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

I self harm now (cutting) and I just had an interesting memory resurface while reading this thread, that I used to self harm when I was a kid, I just never knew it. I used to hit myself as hard as I could in the thigh. I would do this when I felt stressed or in moments of low self esteem. I grew up ...

I became worried when I found myself relating so well to the description of someone with BPD in the recent episode. I have an intense and irrational fear of abandonment. I have mood swings (currently diagnosed bipolar II), I self harm, and I have boundary issues (Molested as child all that, basicall...

I'll give the bulb thing a shot. Do I need a special lamp. Thanks. I do have numbers down for local hospitals as well and I have a great (mental health care) relationship with my therapist. I also am lucky to be pretty self aware so I at least am able to recognize when I am having a mood swing.

I'm always way worse in the winter time. I still have mood swings but they are not as severe. And I generally don't get suicidal in the summer, even at my worst. My brain basically likes to combine SAD with whatever else is going on up there. I had the good fortune of being born in rural vermont. Wh...

This is about being sexually abused as a child, and the effects that it had on me. I have this thing when I write songs where I don't realize what they are about until a few weeks after I finish them. It's metaphor heavy, which I think is honestly just because its something that is still hard for me...

"You can't tell me what my spirit tells me isn't true, can you?"-The Mountain Goats White Cedar from the album Transcendental Youth

I'm a musician, and about to release my first album. I struggled with these thoughts (and I still do) for years. Everytime I tried to write a song I would just see all of the pieces I was ripping off from my influences. I was afraid if I released anything, or played anywhere, people would just go &q...

I totally do this all the time. I will have the most pure empathetic messages of love for other people, and I always am around to give advice. I would never tell anyone anything negative no matter what they told me, I constantly strive to be supportive and loving to everyone I meet. But I'm a worthl...

I am new hear. I posted an intro in the proper forum but I feel like I have a unique perspective to add to this. I am a transwoman. I have been on hormones for almost one year and I notice that I am suddenly able to cry. Now I really hesitate to just assume that I am following some cliche. I think i...

I wonder if there is an edit button because I wanted to share this and I didn't want to keep making new replies. Last night before I decided to cut. I found a bottle of old anti depressants I was supposed to throw out but didn't (not for any deep reason, I am just forgetful and disorganized). Buprop...