Brain implants for depression: It sounds like science fiction but it’s real. The Deep End, a new podcast from Science News, will give you a glimpse of what it’s like to live with electrodes in your brain. It might change how you think about mental health, the brain and what makes you you.

Hear why he volunteered to get brain implants for his relentless depression.

In the second episode of The Deep End, listeners hear what it’s like to live with severe depression and the backstory of an experimental treatment.

Jon Nelson wasn’t scared of brain surgery. His worry about the procedure was the same amount of worry he had about getting his teeth cleaned — none. What happened next was surreal.

After surgery, Jon went through some big transformations. But his relief came with trade-offs.

Jon details the intense stigma, shame and judgement that comes with depression and its treatments. Is there something different about changing our brains versus other body parts?

Several years after surgery, Jon and others have found relief. Here’s a look at what’s next for them and what’s next for deep brain stimulation research.

Jon Nelson shares how he’s doing these days, now that his depression is gone.