• Raised by a Homophobic Mother
    Jan 25 2026
    #foryou #podcast #ad MERCH: https://were-all-insane.myshopify.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoruQag2m9PMZyrMfyyl8t9xxjwn3mCd-5qt5zjHYYKL31Dt_0fK TIMELINE: Don’t let another year go by feeling less than your best. Grab 30% off your first month of Mitopure Gummies at https://timeline.com/insane30 Ari's adoption was supposed to save her life — but instead exposed her to abuse, neglect, and deep rejection. Taken in by family while her parents were gone, Ari grew up never being accepted for who she truly was, especially as a lesbian. This is a raw conversation about the dark side of adoption, family betrayal, and the lasting damage of being punished for your identity. Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What happens when a child is adopted while both parents are incarcerated or addicted? 00:02:10 — What is it like growing up bouncing between homes as a young child? 00:04:05 — How does growing up in an image-obsessed household affect a traumatized child? 00:06:00 — Why do some parents prioritize appearance over a child’s emotional needs? 00:08:20 — How do controlling parents react to LGBTQ families and friendships? 00:10:45 — Why do some parents fear their child being gay before the child even knows? 00:13:00 — How do abandonment issues form when a parent frames themselves as a savior? 00:15:05 — What happens when a teen is forced to come out during a moment of fear? 00:17:30 — How is religion weaponized against LGBTQ children? 00:19:00 — What does emotional abandonment look like after coming out? 00:21:10 — How does isolation become a punishment for queer teens? 00:23:15 — Why doesn’t punishment or control change someone’s sexuality? 00:25:30 — What does it mean when a parent becomes violent over “white lies”? 00:27:40 — How does humiliation become a tool of control in abusive households? 00:29:50 — Why do teens run away when emotional abuse escalates? 00:32:10 — What actually happens when CPS gets involved in family conflict? 00:34:20 — Why do abuse survivors minimize their experiences when authorities ask? 00:36:30 — What does it feel like to learn you were never legally adopted? 00:38:45 — Why do children return to abusive homes even after escaping? 00:41:00 — How does financial control replace emotional care in toxic families? 00:43:10 — Why do abusive parents spread lies to isolate one child from the family? 00:45:20 — How does parental manipulation damage sibling relationships? 00:47:30 — Why do abuse patterns repeat in adult romantic relationships? 00:49:45 — How does childhood trauma shape attachment and self-worth in adulthood? 00:52:00 — What happens when adult children go no-contact with a parent? 00:54:20 — Why do adult children still crave validation from abusive parents? 00:56:40 — How do survivors grieve a parent who is still alive? 00:59:00 — What does healing look like after going no-contact? 01:02:30 — How do survivors redefine family after losing their parent relationship? 01:06:00 — How do you accept that a parent may never change? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Ran Over and Disabled My Dad
    Jan 19 2026
    #foryou #podcast Courtney's life was permanently altered by a single, unthinkable accident — accidentally running over her own father and disabling him. We talk about the crushing guilt, the aftermath of addiction, abandonment, and the impossible position of becoming his caretaker while still raising her own family. Courtney's Links: ~Tiktok: @courtkline https://www.tiktok.com/@courtkline?_r=1&_t=ZT-92zuIdPfH3e ~Instagram: @courtkline https://www.instagram.com/courtkline?igsh=MWxrenlqODcyMWRlbA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr ~$100 off GLP-1 through Shed https://lddy.no/1nwx4 Code: COURTKI100 ~Coming soon! More Than Mother Podcast ~TikTok: @morethanmotherpod https://www.tiktok.com/@morethanmotherpod?_r=1&_t=ZT-92zuXtRZbJH If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Schizophrenia Took My Brother
    Jan 12 2026
    #foryou #podcast #sponsored #ad Don’t let another year go by feeling less than your best. Grab 30% off your first month of Mitopure Gummies at https://timeline.com/insane30 Feel like your best self again. Visit https://forhers.com/insane to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. Kelly’s life changed when her twin brother was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder. We get into what it’s really like loving someone in psychosis — the delusions, hospitalizations, and the emotional exhaustion of trying to hold onto someone who’s slipping away. She also opens up about losing her father in the process, as he became her brother’s full-time caregiver. Alongside that, she shares her own lifelong battle with anxiety, panic disorder, and OCD, and what it’s like to suffer quietly while your family is in crisis. This is a raw, honest conversation about grief, mental illness, and what it costs to love someone who’s breaking. Kelly's Links: Support Group: NAMI (https://www.nami.org/program/nami-family-support-group/) Instagram: kcamp31996 Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What is it like growing up as a twin when one sibling later develops severe mental illness? 00:03:15 — How does childhood family structure affect long-term mental health? 00:06:00 — What are early signs of anxiety in children that often get overlooked? 00:08:45 — Why do adults sometimes dismiss anxiety symptoms as “overreacting”? 00:11:05 — Can children experience anxiety and self-hatred without a clear cause? 00:13:00 — What subtle warning signs appear before serious mental illness develops? 00:15:30 — How loss of motivation in school can signal deeper psychological issues 00:18:05 — Can witnessing violence trigger long-term mental health conditions? 00:21:00 — What does a panic attack actually feel like physically and mentally? 00:24:05 — How do OCD behaviors form as a way to cope with anxiety? 00:27:35 — Can fear of death and existential thoughts trigger panic attacks? 00:31:05 — Why do people normalize severe anxiety instead of seeking help? 00:33:20 — How multiple family losses in a short time impact mental stability 00:36:00 — How addiction patterns silently pass through families 00:38:25 — Why grief affects siblings differently after a sudden death 00:41:00 — Can marijuana worsen underlying mental health conditions? 00:44:00 — How did the COVID pandemic intensify anxiety and mental health struggles? 00:48:30 — When do small behavioral changes become warning signs of psychosis? 00:54:00 — Why families often miss the early stages of severe mental illness 01:00:00 — What is it like watching a loved one mentally unravel in real time? 01:08:30 — What are the early signs of psychosis before diagnosis? 01:18:00 — What finally forces families to seek emergency psychiatric care? 01:28:00 — What happens during hospitalization for severe mental illness? 01:38:30 — How does a serious psychiatric diagnosis change a family forever? 01:48:00 — What is the emotional toll of loving someone you can’t protect? 01:58:00 — How siblings process guilt, grief, and responsibility differently 02:05:30 — What do most people misunderstand about severe mental illness? 02:11:00 — How does this experience reshape views on mental health and family? 02:16:30 — What should people know about loving someone with a severe mental disorder? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 27 mins
  • Postpartum Psychosis Nearly Killed Me
    Jan 7 2026
    #foryou #podcast Meagan opens up about severe postpartum depression that turned into terrifying delusions, intrusive thoughts, and suicidal ideation. Even as an RN, she didn’t recognize how bad it had gotten. She shares the shame, fear, and silence so many women carry after childbirth but are too afraid to admit. Maternal Health Helpline: 833-852-6262 Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What happens when postpartum depression is ignored and left untreated? 00:01:38 — Why do so many mothers hide postpartum mental health struggles? 00:02:31 — How rare is postpartum psychosis and why is it so dangerous? 00:03:55 — How does upbringing and religion shape relationship choices later in life? 00:04:35 — How do purity culture beliefs affect red flag awareness in relationships? 00:05:51 — What does love bombing look like before you recognize it as unhealthy? 00:07:00 — How do toxic relationships quietly escalate while life looks “successful”? 00:08:51 — Can hormonal birth control trigger long-term emotional instability? 00:10:20 — What happens when medical decisions are made without proper care? 00:11:35 — How does betrayal trauma impact mental health before pregnancy? 00:12:45 — Why does emotional devastation lead to risky coping behaviors? 00:13:57 — What goes through your mind when you discover an unplanned pregnancy? 00:15:34 — How can family support instantly change pregnancy fear into acceptance? 00:17:18 — What does a “perfect” pregnancy look like before everything changes? 00:18:59 — Can extreme productivity mask emotional and psychological distress? 00:21:10 — What is a membrane sweep and how does it start labor? 00:22:36 — What does active labor feel like when you try to stay in control? 00:25:19 — What is it like giving birth when everything appears to go right? 00:26:59 — What does postpartum psychosis feel like the moment it begins? 00:27:53 — Why do postpartum psychosis symptoms feel spiritual or demonic? 00:29:24 — How do new mothers hide severe mental distress from loved ones? 00:31:20 — Why do auditory hallucinations happen after childbirth? 00:33:45 — Why are early postpartum psychosis warning signs often dismissed? 00:36:38 — Why can leaving the hospital feel more terrifying than staying? 00:38:25 — How can a familiar home suddenly feel unsafe after giving birth? 00:41:01 — Why do intrusive thoughts about other children emerge postpartum? 00:43:23 — What behaviors signal postpartum psychosis only in hindsight? 00:45:07 — Why do severe mental health symptoms get mistaken for laziness or sadness? 00:48:23 — How can family sense something is wrong without understanding it? 00:51:18 — Why does postpartum depression feel manageable with support but unbearable alone? 00:53:17 — What happens when a stranger notices postpartum mental decline first? 01:06:22 — How does untreated postpartum trauma resurface years later? 01:26:34 — What does long-term healing from postpartum psychosis actually require? 01:36:20 — What does life look like after surviving postpartum psychosis? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • Growing Up in Stage 5 Hoarder Home
    Jan 5 2026
    #foryou #podcast In todays episode, Summer, a CPTSD survivor and advocate who grew up in extreme neglect inside a stage 4–5 hoarder home walks us through her childhood which was marked by emotional and sexual abuse, food insecurity, and long periods without basic necessities—alongside severe animal hoarding and cruelty. After more than 20 years of silence, Summer spoke up and helped shut down her parents’ backyard breeding operation, giving a voice to animals and children who were never protected. Connect with Summer: • TikTok: @summerjoy4 (https://www.tiktok.com/@summerjoy4) • Instagram: @summerjoy.cptsd_survivor (https://www.instagram.com/summerjoy.cptsd_survivor/profilecard/?igsh=MThma3hwOWpoYXE2NA==) • YouTube: SummerJoy4 (https://youtube.com/@SummerJoy4?si=dHsfCq-b-hfda7zw) • Linktree (all links): linktr.ee/summerjoy4 (https://linktr.ee/summerjoy4?utm_source=linktree_admin_share) • Collaborations/Media: summerjoy.officialmgmt@gmail.com 📚 Hoarding & Trauma Resources • International OCD Foundation (Hoarding): https://iocdf.org/hoarding • Children of Hoarders: https://childrenofhoarders.com • Institute for Challenging Disorganization: https://challengingdisorganization.org • NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): https://nami.org • Hoarding Cleanup Directory: https://hoardingcleanup.com • Crisis Text Line (24/7, free): https://www.crisistextline.org — text HOME to 741741 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Facebook Support Groups • Hoarding & Clutter Support Community (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14R1bxQ8tMQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr) • Adult Children of Hoarders Support (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BF3zVAjjc/?mibextid=wwXIfr) If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 58 mins
  • Child Rape Victim of the YMCA
    Dec 28 2025
    #foryou #podcast In this episode, a survivor breaks decades of silence to expose what happened inside the Huntington, New York YMCA. Between the ages of 9 and 12, they were repeatedly raped by three male YMCA employees. The abuse wasn’t isolated—there were dozens of child victims. For years, the truth was buried, protected by an institution that failed the children in its care. Nearly 50 years later, everything changed. Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What does it mean when childhood trauma shapes an entire lifetime? 00:01:07 — What was it like growing up in a large working-class family in the 1960s? 00:03:27 — Why do certain childhood memories feel magical before everything changes? 00:06:49 — How can switching mentors or teams quietly alter a child’s future? 00:07:41 — What are early grooming behaviors adults often mistake for kindness? 00:09:19 — How do predators identify children who crave approval and belonging? 00:11:07 — Why would parents trust authority figures enough to allow overnight stays? 00:13:32 — How does grooming convince a child that abuse equals love? 00:15:52 — How does a child rationalize abuse when they don’t understand what’s happening? 00:18:22 — How can unaffiliated adults gain access to children through trusted institutions? 00:21:16 — Why don’t children tell their parents even when they’re terrified? 00:23:13 — How does repeated trauma begin to erase a child’s sense of identity? 00:25:58 — What does it feel like when your body knows what’s coming but you can’t escape? 00:27:35 — Can PTSD develop from childhood abuse without visible violence? 00:30:56 — What moment finally exposes years of hidden abuse? 00:34:03 — What happens when one child speaks up and the system responds incorrectly? 00:35:01 — Why do institutions relocate abusers instead of reporting them? 00:38:50 — How does untreated childhood trauma show up as rebellion in adolescence? 00:42:01 — How can sports become a lifeline after deep trauma? 00:44:39 — What happens when trauma is locked away instead of processed? 00:48:52 — Why do survivors stay busy to avoid confronting unresolved pain? 00:53:08 — Why do trauma survivors gravitate toward high-pressure careers? 00:56:56 — How does intense training or structure temporarily suppress trauma symptoms? 00:59:39 — How does purpose restore identity after years of emotional shutdown? 01:06:22 — What does it feel like when buried trauma resurfaces later in adulthood? 01:16:33 — Why can healing feel harder than surviving the original trauma? 01:26:34 — What is PTSD really like when triggers appear without warning? 01:36:41 — How can the right therapist completely change the recovery process? 01:52:40 — How does writing about trauma help the brain and nervous system heal? 01:57:43 — What’s the difference between surviving and choosing to truly live again? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 12 mins
  • Held Hostage by Somali Pirates
    Dec 22 2025
    #foryou #podcast In 2011, while working on an education mission in Somalia, Jessica was abducted at gunpoint and held hostage by Somali pirates for 93 days. She was forced to live outdoors, starved, and threatened daily as her health rapidly declined. On January 25, 2012, her captivity ended with a dramatic rescue carried out by SEAL Team Six, authorized by President Obama. Jessica's Links: https://www.amazon.com/How-Survive-Survival-Meaningful-Contribution/dp/1958472352/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1KUJNWLMHS1DJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lFeuwg5Po5LcNnhDjwrujwWb_-fnK6FoUXEv11xr14Y.UCcif3-ZISImT-qxh4w6KvXP1EFTrsMHFE44z9vVWPY&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+to+survive+survival+jessica+buchanan&qid=1766336855&sprefix=how+to+survive+survival%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1 https://www.jessbuchanan.com/ Instagram: @jessicacbuchanan If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 3 mins
  • My Dad Shot My Mom in the Face
    Dec 14 2025
    #foryou #podcast When Chell was just 18 months old, her father—a police officer—shot her mother in the face while she slept and walked free. What followed were years of abuse, foster care, loss, and survival. In this episode, Chell shares the trauma that shaped her life, the night her husband died in her arms, and how she found purpose after everything tried to break her. Chell's Links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondtheMonsters Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthemonsters TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondthemonsters ApplePodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-monsters/id1778966880 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gmVkvzX4xNWwsWFamRUai?si=hKz97XK2Rh6eSEU5GL0XCA Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BeyondtheMonsters Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What does it mean when a child’s first memories involve extreme violence in the home? 00:03:41 — How does surviving an attempted murder by a parent affect a family long-term? 00:07:58 — Why do children normalize chaos when abuse is part of daily life? 00:11:44 — How does growing up in constant fear rewire a child’s nervous system? 00:14:09 — Why do abusive punishments often feel more humiliating than painful? 00:18:12 — What happens psychologically when a parent chooses an abuser over their child? 00:21:07 — Why do children in foster care experience higher rates of secondary abuse? 00:24:03 — How does institutional neglect allow abuse to continue unnoticed? 00:27:41 — Why do trauma survivors struggle to trust authority figures meant to protect them? 00:31:19 — How does early exposure to violence influence relationship patterns in adulthood? 00:34:48 — Why do abuse survivors often defend or return to harmful partners? 00:37:06 — What happens to the brain during sexual assault when survival instincts take over? 00:39:52 — Why do trauma survivors minimize events that would devastate others? 00:42:21 — How does prolonged trauma distort a person’s sense of safety and faith? 00:45:02 — Why do some people ignore gut instincts right before life-changing events? 00:47:58 — How does alcohol amplify conflict in emotionally volatile situations? 00:49:41 — What happens psychologically when a loved one dies suddenly in front of you? 00:52:06 — How does performing life-saving measures affect long-term trauma processing? 00:55:18 — Why does shock make devastating news feel unreal or delayed? 01:01:27 — How does unresolved trauma resurface during moments of perceived stability? 01:09:42 — Why do survivors expect disaster even during periods of happiness? 01:17:36 — How does repeated loss shape a person’s emotional resilience or numbness? 01:28:54 — Why do trauma survivors struggle with peace more than chaos? 01:45:18 — How does a lifetime of survival mode affect identity and self-worth? 02:06:11 — What does healing look like after decades of compounded trauma? Topics: Attempted Murder, Family Violence, Foster Care, Widow, Loss If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 15 mins