YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Thanks for sharing, techchick. I've been doing online therapy for a few months now and occasionally I question why I spend the time and money on it. But then there are sessions when my therapist says some profound or a light bulb goes off. That keeps me going back.

Yesterday marked one month since my gastric sleeve surgery. It feels like it has been a year! The good news is I have already lost 52 pounds since my strict pre-op diet began six weeks ago. I don’t really feel different, but my clothes fit better. My brain and stomach are still fighting…but now my s...

Rivergirl,

I hope you are feeling better. Remember, it's okay to feel however you want to feel. Go easy on yourself like you would a friend who was in a rough patch. Things will get better...just like they always do eventually.

Huh...I thought "fancy hot dog" was an oxymoron!

Liquid diets suck. I never want to eat Jell-O again. This is what depression feels like…without the depression. I have no energy, my mind and body are slow... but there’s no dark cloud. I’m craving healthy foods…that I cannot have yet. I want grilled chicken, mushrooms, and rice – not pizza and ice ...

Hey friends, Sorry to leave you in the dark. I haven't had much energy to go online or do about anything since Friday. The good news is surgery went very well. I am in the recovery stage now, which is more tiresome than painful. I will share more about my journey to a healthy life soon. I did think ...

You know how Paul often brings up how watching serial killer documentaries on Netflix is comforting? I have something similar. I am comforted by breaking news coverage of tragedies, whether it be a mass shooting, tornado, whatever. To be clear: I do NOT enjoy that these things happen…quite the oppos...

Snoringdog, Oak, Rivergirl, & Manuel: Thanks for your well wishes. It really does mean a lot. I chose not to talk about this surgery with any of my family or friends. The only people who know live in my household. The main reason is because I didn't want their judgement or bad thoughts about it....

Hungry. The only word that describes me right now. I’m on day 7 of a 10-day liquid diet, as I prepare for my bariatric surgery on Friday. Everyone says this diet gets easier after the first couple of days, but for me it has been the opposite. Mainly because I am sick of sugar-free Jell-O, popsicles,...

So I've been doing therapy sessions for about 3 months now via BetterHelp. While it's been nice to have someone I can talk to about nearly anything and feel supported, I hadn't made any major realizations until this point. Yesterday, I decided to talk about losing my grandpa. He wasn't actually my g...