#798 - Foster Care, Death & The Navy - Forrest Lang

#798 - Foster Care, Death & The Navy - Forrest Lang

Author: Paul Gilmartin May 1, 2026 Duration: 1:00:57
Forrest Lang is an author and CSA (child sex abuse) advocate. He shares the story of his own childhood abuse, growing up in the foster care system, the death of his best friend, and how the Navy saved him. Look for his memoir, Angel Blue: A Song Of Redemption. More about Forrest etc: https://www.instagram.com/forrestlangofficial?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063723156268&mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr https://youtube.com/@forrest619?si=5jFDz_OTG7BxCelX https://angelbluebook.com/shop/ https://a.co/d/dGVg9mX https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/angel-blue-a-song-of-redemption-unabridged/id1641763928 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angel-blue-forrest-lang/1147815412 This episode is sponsored Quince. Go to www.Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. This episode is sponsored by Alma. Search their directory of over 20,000 therapists with different specialities, life experiences, and identities, and 99% of them take insurance. Go to www.HelloAlma.com/happyhour This episode is sponsored by Timeline. Timeline’s clinically proven formula is now available at a new, lower price . Mitopure now starts at $99, with the exact same science and formula and listeners can still get 20% off when they go to www.timeline.com/MENTAL This episode is sponsored by The Jordan Harbinger Show. Learn more about the world, improve your critical thinking skills and be entertained! Listen or subscribe here: jordanharbinger.com/subscribe Apple Podcasts: jordanharbinger.com/itunesSpotify: jordanharbinger.com/spotifyHere are the two episodes Paul recommended. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1280-cory-doctorow-why-everything-got-worse-and-what/id1344999619?i=1000747830030 And https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1238-ken-burns-what-if-the-american-revolution-isnt-over/id1344999619?i=1000736232557 If you’re interested in seeing or buying the furniture that Paul designs and makes follow his IG @ShapedFurniture or visit the website www.shapedfurniture.com WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe via Apple Podcasts (or whatever player you use). It costs nothing. It’s extremely helpful to have your subscription set to download all episodes automatically. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2 Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing. Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod   Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod   Become a one-time or monthly donor via PayPal at https://mentalpod.com/donate You can also donate via Zelle (make payment to mentalpod@gmail.com)  To donate via Venmo make payment to @Mentalpod  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by comedian Paul Gilmartin, Mental Illness Happy Hour has become a unique and essential space for conversations many shy away from. This isn't a clinical program, but rather a series of raw, honest dialogues where Gilmartin and his guests share their personal experiences with mental health struggles, addiction, fear, and the lasting impacts of childhood trauma. The atmosphere is intentionally crafted to be a perversely safe place, a description noted by The New York Times, where vulnerability is met with compassion rather than judgment. Listeners will find a podcast that deliberately explores the grey areas of human experience, with Slate Magazine highlighting Gilmartin's conscious effort to share stories that aren't simply black and white. It’s this approach that has led publications like Psychology Today to call it "remarkable" and Esquire to deem it a vital gem addressing a deep need. Tuning in, you'll hear a blend of personal narrative, dark humor, and profound connection that has earned the show a global audience and recognition as a top health podcast. Each episode serves as a reminder that you're not alone in your struggles, creating a sense of community through shared, often unvarnished truth.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Mental Illness Happy Hour
Podcast Episodes
#777 I.C.E. & The Latino Community - Jesse Perez Returns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:19
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#776 Grief, Race & Being Gay - Chris Grace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:53
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#775 Nate Berkus - Surviving The 2004 Tsunami [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:39
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#773 Poverty, Loneliness & Low Self-Esteem - Derek [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:11
Fellow support group member Derek shares about growing up in extreme poverty and isolation. Recently he has been learning how to connect and practice boundaries but is still struggling with being attracted to women who t…
#772 One Family's Truths About Paralysis - Tyler & Jenny Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:07
Tyler Smith was paralyzed from the neck down after contracting the West Nile virus. He and his wife, Jenny, join Paul for the second time to open up about the rage, shock, and loneliness of having become paralyzed as wel…
#771 Growing Up With Hoarders - Amanda Uhle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:54
Amanda Uhle is a journalist and nonfiction writer who shares her story of a loving but turbulent childhood and what it was like to grow up in a house of hoarders. Look for her new memoir, Destroy This House. For more abo…
#770 Imprisoned For Having HIV - Robert Suttle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:12
Robert Suttle joins Paul to share his experience with the criminalization of HIV. He talks about the unexpected arrest related to his diagnosis, his experience in prison, and living with HIV in the modern day. Links/Reso…
#769 Darkest Listener Confessions 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:51
Our second installment of the darkest surveys filled out anonymously by listeners. This episode is sponsored Quince. Go to www.Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canad…
#768 The Difficulties (And Gifts) Of Bipolar - Rick Cleveland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:58
Rick Cleveland is a playwright and television writer (The West Wing, Six Feet Under) who shares the difficulties--and the gifts--of living with Bipolar disorder. This episode is sponsored Quince. Go to www.Quince.com/men…