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

I've been listening to The Happy Hour for about six months and find myself talking with the podcast while it is playing and thought maybe I should join the forum and talk to the people there.

I'm 53, have three children, the first biological, the younger two through county adoption. I've been married for 32 years and work in a medically related field.

I've been diagnosed with depression and spent two years in therapy after biting my son.

I have a 12 year old daughter with ADHD, OOD, probably OCD and the potential of inheriting her birth mother's bipolar depression and schizophrenia.

My 9 year old son has autism and the regular behaviors which follow after a pregnancy with a mother who used meth and alcohol throughout.

My wife is disabled and as a result of chronic pain and isolation, she is also often depressed.

I want to be a writer and have three novels I hope to publish this year.

I admire Paul and I'm grateful to him for having a podcast where people can hear that they are not alone and know where to go if they want someone to tell them to go 'F' themselves. (grin)

Welcome to the club FictionSteve! I admire your ability to write so much with all of your responsiblilties. What sort of fiction do you like to write?

Thanks for writing. It sounds like you have a huge handful to deal with.
I also have a child with autism, nonverbal and low functioning. This child is also profoundly hyperactive and behaviorally challenged. Another of my kids lacks a diagnosis, but can be very eruptive and/or depressed at time and express thoughts of self-injury. I'm not the most verbally sophisticated person myself, so I am trying to learn to give her lots of positive reinforcement while also trying to explain why she needs to improve in a behavioral area (when she gets criticism from others for example). I don't want to dismiss what they're saying, but I do want to make it clear to her that she is loved and wonderful in spite of that.
So, all of this is to say that I might have some idea of how tough your life might be. It’s hard enough to parent, but to also work through so many things on top of straight up parenting, it’s hard for people to get their head around.
I am impressed by your ability to find time and motivation to write in your free time. My thoughts are with you and your wife and I hope that you both have each other as supports.