The present invention provides an ESD and EOS protection method and apparatus that can be easily implemented in existing disk drive designs and manufacturing process. One apparatus embodiment includes a first conductive member electrically connected to a first terminal of a magnetic head element; a second conductive member electrically connected to a first second terminal of the magnetic head element; and a variable conductive member, such as a variably conductive member. One method embodiment includes operably connecting a first conductive member to a first terminal of a magnetic head element; operably connecting a second conductive member to a second terminal of the magnetic head element; and operably connecting a variably conductive member, such as a variably conductive polymer, to the first conductive member and to the second conductive member. The variably conductive member in these embodiments acts as a conductor when a sufficiently high potential exists between the first conductive member and the second conductive member.