Hurricanes, fires, nuclear meltdowns …these hardly seem a prescription for emotional well-being. However, an unlikely support group has coalesced around a Canadian podcast appropriately named, “Doomsday.”
In these chaotic times, why would this be my go-to podcast? Growing up, my family life was unpredictable, and not in a good way. I began reading disaster books, even becoming an expert on the Titanic. I now believe that these events taught me that even under the most challenging of circumstances, it’s possible to keep your humanity intact—and even survive.
Doomsday differs from similar podcasts by injecting humor into each episode. This may seem incongruous, but tragedy and comedy are often not far apart. Shakespeare’s The Tempest is described as a tragicomedy, so this unlikely pairing has been with us for many years. Even in some of life’s darkest moments, I recall humor keeping me afloat.
The Doomsday podcast creator and listeners chat online frequently, and not always about disasters. Discussions about mental health challenges arise fairly often—I suspect my fellow listeners also find survival stories comforting. This is the most supportive and least judgmental online group I have ever been a part of. There are never laughing emojis when someone posts a thought-provoking, sometimes poignant, remark. Always, there are concerned individuals from around the world who weigh in—diverse in background, but united in compassion.
I’m Lori Drummond-Cherniwchan and that’s my perspective.
