There is a mental illness support group for almost every psychiatric disorder or abuse. As a person on the receiving end of verbal abuse for years, attending a support group propelled me forward exponentially and I encourage people to locate a support group and attend it. But sometimes, people are intimidated and do not attend. They desperately want the emotional support, but perhaps stepping outside of their comfort zone is too much when added on top of everything else they're experiencing.

Most of us never have the experience of feeling as if we are disconnected from our own body and mind, but if you are suffering from depersonalization disorder then you feel this detachment far too frequently. Our guest, Jeffrey Abugel, has experienced depersonalization disorder personally and has co-authored one of the seminal books on the topic. Recently, he has authored a second book about the experience of living with this disorder and he came on our show to share a deeper look into the world of depersonalization.

I've been hospitalized against my will three times. Those interventions were in my best interest. But not everyone's experiences with forced treatment are helpful. Psychiatric survivors have experienced human rights violations in the mental health system and are speaking out about injustices that can occur when people are denied their right to choose.

Widowed at 29, during her second pregnancy, Hyla Molander was overwhelmed by grief so profound her body threatened to cease functioning. Hyla survived her most challenging times, at least in part because of the support and love she received. But she also knew she wouldn't recover without finding hope, the most basic and essential of self-help strategies.