Emergency Intercom — “Adderall induced psychosis w/ Eli” (March 6, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of Emergency Intercom features hosts Enya Umanzor and Drew Phillips in conversation with their friend and artist Eli. The main theme is a candid, often hilarious exploration of mental health, growing up on the internet, artistic journeys, and the uniquely absurd experiences of being terminally online. The conversation is driven by personal anecdotes, mutual admiration, revelations around OCD and other mental health diagnoses, chaotic stories from teen fame, and surreal tales of Adderall-induced psychosis, all delivered with signature self-deprecation and irreverence.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Praise for Eli’s One-Woman Show (03:32–06:24)

• Drew and Enya gush over Eli’s show: They detail how inspired and moved they were by Eli’s performance at Bob Baker Theater, emphasizing its originality, intimacy, and the impact it had on them as artists.
  • Quote: “Seeing you perform and seeing your personality on stage legitimately made us fall in love with you. Like, it was crazy.” – Drew (03:41)
• Eli shares the origin: She started writing the show during a period of dysphoria and self-reflection, channeling feelings she hadn’t come to terms with into an expressive performance.
  • Quote: “I was like, peak dysphoria and I like, hadn't really come to terms with my truth in life, and I was like, why don't I just like, put all those feelings into a one woman show.” – Eli (07:19)
• Bob Baker Theater and puppet segment: The show’s setting and inclusion of a custom puppet (made by friend Abby Sage) add to its charm and uniqueness.

2. Mental Health, OCD, and Shared Struggles (09:37–13:11; 19:23–20:39)

• Roundtable on diagnoses: The group jokingly compares mental illnesses — with Eli and Inya both having OCD, Kai naming anxiety and depression, plus exchanges about intrusive thoughts and compulsions.
  • Quote: “What mental illness do you have?... I have OCD. And what is the other one? Schizophrenia. Wait, you’re my OCD, you’re my schizophrenia, dude.” – Eli (09:37)
• Managing symptoms: Inya and Eli open up about compulsive behaviors like obsessive hand-washing and skin picking, and the role of medication.
  • Quote: “Look at my hands. Wait, I obsessively wash my hands.” – Eli (09:59)
  • Quote: “Finding out I had OCD alone was genuinely so relieving. It felt like it gave an answer to a question I had always been asking…”– NOCD Narrator (19:23)
• Therapy talk: The hosts highlight the importance of ERP (exposure and response prevention) therapy for OCD.

3. Growing Up on the Internet & Social Media Tours (31:48–39:31)

• Teenage fame and exploitation: All recount early involvement with social media tours (“Boys of Summer”, “Press Play”, “DigiFest”), highlighting predatory management, lack of compensation, and dangerous situations, including being given alcohol and pills as minors.
  • Quote: “We met on Press Play… there was one called Boys of Summer where, like, a pedophile was running it.” – Eli (31:56)
• Making friends and surviving trauma: They describe how friendships forged in these environments became found family.
• Industry dangers: Eli almost signed a restrictive 360 record deal at 12, only to later have her name/merchandise profited off by adults with no compensation.

4. The Chaotic Creativity of Terminally Online Artists (27:09–28:53; 56:01–67:59)

• From Stan Twitter to actual stardom: Eli describes being “adjacent” to stan culture but using early internet platforms to self-promote from a young age.
• Admiration for other artists: The group shares music crushes (Lana Del Rey, Beyoncé, Miley, etc.) and discuss supporting fellow artists.
• Pitching themselves relentlessly: The necessity (“life or death”) of constant self-promotion, both as a creative drive and because of financial precarity.
  • Quote: “If I do make it, I’m not gonna take the money... We’re gonna funnel it back into the community. The queer community is gonna rise up, guys.” — Eli (73:01)
• Eli’s “Addison Rae Apology Tour”: She humorously details DMing Addison Rae long, weirdly poetic messages, inspired by a period of creative exuberance after embracing her trans identity.
  • Quote: “I was just non stop posting creative mode Instagram stories, saying the craziest things because I just was, like, having so much fun… finally just, I'm, like, letting myself speak, letting myself cook.” – Eli (65:30)

5. Adderall-Induced Psychosis & Alien Beliefs (44:05–45:52; 51:39–52:51)

• Adderall stories: Both Eli and Drew describe experiencing drug-induced psychosis after overprescription of stimulants as teenagers, including alien delusions and spiritual encounters.
  • Quote: “I, like, thought I was like, Jesus. It put me in, like, psychosis. I was, like, meditating to like all the gods. Like, I was. I was like David Bowie. I was talking to Freddie Mercury.” – Eli (44:42)
  • Quote: “I was put on like a heroic dose of Adderall and Xanax in high school. And it with my hormones so crazy that I literally genuinely believed I was… an alien.” – Drew (51:39)
• Pamela the Alien: Eli used a “gay grant” to buy a giant animatronic alien for comfort during the worst times, blurring the lines between coping mechanism and whimsical art project.

6. Surreal Humor, Internet Culture, and Bit Jokes (12:12, 23:14–25:13, 52:24–53:55)

• Emoji restaurant, emoji sock phase: Drew pitches an “emoji restaurant”, and the group reminisce about their emoji-themed fashion obsessions.
• Mocking the trends: They poke fun at social media speak (e.g., “yummers,” “yas,” “tru1”) and reminisce about prank-riddled online antics (“I am blocked by Drake’s dad because I used to spam tweet him in the middle of the night… I would be like, go to sleep, you old fucking fart.” – Inya, 71:29)
• Toys and merch: Drew and Enya mention their own attempts at toy/merch manufacturing and joke about plushies and mascots.

7. Gender, Identity, and Trans Joy (55:02–59:57)

• Eli’s journey: She describes starting medical transition, the affirmation and euphoria that followed, but also the stress of navigating the music industry while broke and vulnerable.
  • Quote: “I started medically transitioning like seven months ago and I'm giving this. I mean, you are. I think I'm intersex because I think I've always been.” – Eli (57:31)
• Admiration and community: Hosts repeatedly affirm Eli’s beauty, talent, and authenticity.

8. Industry Real Talk & Tour Announcements (73:01–76:15)

• Financial hardship in the arts: Eli is honest about running out of her record advance, trying to make ends meet, and the reality of live performance ticket sales.
• Call to action: Enya and Drew urge listeners to support “real” musicians and go to Eli’s live shows, arguing her concerts will “ruin” other concerts for you (because they’re so good).
  • Quote: “If you go to Eli’s concert, you will… have like a higher standard and then you’re going to go to another concert and be like, oh, so they let anybody do this? I didn’t realize.” – Inya (75:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On creativity and trauma: “I was groomed too. I mean, I think it’s like, a rite of passage for creatives. Question mark?” – Eli (31:39)
• On the simulation theory: “It’s going to be revealed that none of this was real… it’s like the best proof for life being a simulation that we are sentient during the singularity.” – Drew (42:51–43:03)
• On music and inspiration: “I love like a amazing vocalist over like a horrible beat.” – Eli (61:17)
• On internet cycles: “It used to be shameful to like chase a career as an artist and now it is shameful to not do that and to not be in the creative world.” – Inya (75:25)

Timestamps for Major Sections

• 03:32–06:24 — Eli’s One-Woman Show & Artistic Inspiration
• 09:37–13:11 — Mental Health Roundtable
• 19:23–20:39 — OCD, Intrusive Thoughts & Therapy Discussion
• 31:48–39:31 — The Dangers of Social Media Tours
• 44:05–45:52 — Adderall-Induced Psychosis & Alien Delusions
• 51:39–52:51 — Alien Era, Medication Side Effects
• 56:01–67:59 — Online Self-Promotion, Identity, Addison Rae Story
• 73:01–75:25 — Tour Struggles, Industry Critique, Call to Action

Final Thoughts

The episode is a mix of raw honesty and comedic chaos, shining a light on the realities behind viral fame, mental illness, gender euphoria, and surviving the entertainment industry as an outsider. Eli’s vulnerability and the hosts’ humor make for a heartfelt conversation about resilience, identity, and creative ambition. If you care about internet culture, queer artists, and the strange beauty of growing up pathologically online, this episode encapsulates it all.