People First Radio – November 28, 2024People First Radio – November 28, 2024
People First Radio
Angelica Mattson describes her experience of severe, treatment-resistant depression and why she views modern ECT as life-saving, while also addressing stigma and gaps in mental health care. Victoria Hand Project CEO Michael Peroni then explains how low-cost, 3D-printed prosthetic arms are being created with local partners in lower-income and conflict-affected regions.
0:00•29 Nov 2024
Shock Therapy, Stigma and 3D-Printed Hope on People First Radio
Episode Overview
- ECT may be suggested as a last-line option for treatment-resistant depression and can be life-saving for some people, though it carries risks such as short-term memory loss.
- Modern unilateral ECT differs from older practices and is conducted under anaesthetic with muscle relaxants, reducing physical convulsions and injury risk.
- Ketamine infusions can increase energy levels but may not address emotional symptoms of depression, showing that feeling energised does not necessarily mean being well.
- Mental health services can be overstretched, leaving people on waitlists or turned away from emergency rooms, even when they are in serious crisis.
- Victoria Hand Project uses low-cost, body-powered, 3D-printed prosthetic arms and local training to expand affordable prosthetic care in multiple countries.
“I wish I could telepathically shoot the message into people's brains that depression is not the person's fault.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction, depression, and life‑altering health challenges? This edition of People First Radio brings together two very different stories with one shared thread: finding help when things feel impossible.
First up, Edmonton resident Angelica Mattson talks about living with treatment‑resistant depression and why she says electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) "saved my life numerous times." She describes the fear that came with images from films and horror stories online, her terror of losing her memories, and the relief of learning about modern unilateral ECT and how it differs from older practices.
Angelica explains what the procedure feels like, the mild muscle aches, and the short‑term memory gaps she experienced, alongside the huge lift in mood that allowed her to work part‑time and exercise again. She also speaks bluntly about stigma. Co‑workers telling her to choose "good vibes only" and calling ECT "barbaric" left her questioning whether her illness was her fault, until a brain scan showing "my brain was severely underactive" finally validated her experience.
Angelica stresses that depression "is not the person's fault" and argues for more resources, peer support, and honest stories of people who do get better. The second half shifts to practical innovation with Victoria Hand Project CEO Michael Peroni. He explains how a university research project on 3D‑printed prosthetic arms grew into a Canadian charity partnering with clinics in 11 countries.
By training local teams and keeping devices body‑powered and low‑cost, they offer prosthetic arms that many people would otherwise never access. Michael shares moments from Nepal, Kenya, and Ukraine, where recipients travel long distances and light up when they can finally cook, work, or move through crowds with confidence.
If you're interested in real experiences of mental health treatment and creative solutions to physical disability, this conversation might leave you asking: what other life‑saving options are out there that we rarely talk about?
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