world of male sex work. It's a casual conversation about how he keeps himself safe while still delivering services to new clients.  Forewarning, this episode covers adult themes that may not be suitable for bosses or co-workers in a professional environment ;)   

I've always felt slightly alienated during the holidays. Everyone seems to love the time they get to spend with their families.  I rarely speak with my mother and try to avoid family get togethers at all costs. Instead I make time for people that I feel truly love and support me, my friends and my wife. I haven't gone so far as to cut off any family but I do speak with two guests who have. 

I'm turning 40 so this week I'd like to give the listeners what they want. Apparently "my story" is in high demand.  I talk about all the times I was arrested, my drug use and give personal details about my teen years.  I'll take you through some of the events that have molded my views and perceptions on life. I hope listeners gain some understanding and empathy for even the most troubled individuals. 

Inspired by Art Bell's Ghost to Ghost I bring you 3 terrifying listener stories that will leave you questioning everything you believe.  Danielle kicks us off with a story about a little boy who is upset that his photos have been taken down.  Lindsay gets a visit from an old co-worker who doesn't realize her shift has ended.  Denise who is struggling with health concerns receives a warning from something inhuman.   

Where do we really go when we sleep?  What, really, are our dreams?  Do you dread falling asleep at night? Maybe you know something is waiting for you once your consciousness slips into that darker astral plane. Over 70 million Americans suffer from sleeping disorders and that number is in the billions worldwide. Sleep and brain wave studies attempt to unlock the secrets of the human mind but they don't have all the answers yet.  In this episode I talk to two guests, TJ and Erica, with terrifying sleep disorders: sleep paralysis and night terrors.  Can you imagine what it's like to feel trapped in your body and unable to move? Or to have your mind conjure up a terrifyingly vivid scenario from which you can't escape? For my guests, these sleep conditions are all too real.   https://www.sleepassociation.org/

Chronic pain is a medical condition doctors have struggled to treat. When medicines like oxycodone and hydrocodone hit the market, they seemed like a near-magic answer.  As doctors were assured by manufacturers that these new drugs weren’t addictive, they prescribed them freely.  What doctors didn’t know was they were all made from heroin; by the time manufacturers were brought to court, it was too late.  In this episode I talk with Jeremiah, who is overweight with severe back pain. He finds relief in the form of prescription pain pills,  which allow him to push through the pain and exercise but ultimately lead to bigger problems. My second guest, Dave, shares his struggle with addiction which impacted his life in an earth-shattering way.   

  For almost 60 years marijuana has been a Schedule I drug, prohibited by the government like heroin from 1937 until 1996, when California first allowed marijuana to be legally used for medical purposes. For nearly 5,000 years before that, however—including immediately prior to making it illegal—marijuana was in common use.  Racism, misinformation, and social conditioning are among the obstacles today that have prevented potentially life-saving scientific research—and lined the pockets of opioid-manufacturing Big Pharma Companies.  What are the worst side effects of marijuana? Would you consider giving your child marijuana? Does it really have any medical benefit? You might find the answer in this episode, where I talk with parents who ran out of traditional treatment options for their children and a retired nurse whose home was raided for growing marijuana for her ailing husband.    

Ever question the bounds of forgiveness and love?  Natalia Aggiano suffered the murder of her mother at the hands of her father. Yet that isn't all there is to this story. Natalia will grant the ultimate forgiveness while being attacked for it. She'll go on to fulfill her mother's wishes of being an organ donor and give someone else a chance at life. https://amzn.com/178219360X http://theforgivenessproject.com/stories/natalia-aggiano/   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ6THQGTRtY   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VQCv_Ax0hY   https://twitter.com/nataliaaggiano

At 17, my guest Erin from Australia gets her first real job. Her boss trusts her enough to give her access to his computer. But when he leaves for a week and asks her to get promo photos, she's horrified by what she finds amidst his files. My second guest, Erinn from the U.K., shares a candid account of the sexual and physical abuse she endured as a child. We cover some very disturbing topics on this episode so listener discretion is advised.    

My guest Ann has experienced a lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder that results in extreme mood swings and depression. With the sudden loss of her young son, she embarks on a personal journey that reveals an unwavering inner strength.   

The Silk Road was famed in days of old as a mysterious, magical route to purchase exotic goods from then little-known India and China.  The Silk Road of modern times, built on the Dark Web by a troubled libertarian tech whiz, became a dark route to purchase anything illegal - from drugs to weapons to much worse. My guest Broc talks about his journey down the Silk Road to addiction, his plummet to rock bottom, and his road to recovery.  

  On this episode I'm joined by Mary from Brisbane, Australia, who was brought up Jehovah's Witness. She talks about being raised believing the end of the world was near and only the anointed had seats in heaven. Because of her struggles with god and family, she ends up leaving home at 15 to fend for herself on the streets. The miracle of her story is how she survived and flourished after such an extreme paradigm shift.

Guests Molly and Kelly share their terrifying stories of being stalked and raped. We discuss why rape goes unreported, the helplessness that accompanies trauma, and the internalizing of blame. If you've been in this situation or are currently going through this, please reach out for help.  VictimsofCrime.org Stalking Resources http://bit.ly/help-for-victims   SafeHorizons.org  Help for Stalking Victims http://bit.ly/safe-horizons Safe Horizons hotline: 1-866-689-4357  

Who defines relationships? Should relationships be restricted to being emotionally and physically intimate with a single person? Or, in this modern age, is it more practical to have our needs met by multiple consenting individuals? My guest Meredith discusses her open marriage, the nature of polyamory, and why her lifestyle works for her.

What comes after death - not the afterlife, but real life? If both of your parents die and someone asks about them, what do you say? Is it too sad or awkward to discuss how you really feel?  On this episode, I speak openly about grief with my guest Hannah. My second guest, Courtney, is an artist specializing in Victorian mourning art who offers insight into how our views of death and mourning have shifted over the years.

When we hear the term “mental illness” we dismiss it as rare, someone else’s problem, or a criminal issue. It isn’t: it’s more common and afflicts more of us than you might believe.  One out of every five adults or around 43.8 million Americans are diagnosed with some form of mental illness every year. This means anyone who isn't suffering directly from mental illness is most likely living with or knows someone who is.  So why is it still being marginalized? This week I share my experience living with my brother who suffered from schizophrenia. My guest Tiffany discusses having bipolar disorder and tackling her personal demons.   

Guest Kayla Jane Danger discusses ethical porn and how the industry functions. For all the protest about online information and how it should be free, users often forget that sex workers - most of them female - are trying to earn a livable wage. By downloading their work and not paying for it, users are violating intellectual copyright and effectively breaking the law. www.kayladanger.com www.mydollparts.com

Sometimes the road is less traveled for good reason. In the premiere episode I share how I learn a painful lesson after my older brother  takes me on a dangerous journey, and a listener relates a horrifying, unexpected discovery.