Episode #524
Date March 31, 2014
Run Time 1:04:03
John Flynn, Melanie Hamlett and Brett Wean share stories of times things went from from dysfunctional to dysfunctional-er.
Song: RISK! Theme by Wormburner and John Sondericker
Song: Sundown by Johnny Ripper
Live Story: The Great Escape by John Flynn
Radio Story: The Bullfight by Brett Wean
Song: A Change of Heart by El Perro del Mar
Live Story: All in the Family by Melanie Hamlett
Song: Kiss Me I’m Drunk by Valley Lodge
Song: RISK! Theme by Wormburner and John Sondericker
Song: Sundown by Johnny Ripper
Live Story: The Great Escape by John Flynn
Radio Story: The Bullfight by Brett Wean
Song: A Change of Heart by El Perro del Mar
Live Story: All in the Family by Melanie Hamlett
Song: Kiss Me I’m Drunk by Valley Lodge
This comment is for brett wean. I listened to his story and realized his life was going the the same as my life right now. My mother is bi polar manic depression. She had has had lot of episodes in her life. Some starting with her wanting to take her own life. I’m having a very hard time coping even though it’s been like this for years. I’m at that stage where I feel I cannot leave her alone but I want to have my own life …… You know have fun learn lose the old v card. I’m a girl by the way. I’m 21 now and still I can do anything to. Also I have a 9 year old sibling that I jut don’t know how that’s going to go if I leave. I work nights so ……. Sometime she will call and I have to run home. My sister calls and mom actin crazy again it’s jut nice to know someone. Is goin through this and I’m not alone. May you mother rest in peace and thank you for sharing it meant a lot to me. And thanks I Kevin for risk for helping me out.
Hey Rahnea — this is Brett. I’m so glad I noticed this comment! And I’m so sorry you’re going through this, because it does sound like what I went through. Briefly, here’s what I can tell you. Get help by seeing a psychologist or therapist. Even if you think you generally know the right way to handle whatever’s going on at any given moment, the mere act of having an objective professional say, “Yup, that’s right,” is worth its weight in gold. It takes the pressure off. Sometimes, though, her or she will be able to give you great strategies to help you set boundaries in such a way that you’ll know you’re not making things worse…even if your mom’s behavior in response makes you feel like you have.
This is a situation where you can best help the other person by first helping yourself. If someone were about to fall off a cliff, you would need to make sure you’ve got a firm grip while pulling them up, right? But here’s the ultimate thing that (thank God) I learned: you’re not ultimately in control of someone else’s actions. Here’s my impression of my shrink — he doesn’t mind the term “shrink,” by the way, and you’ll have to imagine the British accent — “Well, Brett…I don’t think there’s much you CAN do.”
I don’t have any siblings, so I can only imagine the weight of responsibility you must (unfairly) feel. That’s another reason you need to reach out for help.
You thanked me for sharing because now you know you’re not going through this alone. I thank you right back, because it works both ways.
And I’ll thank Kevin again, too. This podcast is very entertainingly making the world a better place.