Mental Illness Happy Hour

The meditation teacher, standup comedian and writer (Samantha Who?) talks about her struggles with alcohol, food, weight, low self-esteem, relationships and what she gets from support groups and meditation. Recorded live @ LApodfest. 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 breast cancer survivor opens up about her lifelong hypochondria, OCD and anxiety. She talks about the emotional toll of infertility, having a miscarriage and the ensuing depression as well as her double mastectomy, having had a hysterectomy (because of the BRCA2 Gene) and the perspectives she gained by going through all of it. Not a downer, I swear! 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 43 year-old comedy writer opens up about his idyllic childhood, and a couple of traumatic events he believes contribute to his isolating and fighting the demons of depression while being single, unemployed and living alone. 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 first generation Indian-American comedian opens up about her low self-esteem, perfectionism, depression, anxiety, eating disorder, the trap of becoming the "good child" and the constant struggle to not compare herself to others. 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 pansexual Iraqi war veteran talks about his plans to come out to his homophobic family, growing up with a mother who picked terrible men, his deadbeat dad and meeting a half-brother & doing a joint road trip to confront the father that abandoned them both. 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.

Marriage and Family Therapist Erika Holmes answers listener questions from Facebook and Twitter. Topics include Eating Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD therapies, Neurofeedback and potential damage caused by parents who are religious zealots. 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/burlesque dancer talks about the power, pitfalls and rush of performing with and without her clothes on, including being a sex worker at a "jack shack" to make ends meet. She opens up about her low self-esteem, struggles with her dad and the desire for truth no matter how bleak it may be. She also shares about being attracted to unavailable men who hide their relationship with her from their friends and family. 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 former Second City improviser turned drug & alcohol counselor talks about his mother's suicide when he was 12, coming out at 16 (in 1981), getting physically sober but being emotionally toxic and being fired from the prestigious improv company and finally having to change. They talk about Jimmy's breakthrough in doing EMDR and CBT therapy. Paul also shares some listener emails and surveys around the topic of suicide given the nature of this week's Robin Williams tragedy. On the surface it might sound like a dark episode but rest assured it is ultimately hopeful. 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 photographer and activist talks about her bookwormish childhood, coming out in high school, the abusive relationship she couldn't bear to leave and her project which documents the stories of suicide attempt survivors (she is one) Live Through This. 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.

Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Fibromyalgia, ME, etc) a purely physical ailment or is there also an emotional component related to trauma. Pamela shares about being an incest survivor as well as the challenges of living with CFS and being a people pleaser. She also shares about raising a child with Selective Mutism and learning to be emotionally intimate with her supportive husband. 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.

Recently diagnosed with BiPolar II, the actor and director of Jason Nash is Married talks about his fear of being just like his dad, his inability to fully enjoy what others seem to be able to easily enjoy, including being married and a stay at-home dad. 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/performer shares about being raised by a violent and mentally unstable mother who refused to take meds, often leading to 911 calls and police. She also talks about her own depression, anxiety, perfectionism and relationship struggles. 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 actor/singer and fiance of past guest Chemda talks about being a trans male (male but born into a female body) and despite his religious upbringing (his father is a minister) coming to embrace being transgender. 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 40, Jilll took up competitive boxing to work through the childhood PTSD caused by her mother's physical abuse. She shares about living with depression, aiding other female fighters and making her documentary Fight Like a Girl. 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 26 year-old law student talks about his struggles with addiction especially bulimia, assuming the role of caretaker for his alcoholic parents when he was a child, a jarring move to a racially intolerant "Christian" city, and the peace he has today. 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 performer/writer/director best known for her popular YouTube channel opens up about growing up with a Japanese father and Filipino mother where mistakes were not tolerated. She also shares about her sister's suicide, lying, drugs & sex. Visit Anna's Youtube Channel, her Facebook Page, her Twitter Feed or her website. PillPack sponsors this show. To check it out (and to help the podcast) go to Pillpack.com/happyhour. BrainHQ sponsors this show. For 10% off a monthly or yearly subscription BrainHQ.com/happyhour 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 25 year-old Taiwanese American shares about his co-dependency, painful breakups and perfectionism as well as the irony that as a trained therapist he knows he should establish boundaries with his mother but cannot bring himself to do so. 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 36 year-old mother shares about the middle-class version of Cops that was her childhood, her Borderline Personality Disorder, suicide attempts and the drinking problem she can't bring herself to confront despite its effect on her children & boyfriend. 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 Canadian listener talks about the masks she feels she had to wear to deal with childhood sadness, being raped at 16, and experiencing postpartum depression. She talks about the support groups & the health care system that saved her 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.

His childhood was a flurry of moving all over Europe and South America, his parents treated him like "Good Cop Bad Cop" and he has no idea why he felt like a "little pervert" as a kid. They talk about manipulation, addiction, mania & a lot more. 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 mother, wife and podcaster(For Crying Out Loud) talks about being pushed to be a child actor, the psychosis that mental illness brought upon her brother and mother, abusing Vicodin in an attempt to deal with postpartum depression and living with her husband Adam. 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/director (Fridays, Curb Your Enthusiasm) shares about being sexually shamed, his fear of people and the drug and alcohol battles that took the great career he had been given at 20 and burned it to the ground, leaving him homeless. 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/actress shares about being the only child of parents who fled Communist Hungary, and after their divorce absorbing the brunt of her mothers mental illness (Borderline Personality Disorder). She shares about the emotional scars and how she's working to heal them. Christina co-hosts the podcast Your Mom's House with her husband/comedian Tom Segura. 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.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Guy Winch shares some insights and tips on how to deal with guilt, plus some listener surveys. 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 29 year-old shares about the shame of having intrusive thoughts imagining sex with children; getting blackout drunk to the point of violence and making peace with coming out as a lesbian after years of not understanding why she disliked sex with men. 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.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Guy Winch shares some insights and tips for dealing with failure. Guy is the author of the book Emotional First Aid. 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 40 year-old corporate recruiter shares about growing up with a sick mother (ALS) whose needs overshadowed hers, losing both her parents in her teens, using food for comfort, surviving an abusive marriage, depression, support groups, meds & self-love. 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.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Guy Winch shares some insights and tips on dealing with low self-esteem. 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.

After Natasha's mother died she discovered her diaries. What she read was horrifying to the average person but had the opposite effect on her. She shares about her mother's apparent Borderline Personality Disorder and how it has affected her. 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.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Guy Winch shares some insights and tips on dealing with loneliness. Guy is the author or the book Emotional First Aid. Paul also reads some surveys over his dog's objections. 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 mother and wife of a combat medic talks about her battles with intimacy, anxiety, drug abuse and the family that turned a blind eye to her pedophile grandfather. She also talks about how being raped at 19 affected her sexuality. 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.

Clinical psychologist and author of the book Emotional First Aid, Dr. Guy Winch shares some tips and insights on dealing with rejection. 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.

Listener Joy opens up to Paul about raising a child with mental illness, especially her teenage daughter's Reactive Attachment Disorder, depression, the social stigma, the healthcare system and how to deal with 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.

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.