Imagine trying to go about your day with angry voices saying awful things at you. Or trying to concentrate in a meeting while you’re convinced the smell of rotting meat was coming from you.

Welcome to John’s world. In this episode of PSYCHEDUP, Dr. Diane McIntosh explores the complex and distressing symptoms of psychosis through his personal story.

Dr. McIntosh is joined by Dr. Randy Mackoff to discuss the roles of medication and talk therapy in managing psychosis.

You’ll Discover:

• What psychosis really is and how it shows up across disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
• What it’s like to live with psychosis: John’s reality of hearing voices and believing delusions.
• The different types of psychotic symptoms, from hallucinations to delusions.
• How psychosis is treated, including medication, therapy, and the role of family support.
• Why stigma makes recovery harder and how empathy, education, and advocacy can change lives.

• Explore Dr. Diane McIntosh’s psychosis page for more information, including a downloadable and shareable guide to psychosis.
• Visit the BC Schizophrenia Society’s website for support.
• Learn about bipolar disorder

Adversity is inevitable, how we respond to it can change everything.

Between economic uncertainty, political instability, and personal challenges with health, finances, or relationships, life can be overwhelming. Yet there’s still so much good worth celebrating. How do we balance it all and hold on to hope and happiness? The answer is resilience.

Broadcaster and author Gill Deacon joins Diane to share her journey through serious health challenges, showing how perspective, gratitude, and acceptance can create space for healing and hope. Later, psychologist Dr. Randy Mackoff returns to share practical tools for building resilience, from mindset shifts to self-talk strategies. In this episode of PSYCHEDUP, Dr. Diane McIntosh explores resilience—the science and practice of not just surviving hardship, but emerging stronger.

What You’ll Discover:

• What resilience really is and why it’s more than “toughing it out.
• Gill Deacon’s journey through multiple potentially deadly health diagnoses and the strategies that helped her thrive.
• The role of perspective — how small moments can mean the most.
• Practical resilience-building tools — from managing expectations to reframing negative self-talk.
• The truth about control — why accepting what we can’t change is just as important as taking charge of what we can.

Resources:

• Explore Dr. McIntosh's page on resilience here.
• To listen to Gill Deacon's podcast, listen here. To listen to her podcast, click here.

PSYCHEDUP is back with more episodes on Oct. 10, 2025. Mental illness touches us all, whether you've experienced it yourself or supported someone who has. Let’s get educated, because there is help.