Exhibit 101: Why I regularly blog about my own mental illness and stigma You may remember him from his classic role as Lewis Skolnik in the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds. But what you probably didn't know was that actor Robert Carradine battled with bipolar disease for nearly two decades. Photo: Wiki Fandom This … Continue reading Revenge of Bi-Polar illness
Category: MENTAL HEALTH & STIGMA
I have struggled with a significant mental illness (schizoaffective disorder) my entire adult life, including more than 20 hospitalizations (voluntary and involuntary) in five different states since 1982 and ECT treatments. Today, my illness is well-managed, and I an outspoken advocate for others who struggle with mental health challenges.
Crazy, homeless people: What do we do?
Originally published in the Bangor Daily News, September 23, 2025 A homeless encampment in Biddeford that was cleared by the city in 2024 (Seaver) In a lot of ways, I am probably a lot like you. I am a middle-aged, married white guy with a mortgage and a modest home in a quiet residential neighborhood … Continue reading Crazy, homeless people: What do we do?
Blinded By the Light: A public-school teacher goes off the rails
As first reported this morning by the Maine Wire – a politically conservative media outlet -- a Waterville public teacher is now facing scrutiny and widespread backlash after making a post on social media that calls for people to physically harm President Donald Trump and his supporters. Notice how I chose my words carefully. Using … Continue reading Blinded By the Light: A public-school teacher goes off the rails
Voices Carry
I understand that tensions are high, and that feelings are raw on the national political stage, but I still think we can engage in robust discussion and debate without marginalizing millions of Americans who suffer daily with varying degrees of mental illness. Reading some of the social media commentary regarding the U.S. Senate confirmation hearings … Continue reading Voices Carry
The Dangerous Type
Four years ago this week, (the third week of February) I was discharged from Spring Harbor, a psychiatric hospital in Westbrook, Maine. It was my most recent hospitalization. I have been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for more than 40 years, sometimes on a voluntary basis; other times as an involuntary patient. I have … Continue reading The Dangerous Type
Shiny, happy people
The 19th Century French novelist Romain Rolland once opined that “we are reckless in our use of the lovely word, friend.” Nowhere is that more true than on Facebook and other social media platforms. As an example, as of today, I have 1,202 “friends” on Facebook. Really? Do I have more than a thousand people … Continue reading Shiny, happy people
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Earlier this week, my community lost a great man. Don Wilson was 73 and apparently living with severe depression. Hopefully we all learned a lesson from this tragic event: Mental health disorders can be fatal, especially without professional health treatment. Can you imagine being in so much pain that you would hurl yourself in front … Continue reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being
No easy answers
In the wake of yet another senseless crime -- this one, which struck close to home in Saco -- there is a renewed debate about what to do with people who suffer from a mental illness. Earlier this month, Connor MacCalister allegedly slit the throat of an unsuspecting grandmother, Wendy Boudreau, in a Shaw's supermarket. … Continue reading No easy answers
Behind Blue Eyes
A friend of mine recently brought to my attention something about me that was posted on Facebook. Apparently, a man I barely know questioned how I -- an out-of-the-closet consumer of mental health care -- could be trusted to provide professional advice. In fact, this person described me as "mentally unstable." I thought about this … Continue reading Behind Blue Eyes
Take Five
My wife, Governor Paul Lepage, Bill Nemitz, a charity auction and the in-patient psychiatric unit at Maine Medical Center. How did these random things become connected last week, causing a bit of a stir on my Facebook page last night? Let's start at the top. Last week, just days before the election, Governor Paul LePage joked … Continue reading Take Five
NOTES TO CARL | LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY 