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

I found this to be one of the most heartbreaking episodes in the history of the show. Seth's story is sort of a hyper exaggerated version of mine, and it really hit home. Makes me really want to give my mom a call and a hug. Thanks for sharing, Seth!

I cried. A couple of times during the interview, and then again during the surveys. Whew. This episode really renewed my sense of purpose in the world; though I still don't know exactly what that might be, the sense is really powerful. I feel like I am one giant hug right now. I guess my cat will be bearing the brunt of the hugging tonight, ha!

Seriously dark surveys ok. If that's your bag that's great but if you are in a funk or something it really fucks your own shit up. I really needed a 12 hour nap and a marathon of video game podcasts to recover.

I loved this dude, he had such a good energy and sense of humor about his experiences.

I am halfway through it and it is so beautiful and brave and my goodness I can relate with it a lot. Way to share and face all these difficulties so far Seth, I'll come back when I finish.

D

Wow, this episode was powerful! When Seth started talking about hitting himself, and yelling at himself -- that beast of self-hatred -- holy shit, I connected. His anger. His murderous fucking fury at himself, and how heavy metal was the only music that expressed it. His grief over his family, how it started out so happy, then just devolved into nothing...oh my god, that part left me sobbing. I know that feeling. It's devastating.

He sounds like such a loving and lovable person. I was really inspired when he said how good it felt to finally say those things. I hold a lot of stuff in, still, after all these years. I truly hope he finds a place where he can let his feelings out, because listening to him made me think it's time I got off my butt and talked to someone, and that makes me feel hopeful.

Seth, thank you! I'd be curious to hear an update on how you're doing down the road.

I just want to hug Seth. Your story is so valuable and fascinating and heart breaking - please continue to share it. I couldn't be more different than you but I felt every bit of your story and it is teaching me so much about compassion and forgiveness. I'm just knocked out by how complicated our love is for the people who fail us. I'm so sorry for all you've been through and am humbled and inspired by how resilient you are. You're on the right path - with the right professional help or therapeutic community you could really change the world!

This interview was so good I felt compelled to post here. Whether Seth sees this or not I want to say your story was so real and raw, but your journey beautiful. You've come so far though maybe you can't see it yet. I was touched so thank you for sharing. Probably one of the best episodes I've heard on TMIHH, ever.

Wow. This one hit me really hard too. If you read this Seth, hang in there and keep on keepin' on. There is help out there for you, the hardest part is reaching out, and I think you are there.

Paul mentioned how this episode would be appreciated by those listeners who feel that too many of the guests have everything figured out and my wife worried that we sounded like we didn't have any problems anymore. Neither my therapist nor my wife nor I would ever claim that I don't have any problems anymore. While I'm certainly farther along the road to health than I was ten years ago, I still struggle daily. I would hate for anyone to interpret what progress I have made and my tendency to understate for being cured.