Mental Illness Happy Hour

The actor/comedian (Conan, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central) talks about his struggle to feel "authentically black" without betraying who he is, the state of comedy in the black community, honing his artistic voice, and his turbulent childhood especially with his alcoholic mother. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...

Valerie, a listener talks about the painful decision she made to give her only son up for adoption years ago when she was 18 and living with her Catholic, divorced mother. 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 Presents, Chapelle's Show, Best Week Ever, Countdown with Keith Olberman) opens up about the tragedy and parental mental illness that shaped his childhood and still affects him today as well as his struggle to trust and feel confident about his future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Calif...

Her childhood marked with social stress, being bullied, aggressiveness and severe digestive issues (including Barrett's Esophagus a condition involving acid reflux usually only found in adults) Louise was finally diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, also known as high-functioning autism.  She shares on what it's like to live with it, how it expresses itself in her life and the hurdles society has to...

Raised by a Baptist preacher who frequently got run out of town and raped by his older sister starting when he was 4, "Tom" has had a lot to work through.  A great episode about working through trauma especially in families that can't communicate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/...

The actor and podcaster (Who Charted?) returns to the podcast to talk about the struggle to keep a relationship with her mother whose gambling addiction has wreaked havoc on her family's 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.

The Intervential Pain Specialist has been Paul's best friend since 1982.  They recount the evolotuion of their relationship, especially both dealing with the effects their father's alcoholism had on their families.  Mike also talks about the tightrope of treating people with chronic pain while trying to weed out potential abuse.  Mike recounts the intimacy he finally felt at the end of his father'...

Listener Meghan P. returns to talk about being diagnosed with "Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwise Specified" and the hospitalization that resulted from going off of her meds in anticipation of losing her health insurance.    She discusses the intense paranoia, her brain feeling "stung" and  the belief that she was being filmed for a reality t.v. show everywhere she went.  Meghan is the writer/produc...

The writer and actress (Hey Ash, Whatcha' Playin?) and VO artist (Tiny Tina of Borderlands 2) opens up about the recent accidental overdose death of her boyfriend and the struggle to put her life back together.  They also talk about the danger of invalidating children's feelings and the shame of obsessive or intrusive thoughts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Polic...

Michael opens up about his teenage struggle to avoid dealing with his chaotic and abusive childhood by being extremely regimented, resulting in an eating disorder, punching himself, compulsive exercising and eventually having a nervous breakdown.  He shares about finally dealing with his PTSD in therapy and confronting the cycle of abuse in his family so it won't be passed on to his children.  He...

What is it like to be the government agent that has to physically investigate allegations of abuse or neglect and sometimes even remove children from a home?  "Ray", a 3rd generation social worker opens up about his passion and struggles working for Child Protective Services. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy...

The actress (Mr. Show) and writer (The Ellen DeGeneres Show) shares about struggling to fit in, body shame, her alcoholism, her mother's Alzheimers, learning to accept her body and become vulnerable and her experiences in therapy.  Recorded 4/20/13 at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California...

The podcaster (Walking the Room), author (He's Just Not That Into You) and guitarist (The Reigning Monarchs) returns to discuss the mania, depression and paranoia that left him considering suicide in a Montreal hotel room.  They also discuss the difference between passion and obsession, following your heart, therapy and the fluidity and dynamics of suicidal ideation. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Claire shares about her bullied upbringing outside London with a neurotic mom and a mysterious, stoic dad prone to explosive fits of rage and how escaping into fantasy worlds, especially books, became her way of coping. 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 (The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Lucky Louie) comedian (Comedy Central, The Howard Stern Show) and podcaster (Fitzdog Radio) opens up about his tumultuous relationship with his late father, his temper, his body shame, ADHD and alcohol. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy...

The writer (Agorafabulous!, XOJane.com, Vice.com) and performer (Comedy Central, MTV) talks about a popular friend's suicide in high school that informed much of her later life, her families history of depression and anxiety and her Agoraphobia.   They also share tips to avoid isolating and talk in depth about everybody's favorite topic; catheters!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

The former Green Beret talks about his childhood in Texas, the loss of his adoptive mother, his tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa, the injury that resulted in his getting a Purple Heart and living with PTSD.  Robert is a spokesperson for USA Cares and the author of Love Me When I'm Gone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...

The singer/songwriter guitarist talks to Paul about being a female guitarist in a male-dominated industry, her negative self-talk, fear of failure, workaholism, and why she stayed with a past boyfriend whose actions betrayed and disgusted her. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv...

The siblings discuss growing up in an affluent but emotionally witholding household, and how their struggles with depression and her eating disorder ultimately brought them closer together.  They talk about the difficulty of connecting with an emotionally shutdown mother consumed with presenting a facade of normalcy to the outside world.  They discuss John's childhood self-harming, Megan's non-pur...

The podcaster (Indoor Kids) and former licensed therapist opens up about her battle with Adult Onset Still's Disease, her mentally-ill grandmother, rebelling as an adolescent, being a woman in the South, working with schizophrenic patients, and perpetrators and victims of domestic violence.  They also talk about the importance of having emotional support, and how to distance yourself from people w...

Paul's friend opens up about being adopted by a physically and sexually abusive paranoid schizophrenic mother, being a child actor and almost dying from AIDS.  They talk about spirituality, Peter's Christianity, and the importance of surrender. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pri...

The writer (I'm Kind of a Big Deal) podcaster (For Cryin' Out Loud) and tv host (Parental Discretion on Nick Mom) opens up about her alcoholism, bulimia, post partum depression, childhood and marriage.  Phew!! 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 (The Hangover, The Hangover 2) and standup comedian (Comedy Central Presents, Chelsea Lately, TMZ) talks about his very public manic episode in 2011, the blurry line between his onstage persona and his real life demons and how he is learned to live with his diagnosis of Bipolar I.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...

Paul's friend opens about her chaotic childhood, her abandonment issues, and the struggling to find words to categorize the sex she wanted and got at 12, from a 27 year-old man.  She also talk about the self-doubt of giving up her fledgling comedy career to become a therapist.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priva...

The actor (The Sopranos), standup and podcaster (The Self-Help Comedy Hour) talks with Paul about his lifelong battle with anxiety and low self-esteem and the importance of welcoming fear instead of fighting 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.