Maria Bamford

[LaMont Cranston]

Along with a lot of other people so far, I was looking forward to hearing Maria Bamford. First, I'd like to admit that I have a crush on her. So there, I said it.

The biggest point that I took away from this episode is about Unwanted Thought Syndrome. I believe that I've dealt with this since I was a kid. Some of the thoughts were things like driving my car into oncoming traffic or crossing the street just as a bus went by. The self control manages to win out all the time. Other thoughts when I was younger involved sex with someone like a teacher or a relative. Or, it would be a memory of an experience that I had where I would feel embarrassed like crying in school when I was much younger or worrying aloud to my friends that flying saucers would could and aliens would do harm to us. Looking back some of those cringe-worthy memories aren't probably a blip on any of the memories of my family or friends.

I realize that this is a problem and would like to know how to stop this. Any ideas?

Again, as with every podcast, there is always something that I can take away from it, and something where I just say "Holy Shit, that's me."

It's nice to know that I'm really not alone. Thanks.

[HeathMcF]

I really really enjoyed Maria's podcast. I started the program at home doing "chores" and continued it while I went grocery shopping. There were several times where I laughed out loud and certainly people must have looked my way!

During the show, Maria mentioned a book, and I thought I remembered the title as Darkness Present, but I cannot find it. So, am I remembering wrong? Help!

Thanks for a fantastic, enlightening podcast. As always, you do an amazing job Paul!!!

HeathMcF

[HammockHead]

This episode actually caused me to have a (potentially dangerous) out-of-body experience while I was driving home on the highway. Everything Maria shared was so well-known to me, that I felt like I was in the studio, experiencing myself listening. It's a miracle I didn't fly off the road, which was fortunately relatively straight during the few seconds of the experience. When I 're-entered' my body, I felt like Maria and Paul were sitting in the backseat throughout the rest of the podcast--and this is in a Smart Car, which doesn't even have a back seat.

What really triggered it was hearing the description of Unwanted Thought Syndrome (I think that's what it's called). I didn't even know I suffered from the 'dis-ease'! I always thought I was just a little more 'out there' than most people. I am a severe depressive (with mild mania) who's lived with it for as long as I can remember. I had to laugh at Paul's comments about 'forgetting' to refill one's prescriptions and thinking you can do without, as I recently did exactly that, and suffered the consequences for my hubris.

Maria: I thank you for sharing, and look forward to checking out your work on youtube and downloading your recent special.
Paul: I thank you for your labor-of-love. You sure are building some mighty karma here!

HammockHead

[pdb]

Heath--the title of the book was Darkness Visible, by William Styron. He's a novelist who became really well known for his nonfiction writing on depression later in his career.

[lostinhere]

My favorite episode so far!!! Great job, so interesting. I have never heard anybody talk about the unwanted thought syndrome. It was like a bolt of lightning hit me. I have these thoughts and can't figure them out of talk to anybody about them because like Maria said they are really to horrible. It was just so nice to hear that someone else has then too.

Thank You for the episode

[Jamous]

Nuveena- I loved reading what you wrote in your post about 'The kind of thoughts that make you either physically twitch or just shake your head really hard'. I wouldn't have thought anyone else experienced this! Both consciously and subconsciously I shake my head side to side (as if to shake the thought out of my head "No. Can't have this thought. Bad, bad bad. Nuh uh. No") Crazy?? HAHA Anyways... My example is wanting- or thinking about/imagining beating the sh*t outta someone; playing it out in my mind in like a 1/2 a second, and if I'm aware enough- opting to physically shake my head 'to get the thoughts out'. I can also relate to the 'physical twitching' Wow. So strange, yet sadly comforting to know I'm not alone. Thanks for sharing

[Jamous]

I'd never heard of Maria prior to this episode but am definitely interested in hearing more of her work. I had a hard time following in the beginning, but the more I listened- the more I found I was able to relate and get many laughs out of it. I enjoyed Maria's personal insight on her experiences, and her honesty and candid way of discussing her thoughts. Definitely had many of those "Holy sh*t, that's me!!" thoughts. Great podcast. Thank you Paul and Maria

[gfyourself]

Don't know if its my "best" as in most helpful episode, but its definitely the episode where I laughed the most!

[CharlotteC]

Nuveena and Jamous, re: 'The kind of thoughts that make you either physically twitch or just shake your head really hard'.

Just wanted to say that I've had that, too. They also make me swear at myself (fuck you, bitch,fuck off, etc) or hit my head with my fist; a few times I've hit my head against the wall. Twice I've had periods of involuntary twitches at bad thoughts several times a day for around a year. I just got over a period of this. Meditation has been helping, although I still do the swearing -- just did it today, because I'm having a bad day.

I hate how involuntary it is. The thoughts range from mildly bad memories to horrible, creepy, or violent images that come from god knows where. My problems aren't as bad some people's, but these things make me feel crazy, so it's good to hear that others deal with it, too.

[Jamous]

CharlotteC- I can relate to feeling the same way as you mentioned in your post: "I hate how involuntary it is. The thoughts range from mildly bad memories to horrible, creepy, or violent images that come from god knows where. My problems aren't as bad some people's, but these things make me feel crazy..."

I most definitely 'shame' myself for having the thoughts in the first place, and then 'shame' myself all over again for 'beating myself up'/ self-deprecating... and the cycle continues til my brain feels it's going to explode! Rumination is evil! Ha.