Mental Illness Happy Hour

Paul reads an email, two surveys then talks with author Guy Winch (PhD in clinical psychology) about practical tips to deal with rumination.  Guy is the author of the book Emotional First Aid.   This is the first of six mini-episodes with Guy on dealing with various emotional stressors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The writer/model/actress talks about being raised by dis-interested parents, her battles with depression and the feeling that if she doesn't have a man in her life she feels "worthless".   Melissa is currently a writer for www.XOJane.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At four years-old he told his mom he wanted to be a lady when he grows up.  He shares about the violence inflicted by his complex father and classmates.  He talks about managing his PTSD, insomnia, Bipolar II, night terrors and being a rape survivor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The listener discusses hearing voices, dealing with Borderline Personality disorder and/or Bipolar II as well as the abusive "relationship" she had with a 22 year-old when she was 12 and how she began self-harming then.  The surveys are pretty dark. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 46 year-old comedian talks about the frustration and shame of battling ADD and depression while trying to be a good husband and father.  He and Paul talk about how to deal with anger when feeling overwhelmed and the bright side of living with mental illness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The PhD (clinical psychology) shares about working with at-risk youth particularly in the LGBT population and in a Psychiatric Evaluation team, responding to mental health emergencies.  She also talks about the addictive rush of working in crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The list of major health issues she dealt with in childhood including brain and spine surgeries pale in comparison to the complicated relationship with her father; an alcoholic with no boundaries.  Paul and Lindsay discuss the parent who is oblivious to the way they leer at, talk to and touch their children.  They also discuss her Bipolar II, OCD, co-dependency and perfectionism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Culled from a month of surveys filled out by listeners.  Paul reads their shames, secrets, fears, hopes and beautiful moments.  And of course some "awfulsome" moments as well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The standup comedian (Comedy Central, Late Late Show w/Craig Ferguson) and podcaster (The Crabfeast) shares about the hatred he endured from his mother and the love from his father and other relatives that saved him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The writer (Roseanne) and standup (Tonight Show, Late Late Show w/Craig Ferguson) opens up about the controlling environment she was raised in, her professional anxieties especially about her age (58) and her decades long battle with anorexia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Although the writer/listener grew up in Hawaii, his childhood was far from paradise; enduring a cornucopia of PTSD, leaving him wondering what is real and what isn't.  He also shares his obsession with cults and and the time he joined one to write about it and almost lost his mind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amelia discusses her "nuclear" PMS (called PMDD), her first pregnancy and the pressures she felt for everything to be perfect and the crushing Postpartum Depression that followed.  She also talks about the childhood traumas that might be linked to it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The podcaster (Keith and the Girl) was raised in NY but born in Israel to a mother of Iraqi heritage and an Iranian father, both of whom had traditional expectations for their daughter, none of which included her being engaged to a female-bodied man. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born in Montreal to a WWII widow, the clinical and forensic psychologist talks about the sexual abuse he experienced as a boy, the stigma and confusion adult male survivors grapple with and ultimately how he healed.  Episode is sponsored by www1in6.org which he co-founded. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raised by parents who talked about God a lot, the 29 year-old opens up about the hypocrisy he saw in a mom who couldn't parent him and a trucker dad who was either disappearing for months or dealing meth in their small Wyoming town. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The comedian/actor/writer (Kids in the Hall, Larry Sanders, Hannibal) opens up about his childhood in Brampton Ontario, coming to terms with his sexuality and the bullying that eroded his self-esteem.  He also shares about a traumatic and violent even at his middle school that he considers seminal and his past battle with cancer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Borderline Personality Disorder is often misunderstood.  The blogger, author, performer and mom explains what it's like to live with, how to manage it and when it's most challenging.  She also shares about her emotionally volatile childhood with her Russian Jewish relatives who emigrated from Estonia to Australia and being the mother of two boys.  She also shares about living with the idea that her performing dreams may never come true. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 28 year-old listener opens up about his familiy's history of avoiding emotions, his cries for help, struggling to live on $8/hour, his cutting and self-abuse and his shame over his paraphilia (adult baby) fetish. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born to a drug-addict teenage mom, Julie was given up for adoption and raised by a stoic military dad and Fundamentalist mom whose obession with demons comes close to resembling the mother from "Carrie".   There much more to her story including her humor and resilience.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paul's friend shares about being committed to a psych hospital at 17 over a breakup, discovering drugs (crack) and how to hustle money to feed his habit.  Hitting bottom in the desert and the dog that might have saved his life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.