Sending love to all who have supported my podcasting journey for 6 years

Have you ever watched someone tell a “vulnerable” story… and felt something was off?

In this episode, I’m thinking out loud — really out loud — about performative people, the subtle ways they manage perception, and how dangerous that can be for regular people consuming content while trying to heal, grow, or figure themselves out.

I talk about the telltale signs of performance masquerading as authenticity — the controlled smile, the polished pain, the curated honesty — and why it quietly distorts our sense of what real growth, passion, and alignment actually look like.

This episode is split into two parts.

The first dives into performative behavior and why it leaves viewers feeling confused, behind, or disconnected from their own reality.

The second shifts into something grounding — the difference between performance and presence, why people who genuinely love what they do feel safe to watch, and why watching someone come alive hits so differently than watching someone manage an image.

This isn’t motivation.

It’s a mirror.

If you’ve ever felt like your healing doesn’t look as pretty as everyone else’s…

If you’ve ever wondered why some content drains you instead of inspires you…

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “the work” but still feel behind…

This episode is for you.

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Quick heads up for fight fans — all UFC fights are available on Paramount+, even with a subscription. That includes The Ultimate Fighter and Dana White’s Contender Series — so double-check where you’re streaming before fight night. NO MORE PPV!

Also, shoutout to Manta Sleep — if you value real rest (not performative rest), their sleep masks are legit. You can get 10% off right now at mantasleep.com.

And if you want to write to the show, collaborate, or be part of future episodes, email us at abstractnina@gmail.com.

SPECIAL FRIDAY EPISODE!!

What happens when the person who’s supposed to protect you becomes the one you have to protect?

In this episode, I open up about what it was like growing up with a mother who had schizophrenia — the fear, the confusion, and the strange kind of love that lives inside that chaos.

This one’s personal. It’s the story behind my upcoming book, M.O.M — My Other Mother: A Daughter’s Story of Being Raised by Schizophrenia.

I talk about the moment I realized something was wrong, the haunting parallels I saw while watching Netflix’s Ed Gein documentary, and the misunderstood reality of what schizophrenia actually is — beyond the headlines and horror movies.

We’ll break down the myths, the stigma, and the emotional toll it takes on families who live in the shadows of mental illness.

Because behind every “crazy” story is usually a broken one — and behind every broken one is a person who still wants to be seen.

Call to Action:

Learn the facts. Speak the truth. Check on the ones who seem lost in their own world.

Compassion won’t cure schizophrenia — but it can save lives.

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abstract. podcast — real people, raw truths, no filters.

If you’ve got someone in your life with schizophrenia, or any severe mental illness, here’s what you can do:

1. Learn the signs. Hallucinations, paranoia, disorganized speech, withdrawing — they’re not “weird behavior.” They’re symptoms.

2. Don’t argue with delusions. Validation doesn’t mean agreeing — it means saying, “I know that feels real for you, and I’m here.”

3. Find support. There are NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) groups in almost every city that help families understand what’s happening.

4. Speak up. Share your story. Normalize the conversation.

5. Advocate. Push for better mental health access and trauma-informed police training. People’s lives depend on it.

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Wanna be a guest? Ask questions or just join the conversation email at abstractnina@gmail.com