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

22 year-old Melanie R. shares about living with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder which used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder), being bullied, having a perpetrator who is female, integrating her "alters" and Sensory Integration Disorder.

Melanie can be reached at hypermelanie@aim.com

Her personal blog is at loserchildhotpants.tumblr.com.

It meant so much to share my story here. I can't express my gratitude enough. And thank you to all those of you that listened and to all of you that have reached out to me. <3

Dear Melanie.
Thank you for sharing your story, I was gripped from the first minute. I am so deeply facinated by the things our brain will do to cope with our experiences.
All the best,
Cami

Cami - thank you so, so much for listening to my story. <3

good episode, I learned a lot. Melanie, you are very well spoken. I enjoyed your openess and honesty. thank you.

Thank you, heebiejeebie! (I like your username!) I was a little worried about sounding scattered, actually - I'm really glad you found it actually coherent lol. Thank you very much <3

You are remarkable -

I listened and I was just amazed at your strength - I do not think that my little broken girl self would have survived - and you did - my stuff isn't nearly as terrifying and unsettling but I know how fragile my fear of people meter is and this may have made me a hermit for life -

Your strength your message and your life choices are inspiring and I wish you to continue on your journey to healing and know that your story and your mission is helping start others healing and that makes my heart happy - I am working on my own healing - hearing your story makes me ready to get my big boots on and start mucking through my memories in my mind and start working on my stuff!

Thank you for all that you do and for sharing so openly and honestly -