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

I have spent a lifetime trying to be “ normal” and at my core feeling like there was nothing normal about me at all. It wasn’t until well into adulthood that I began to get diagnosed with various disorders and they presented themselves slowly, one at a time. Each time I felt a sense of relief and a ...

Thanks for the update Sherlock, glad to hear your on the right path. I empathize with the sleep issues and the other adjustments that come along with a new med! I've been there(HUGS). Keep loving yourself, your worth it!

A few years ago I also questioned whether my drinking was becoming a problem. I decided that the fact that I was even contemplating it was a indication that even if I wasn't an alcoholic my drinking was not serving me and I was heading down a road of self destruction. Smoking and drinking were a pac...

A Letter to Myself 1985 Dear Joy, Today you are eighteen, old enough to have a general sense of what your strengths and weaknesses are and young enough to be hopeful and excited about your future. You feel a sense of relief, like now you are free from the hardships you struggled with in your childh...

Paul, your having an awefulsome moment....sending the love. HUGS

Your story touched me. I am sorry for all the loss you have endured. I can so relate to not feeling like a part of anything, I feel that way often even when I am with family and friends. I have to force myself to be social in fear of losing the 1 or 2 friends I have. You said you were a bad husband....

Impressive! Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

I fear that my kids will look back at their childhood as chaotic and unhappy and it is all my fault. I fear that my kids will repeat the same mistakes I made. I fear that I will suffocate in my sleep. I fear that one day I will break and kill myself because there is nobody left to live for. I fear m...

I love the way the earth smells right after a good rain. I love when I laugh so hard I can't breathe. I love it when people tell me I am smart. I love watching my daughter dance when she doesn't know I'm watching. I love Llamas. I love taking long walks under a full moon in the middle of the night w...