Mental Illness Happy Hour

The 31 year-old listener ponders her low self-esteem, food issues, history of self-mutilation, compulsive spending and suicide attempts when her parents were "nothing but supportive". 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.

Two sons of Holocaust survivors, Michael Rozbruch and Amir Tiles sit down with psychotherapist Joel Schwartz whose grandparents are also survivors and they discuss the ripples of PTSD still felt today within the families, caused by the trauma.  Amir's father Melvin, an 85 year-old Polish survivor also joins them. 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 therapist who is also in recovery helps Paul and some listeners (via surveys) navigate their discomfort and confusion about their current issues.   They discuss the cliched but effective tools of self-parenting and inner-child work, as well as the line therapists draw regarding self-revelation to their clients. 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.

A father/brother figure to Paul, the high-school teacher reflects on his Mexican heritage, violent upbringing, tour in Vietnam, stints as a bouncer at a Hell's Angels bar, and a Club Med guide, his getting "struck sober" and how he has evolved to become the man his father never was. 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 (Last Comic Standing, Twitwits) talks her own alcoholism, her dad's awkward foray into lingerie photography, craving her mother's acceptance and understanding her own fluid 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.

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 Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 overcome in understanding and accepting those with Aspergers. 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 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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'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.

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/producer/director of the documentary eXtreme, Loyal, Victorious: The Packer Fan Experience. 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 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 Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 also talks about having to cut contact with his family because of their refusal to deal with a one of them being a pedophile. 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.

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 Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 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.

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#do-not-sell-my-info.