The writer (Agorafabulous!, XOJane.com, Vice.com) and performer (Comedy Central, MTV) talks about a popular friend’s suicide in high school that informed much of her later life, having a nervous breakdown during college, her families history of depression and anxiety and her Agoraphobia. They also share tips to avoid isolating and talk in depth about everybody’s favorite topic; catheters!
The former Green Beret/Special Forces Medic talks about his childhood in Texas, the loss of his adoptive mother, his tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa, the injury that resulted in his getting a Purple Heart and living with PTSD. Robert is a spokesperson for USA Cares and the author of Love Me When I’m Gone.
The singer/songwriter guitarist talks to Paul about being a female guitarist in a male-dominated industry, her negative self-talk, fear of failure, workaholism, and why she stayed with a past boyfriend whose actions betrayed and disgusted her.
The siblings discuss growing up in an affluent but emotionally witholding household, and how their struggles with depression and her eating disorder ultimately brought the two of them closer together. They talk about the difficulty of connecting with an emotionally shutdown mother consumed with presenting a facade of normalcy to the outside world. They discuss John’s childhood self-harming, Megan’s non-purging bulimia and compulsive exercising and starving, and the importance of finally asking for help from people who could emotionally provide it. They also talk about the danger to one’s military career (John was in the Air Force) with disclosing a history of mental illness. And the importance of naps without guilt!!
The podcaster (Indoor Kids) and former licensed therapist opens up about her battle with Adult Onset Still’s Disease, her mentally-ill grandmother, rebelling as an adolescent, being a woman in the South, working with schizophrenic patients, and perpetrators and victims of domestic violence. They also talk about the importance of having emotional support, and how to distance yourself from people who are draining.
Paul’s friend opens up about being adopted by a physically and sexually abusive paranoid schizophrenic mother, being a child actor, becoming sexually promiscuous and almost dying from AIDS. They talk about spirituality, Peter’s Christianity, and the importance of surrender.
The writer (I’m Kind of a Big Deal, Sippy Cups are Not For Chardonnay) podcaster (For Cryin’ Out Loud) and tv host (Parental Discretion on NickMom) opens up about her alcoholism, bulimia, post partum depression, childhood and marriage. Phew!!
The actor (The Hangover, The Hangover 2) and standup comedian (Comedy Central Presents, Chelsea Lately, TMZ) talks about his very public manic episode in 2011, the blurry line between his onstage persona and his real life demons and how he is learned to live with his diagnosis of Bipolar I.
Paul’s friend opens about her chaotic childhood in New Orleans, her abandonment issues, and the struggling to find words to categorize the sex she wanted and got at 12, from a 27 year-old man. She also talk about the self-doubt of giving up her fledgling comedy career to become a therapist.