Mental Illness Happy Hour

The former Second City improviser turned drug & alcohol counselor talks about his mother's suicide when he was 12, coming out at 16 (in 1981), getting physically sober but being emotionally toxic and being fired from the prestigious improv company and finally having to change. They talk about Jimmy's breakthrough in doing EMDR and CBT therapy.   Paul also shares some listener emails and surveys around the topic of suicide given the nature of this week's Robin Williams tragedy...

The photographer and activist talks about her bookwormish childhood, coming out in high school, the abusive relationship she couldn't bear to leave and her project which documents the stories of suicide attempt survivors (she is one) Live Through This. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Fibromyalgia, ME, etc) a purely physical ailment or is there also an emotional component related to trauma.  Pamela shares about being an incest survivor as well as the challenges of living with CFS and  being a people pleaser.  She also shares about raising a child with Selective Mutism and learning to be emotionally intimate with her supportive husband. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19...

Recently diagnosed with BiPolar II, the actor and director of Jason Nash is Married talks about his fear of being just like his dad, his inability to fully enjoy what others seem to be able to easily enjoy, including being married and a stay at-home dad. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The writer/performer shares about being raised by a violent and mentally unstable mother who refused to take meds, often leading to 911 calls and police.  She also talks about her own depression, anxiety, perfectionism and relationship struggles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The actor/singer and fiance of past guest Chemda talks about being a trans male (male but born into a female body) and despite his religious upbringing (his father is a minister) coming to embrace being transgender. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At 40, Jilll took up competitive boxing to work through the childhood PTSD caused by her mother's physical abuse.  She shares about living with depression, aiding other female fighters and making her documentary Fight Like a Girl. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 26 year-old law student talks about his struggles with addiction especially bulimia, assuming the role of caretaker for his alcoholic parents when he was a child, a jarring move to a racially intolerant "Christian" city, and the peace he has today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The performer/writer/director best known for her popular YouTube channel opens up about growing up with a Japanese father and Filipino mother where mistakes were not tolerated.  She also shares about her sister's suicide, lying, drugs & sex. Visit Anna's Youtube Channel, her Facebook Page, her Twitter Feed or her website. PillPack sponsors this show.  To check it out (and to help the podcast) go to Pillpack.com/happyhour. BrainHQ sponsors this show...

The 25 year-old Taiwanese American shares about his co-dependency, painful breakups and perfectionism as well as the irony that as a trained therapist he knows he should establish boundaries with his mother but cannot bring himself to do so. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.