Former New Orleans Radio DJ (WZRH 106.1 The Zephyr) Ross Shields opens up about Bipolar Disorder, Cancer, Hurricane Katrina, and living with Don, his cat who has been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Before getting to the Bipolar Disorder stuff, meet Ross Shields:

Selling shoes isn’t easy in Louisiana. It might be the humidity or it might not. Shields is neither a Meteorologist nor a Podiatrist. Despite these challenges, he chased his dream of being a shoe salesman in Louisiana. When that didn’t work out, he took a job as a disc jockey at an Alternative Rock radio station in New Orleans. He then moved on to a job at 91X, a San Diego radio station, where he enjoyed talking to all manner of real and imaginary people on the air.

Then illness took over.

As Ross lost touch with what was real on and off the radio, he began abusing drugs and alcohol. The combination of the mental illness and substances proved to be too much for him to continue with his career. He became less interested in playing records on the radio, and more interested in devoting his time to two of his passions: crushing his own skull with a jackhammer, and pulling out his fingernails with pliers. Normal stuff.

Then he moved back to Louisiana. Then cancer came along. Then Katrina hit, and it was difficult for Ross to receive medical care. All he had was his illness and his cat Don, who struggled with Borderline Personality Disorder.

After years away from radio, Ross decided to open the doors to Psych Ward. “Dr. Ross” is the Doctor, the Patient, and the Superintendent. Check yourself into Psych Ward and let Dr. Ross take a good, long look at your dendrites. Ross will use his lack of clarity to dispense advice to people, be they real or imaginary. Or both.

Want more Psych ward? Click here and dive right in. Also, check out some of the other cool shows we make here at It’s New Orleans.

Resources:

Hurricane Katrina Book- https://amzn.to/2mqwSau
Cancer Plush- https://amzn.to/2lIshA1
Cat Butt Coasters- https://amzn.to/2nnSiF9

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get the future of podcasts.