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

Thanks, Paul. Just laughed out loud like a loon at my desk over "mastersob". Like my coworkers don't already think I'm a nut!

Master sobber here!
Mohandas Karamchand Ghandhi is his name Mahatma is a religious title.

I've been waiting so long to hear Maria on this podcast! When I'm feeling especially bad, I watch The Maria Bamford Show on Youtube, and it always makes me feel less alone. She's one of my favorite people in the world.

There was so much to love here I don't even know where to start, so I'll just pick two things. I loved the point she made about learning to comfort yourself through connection with other people instead of TV. I grew up with alcoholic parents who were obsessed with their own problems, so I watched a lot of TV to escape. I realize I still do that...avoid people instead of reaching out when I feel down. I have a hard time trusting that I'll get anything back other than criticism, or that blank look you get from someone who is thinking only about themselves and not really seeing you. TV was the best escape, because at least when I disappeared into it, it entertained me! Today, I use the internet for that. I know there are good people out there, but I tend to break off potential friendships because I expect the worst. It's so, so hard to make yourself vulnerable when you've been hurt. But in the end I only end up acting selfish myself. Lots to think about here.

The second thing I loved was at the end when Paul and Maria hugged and you could hear the hug. Paul's goodbyes are always so sincere and open and unafraid. It gives me hope that one day I'll get better at this "people" thing, because on this podcast, it really doesn't sound that bad.

Much love to Maria and Paul, and everyone else on this forum. I've just joined, and it's nice to know you're all out there.

Charlotte(did I get that right?)

I just joined to and about mental illness happy hour, the mastersob ( i too laughed out loud for a prolonged period of time) and many other things you said - I concur MOST heartily. I am not with you about the it gets better angle, which, BTW I AM UBER HAPPY is working for you!!! it just ain't rolling that way down my hill, if ya know what I mean!)

Anyhooooo - glad to be here and glad to know others are here too. we have a home.

LittleOrphanMissy

I'm about halfway through the podcast. Mastersob made me laugh so hard I had to pull the car over to the side of the road.

Only a bit through the podcast but I loved "Then I shot her", and then "No, not going back".

This episode was my first time listening to this podcast, and I'll be back for more!

I was very pleased for the opportunity to listen to Maria Bamford talk more in depth about mental illness.
I've strugged with extreme depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and OCD, and I really look up to Maria as inspiration. Not only is she the funniest person in the world to me, knows she's been through that too makes me feel like I can relate to her where no one else in my life really understands what mental illness is. Watching her stand up and videos have always cheered me up, knowing she's been depressed but bold enough to talk about it in an such an amusing way, and makes me laugh about my own depression. I watched her Special Special Special recently too, definitely worth it.

It's perfect timing I found this podcast, I just so happened to be going through another one of my bouts of depression while listening to this, and the conversation helped open my mind and made me feel less alone, and most of all made me laugh.

Thank you for this amazing podcast!

I feel bad for saying this, and I wish nothing bad on Maria, nor do I have any negative energy toward her, but this podcast was one of the only ones I felt like just skipping. Maybe it was my own state of mind? I just felt like she was jumping all over the place, never making a strong point.

Normally, I like it when Paul extends the podcast, but I couldn't wait for this one to end.

Paul has been a little off-the-wall on the past two podcasts, but I'm not "worried". MIHH is a Grrreaaat show. So many times I've found myself laughing out loud, or just saying "Wow, that was some heavy shit. I can relate."

Thanks again Paul,

What an unbelievably good episode.
I was so excited to hear that Maria Bamford was going to be on the podcast. I don't remember how I ever discovered her but, like others here have said, she became my youtube fascination for a while. I wasn't aware that Maria struggled with such serious issues-- I guess I assumed she was just making up this really unique funny stuff. But wow! Way to go Maria for being so successful at what you do in the midst of such mental chaos.

I was really interested in the stuff about unwanted thoughts being a variant of OCD. After listening to the podcast, I wrote a lot in my journal about my own unwanted thoughts (which I can date back to the age of four) and how glad I am that I don't have the OCD variant because if I did, I'd never be able to be around people. My persistent unwanted thoughts have never been violent but have always been disturbingly sexual in nature. Any time I've even TOUCHED on the subject in conversation with a friend or partner, they've mildly shamed me and misunderstood a key point: unwanted thoughts are NOT sexual fantasies or fetishes. No, I don't want to bone my dad in the ass with a dildo, but I can't UN-think the thought. I'd love to know if Maria or anyone who struggles with this type of OCD also experiences the thoughts in dreams?

And then yesterday I was watching something on strange illnesses (I think on NatGeo) and they were talking about OCD and mentioned Unwanted Thought Syndrome. I love when the universe does that... pokes me into a direction to further research and learn about.

Oh and one last thing-- Maria's experience of not being able to function cognitively while on Lamictal was terrifying and vaguely familiar. When I've abused certain prescription drugs in the past, I've often discovered that I've gone temporarily mute... I try to ask for the remote and all I can do is make a weird grunt sound and point and say "me... give to me..." and I've gotten so freaked out. The damage doesn't seem to be permanent.

Anyway great episode and Maria Bamford rocks my socks!

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