Paul Gilmartin on Depression, Anxiety, Suicide, ... The Fight Against our Inner Demons
Table of Contents
We all have feelings and emotions running through us, yet more often than not we keep them out of sight, hiding them away from those around us, keeping them captive deep down inside of us.
Many of us have never even thought anything about them, which is both the cause and the consequence of not knowing how to talk about our own feelings. We have become afraid to open ourselves up, thinking that we’ll be judged, thinking that “normal” people don’t have such feelings.
So we hide them, we put them away in a closet and try to forget all about them, only for that closet to eventually come crashing down on top of us.
The reason why I, and our guest here on the show, Paul Gilmartin, are always saying “you are not alone” isn’t because we are trying to be nice.
No, it’s because we both know from experience that opening ourselves up to the right people can be such a powerful way of healing.
True connection lies in talking about who we really are and how we really feel, not about what the weather is doing.
Happiness is largely about being socially connected, yet we cannot be connected if we keep hiding our true feelings and inner scars away from others.
The IPS Project and The IPS Podcast are both created precisely for that reason. To reach out to more people, to show and spread this message: life isn’t easy, but no one ever said you have to do it all alone.
In this episode, Paul Gilmartin, TV personality, stand-up comedian and host of The Mental Illness Happy Hour – a podcast that centers around the struggles of mental illness and the battles we all have within our head – we dive into these subjects and the importance of opening up about them.
Some of the things we talked about include when he knew he really needed help; how it felt for him opening up for the first time about his feelings and emotions; advice on what to look for when searching for a good therapist; steps he recommends about dealing with depression; the importance of humor and laughter; advice that he would have given to his younger self, and much more besides.
This is an incredibly insightful episode for anyone who is struggling, and there is a lot of useful and actionable advice given.
So, enjoy the episode, and please note that if you are feeling alone and need help or someone to talk too, you can go to theipsproject.com/contact and send me a message at any time.
You’re not alone and you don’t have to do this alone. I mean it.
EP 005 - Paul Gilmartin on Depression, Anxiety, Suicide, ... The Fight Against our Inner Demons
"I can be a cheerleader for help, I can let people know they are not alone."
Some of the Questions:
- Has laughter and humor been of help to you in dealing with your struggles and problems?
- How did The Mental Illness Happy Hour start? What's the reason behind the creation of it?
- How was it for you the first few times going to a therapist and opening yourself up about those feelings?
What You Will Learn from this Episode:
- The powerful effects meditation can have on you
- What to look for in finding a good therapist that suits you
- The huge importance of connecting with other people and joining a support group
"All feelings are valid, there are just healthy and unhealthy ways of expressing it."
Resources Mentioned:
- – The Mental Illness Happy Hour
- – HelpGuide (Self-Help Tools)
- – TalkSpace (Chat with a licensed therapist.)
- – BetterHelp (Private, affordable online counseling.)
- – A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
- – A True Cure for When You’re Feeling Unhappy (Article on humor and laughter.)
- – InTheRooms (InTheRooms.com is the World’s Largest, Online Social Network for the Global Recovery Community.)
FOLLOW Paul Gilmartin
You may also like these episodes:
- – EP 012 – Mark Henick – Mental Health Advocate, Coping With Suicidal Thoughts
- – EP 018 – Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: How to Cope with It and Provide Support – Dr. Stephen P. Lewis, Ph.D.
- – EP 021 – How to Rewire Your Brain to Be Happy | Dr. Rick Hanson, Ph.D. | The Science of Happiness
Question about this episode: What are your thoughts about the podcast episode with Paul Gilmartin?
Did you enjoy this episode?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Your Voice Matters!
It´s a very good Interview on some really important topics. Thanks Jellis! Keep up the good work.
Hey Simon, hope you are doing well man! Thank you for listening to it! Glad you enjoyed the interview. The podcast from Paul, The Mental Illness Happy Hour, is honestly an incredible podcast touching upon this kind of subjects as well.