Mentally Together

Shame, stigma, and subtypes - Talking OCD with Hard Quirk

For the final day of Pride Month, we're chatting with two wonderful queer humans: Ali Naimo and Maia Fattahi, the co-founders of Hard Quirk [https://www.hardquirk.com/], a nonprofit for OCD advocacy and support. Have you ever made a joke about how you're "so OCD," because you like organizing your bookshelf? Yeah, that's not exactly what it's like to live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. And you're not alone - many mental health professionals don't even understand exactly with OCD is and how it shows up. In this episode, Ali and Maia share their own lived experiences with the disorder, from diagnosis to treatment to leading support groups for others through Hard Quirk. Media mentioned in this episode: Don’t Think of a Pink Elephant short film: https://vimeo.com/429895816 [https://vimeo.com/429895816] Biohaven OCD commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ijVJ8c4_u8 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ijVJ8c4_u8] Birdie [http://www.shesbirdie.com]is the personal safety alarm designed by women, for women. Use promo code CASSIDY for 10% off your Birdie! Support the Show. [http://www.patreon.com/cassidyquinn] You can keep up with Mentally Together on Instagram @mentallytogetherpod [http://www.instagram.com/mentallytogetherpod]. Cassidy's Instagram is @cassidyquinntv [http://www.instagram.com/cassidyquinntv], and you can watch the video version of each podcast episode at YouTube.com/cassidyquinn [http://www.youtube.com/cassidyquinn]. Books recommended by Mentally Together guests: https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together [https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together]

Pride stories (updated replay) 🌈 Coming out, online harassment, and queer representation

Happy LGBTQIA+ pride month! The month where we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and living openly and authentically. It’s also a month to honor and celebrate the progress we’ve made in LGBTQIA+ rights… and to stand up against the anti-LGBTQIA+ hate and laws that have been popping up all over the country. The Human Rights Campaign just officially declared a NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY for LGBTQ+ Americans. That’s the first time they’ve ever made a declaration like that, because now THIS is the worst year on record for anti-LGBTQ+ bill. There have been more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills signed into law.  I don't want to make this episode all doom and gloom - but it's important to talk about. AND in this episode, we get to celebrate some wonderful humans in the LGBTQIA+ community. People who have graciously come on the pod to share their stories and experiences with mental health. And since identity is very much tied to mental health, they’ve shared stories about coming out, about becoming a drag queen, about queer representation in media, and online harassment… Clearly, the experience of everyone in the LGBTQ+ community is different, which you’ll hear in these stories. Here are the wonderful humans we hear from in this episode: Poison Waters [https://www.poisonwaters.com/] Megan Mitchell [https://www.tiktok.com/@megan.mitchellll?lang=en] Lisa Cazes [https://www.instagram.com/lisa_cazes/] and Alizeé Falque [https://www.instagram.com/alizeefalque_official/] Lianne Saffer [https://www.liannesaffer.com/] X. Ari [https://xariofficial.com/] Logan Lynn [https://loganlynnmusic.com/] Alayna Joy [https://www.instagram.com/missfenderr/?hl=en] Download the HRC's guidebook: https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/LGBTQ-Guidebook-for-Action.pdf [https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/LGBTQ-Guidebook-for-Action.pdf] Learn the actual facts about trans people, and combat misinformation: https://www.hrc.org/resources/myths-and-facts-battling-disinformation-about-transgender-rights [https://www.hrc.org/resources/myths-and-facts-battling-disinformation-about-transgender-rights] Get your .gay domain here: www.godaddy.gay [https://www.godaddy.gay/] Birdie [http://www.shesbirdie.com]is the personal safety alarm designed by women, for women. Use promo code CASSIDY for 10% off your Birdie! Support the Show. [http://www.patreon.com/cassidyquinn] You can keep up with Mentally Together on Instagram @mentallytogetherpod [http://www.instagram.com/mentallytogetherpod]. Cassidy's Instagram is @cassidyquinntv [http://www.instagram.com/cassidyquinntv], and you can watch the video version of each podcast episode at YouTube.com/cassidyquinn [http://www.youtube.com/cassidyquinn]. Books recommended by Mentally Together guests: https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together [https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together]

"Mental illness needs sunlight": We have to talk about suicide - with Ivan Maisel

Ivan Maisel [https://ivanmaisel.com/] is an award-winning reporter and writer, who has covered college football for nearly four decades, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and now on3.com [https://www.on3.com/], where he’s a Senior Writer AND Vice President of Editorial. 8 years ago, Ivan's 21-year-old son Max died by suicide. And what I haven't yet shared on this podcast is the fact that I can really relate - I lost my mom to suicide almost two years ago. Ivan writes about Max's life, death, the stigma around suicide and men’s mental health, and his discovery that grief is love in his book, I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye: A memoir of loss, grief and love [https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-keep-trying-to-catch-his-eye-a-memoir-of-loss-grief-and-love-ivan-maisel/17247081?ean=9780306925740]. It’s a beautiful book that made me cry and smile. I am honored that he took the time to talk with me about all of it - his love for Max, his grief that he continues to honor, and the healing he’s been through and continues to go through. And really, this conversation was healing for me too. Read Ivan's book: https://bit.ly/ivanmaiselbook [https://bit.ly/ivanmaiselbook] Follow Ivan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ivan_Maisel [https://twitter.com/Ivan_Maisel] Birdie [http://www.shesbirdie.com]is the personal safety alarm designed by women, for women. Use promo code CASSIDY for 10% off your Birdie! She's Birdie - the personal safety alarm [http://www.shesbirdie.com] Use code CASSIDY for 10% off your Birdie personal safety alarm today. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the Show. [http://www.patreon.com/cassidyquinn] You can keep up with Mentally Together on Instagram @mentallytogetherpod [http://www.instagram.com/mentallytogetherpod]. Cassidy's Instagram is @cassidyquinntv [http://www.instagram.com/cassidyquinntv], and you can watch the video version of each podcast episode at YouTube.com/cassidyquinn [http://www.youtube.com/cassidyquinn]. Books recommended by Mentally Together guests: https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together [https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together]

Sorry I left, I was prioritizing my own mental health

HI. IT'S BEEN A WHILE. In this episode, I open up about my own mental health journey this past year, and what I've been doing when I'm not putting out new episodes. From starting a new job to training as a mindfulness teacher to grieving the loss of my mom... Basically, I have been prioritizing my own mental health and learning to enjoy life without overwhelming myself. So here's your reminder that it's okay to take a step back and take care of yourself, and your mental health should always come first. She's Birdie - the personal safety alarm [http://www.shesbirdie.com] Use code CASSIDY for 10% off your Birdie personal safety alarm today. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the Show. [http://www.patreon.com/cassidyquinn] You can keep up with Mentally Together on Instagram @mentallytogetherpod [http://www.instagram.com/mentallytogetherpod]. Cassidy's Instagram is @cassidyquinntv [http://www.instagram.com/cassidyquinntv], and you can watch the video version of each podcast episode at YouTube.com/cassidyquinn [http://www.youtube.com/cassidyquinn]. Books recommended by Mentally Together guests: https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together [https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together]

How to keep it mentally together during the holidays

Hiiiiii! Oh gosh, it's been a while. I want to get back to regularly posting episodes in the new year, but in the meantime, I wanted to talk about this - how to keep it mentally together during the holidays. Am I an expert? ABSOLUTELY NOT! But here are the strategies - or REMINDERS - I'm trying to follow, myself, this year, to keep my brain and body feeling better than total crap. Isn't that what we're all trying to do out here?? Wishing you a gentle holiday season, whether you're feeling festive or not. I LOVE YOU AND YOU MATTER AND THE WORLD NEEDS YOU, OK??!?!?? Support the Show. [http://www.patreon.com/cassidyquinn] You can keep up with Mentally Together on Instagram @mentallytogetherpod [http://www.instagram.com/mentallytogetherpod]. Cassidy's Instagram is @cassidyquinntv [http://www.instagram.com/cassidyquinntv], and you can watch the video version of each podcast episode at YouTube.com/cassidyquinn [http://www.youtube.com/cassidyquinn]. Books recommended by Mentally Together guests: https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together [https://bookshop.org/lists/mentally-together]