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@Living Well with Schizophrenia, I don't mean to sound crass but, are you good in bed? I keep hearing that women with mental illnesses are simply nuts in bed!!
I've been binge-watching most of your videos. I'm a psychiatrist. God, I wish you could come to my practice and talk to my patients. Really, the eloquence and clarity in your videos are enviable. I believe what you are doing is so much important than you might even know. Thank you.
@@daniellamoreno3616 there are many instances of people with schizophrenia or other serious mental illness being persuaded to go off their medications and onto some "herb" and ending up severely ill, including cases where people have died. It is extremely dangerous to "play" doctor and mess with someone with severe mental illness' medication.
It’s a really good idea to watch these videos when you’re on antipsychotics, I’m sure a lot of information in this video is familiar to you, and it’s good to know you’re not alone in your experience.
I was on several of the older antipsychotics in the 1980's, then sometime in the early '90s my psychiatrist put me on a new, "miracle drug," that supposedly, "healed" you ,or it would kill you. I had to have my blood drawn EVERY week throughout the '90s. I turned 30 in 1990, and that medication took away my 30's. I had psychosis and paranoia terribly, and I gained 100 pounds! I would forget what I was talking about before I could complete a sentence. It was hellacious. Around 2000, I changed doctors, and got off of it. It is a drug that can change lives, but it wasn't a good fit for mine. It occurs to me, that maybe I was just that sick, and the drug wasn't to blame. At any rate, I've been on antipsychotics of one kind or another for 32 years, and yes, I still get tempted not to take my meds. I do have TD. My hands have terrible tremors, and I can't move my tongue without it trembling, BUT I AM ALIVE. I really feel like I'm IN life, now, and I've been some better for about eleven years. I truly am a success story. I'm not able to work any kind of regular job, as I still have pretty rough patches, but I'm an artist, and if I focus on my art, the people I love, see my therapist and psychiatrist, and take my medication, I hang in okay. Thanks for reading this ramble, and thank you for the possiblity that I was just a very sick woman. I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in '89, as well as chronic depression and anxiety.
It's been 20 years you don't work so you life is shit why you don't stop this medication it's hearth of the problem you still alive oh my god take care
thats wonderful paula mempa, i was diagnosed with schizophrenia 3 years ago, had a double heart 7 months ago . lost a leg in the process,i always wondered would i ever fit in outside of drugs where i never fitted in there anyway, but ilooks as if its going to end the way it started, a fcking loner who only mixed because he had to or was always chasing somethning he couldnt get
@@malikouriachi1829 That sounded strangely hostile and then it ended in "take care", lol Paula, I'm glad to hear that you are doing better now, thank you for sharing your story ♥
I’ve been living with diagnosed schizoaffective-bipolar type since mid 2019 on the brink of graduating college. A lot of professors and some close friends were trying to push me to take a break after being hospitalized. I graduated that December in 2019 with a Graphic Design degree. I say this all because I’ve stumbled upon your channel, doing my due diligence in researching. This video in particular really helps me understand how I am feeling. Thank you so much. Please continue making content for us.
I'm bipolar type 2 with panic disorder, and this happened to me at work too. I became so stressed emotionally that I developed the panic disorder and spiraled from there, and I had to leave my job because I became so afraid of my workplace due to the stress.
@@noah9552this is my exact situation and I think my life is over because I’ve already tried different antidepressants and nothings working. Is there anything I can do if I don’t have insurance for therapy?
Folks who live with schizophrenia genuinely REALLY inspire the hell out of me. I think that’s why a lot of people come here like me who don’t live with schizophrenia. I have a lot of other issues and I feel like I can connect with all of your videos, we’re all struggling togetha🖤
I have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - I was diagnosed with it in a psychiatric hospital, after being misdiagnosed with PTSD for 8 years and wondering why I was never getting better (and actually getting worse). At first, even the thought of looking more into what I had was just too hard and depressing for me - so I decided to "work myself up to it" by learning about other mental health disorders for a while. I started doing some research into schizophrenia last year, and it's not only been very insightful, but the courage shown by people who have learned to live and cope with it - especially for years - has finally helped me face my own struggles with a brave face. Mental illness is a truly ugly thing - but the people that do their best to cope with it, and help others, are the most inspiring people on earth ♥ So even though I don't actually have schizophrenia, videos like these have very much had a powerful and positive impact on my life. I would even say that it helped change my life ♥
Thank you for your kind words towards people who have this condition. A lot of the time we do feel like outsiders, so people like you are the warriors who keep us moving along. Without support like yours from my family and friends, I probably would have given up a long time ago. 10 years and going! :)
Mine makes me sleepy as heck, but they're what helped me to not be so afraid of everything. I was having such terrible breakdowns constantly that I was ready to lock myself inside. My meds changed that. They took the edge off of the world, and helped me to see that my fears were a product of a bad environment that I was raised in. I got my life back 💕
Lauren, you do such a fantastic job on your videos, I just wanted to thank you. Whether you've intended to or not, you've become a wonderful ambassador for the community of people living with schizophrenia. Please be encouraged, and keep sharing with us!
My son is a schizophrenic. Thank you for talking about this. I am watching this so that I can understand him. Well done for doing this video because you had a dry mouth and you still carried on.
Lauren, I just want to sincerely thank you for this. I don’t have schizophrenia or shiziaffective, but I have Bipolar 1 with psychosis. Your videos really help me understand my psychosis better and different ways I can cope, and it’s really nice to know that I’m not alone. So thank you so much 🧡
You're so intelligent and this work you're doing blesses the lives of not only people struggling with schizophrenia but families of people with schizophrenia and the people who care for them. I'm a medical student and this content is A1!
My heart goes out to you. Applause for all the time and effort you are putting in to manage your disease. I imagine it's a struggle every day. For me as a medical doctor it would have been very helpful to know which meds caused what side effects. Keep up the good work 👏 Cheers from Bulgaria 🇧🇬
I'm bipolar and just had an increase in my anti-psychotic medicine. I've been getting the jittery thing you talk about and it was a relief to hear it's normal!!
You are so stunningly gorgeous and your videos help me so much! I have 2 really close friends with schizophrenia and your videos have helped me so much with dealing with my friends symptoms. Thank you for making these videos and stay strong because you are an amazing person and a prime example of how to handle this overwhelming disorder.
Hello Lauren! Thank you for sharing your personal experience with antipsychotic medication. Your openness provides valuable insights into what individuals might expect when considering such treatment. It's commendable that you emphasize the importance of finding the right balance between symptom reduction and managing side effects. The discussion about the psychological and physiological aspects of being on antipsychotics adds depth to the understanding of this medication. Your honesty about the challenges, such as the sense of numbing, restlessness, and potential side effects like weight gain and decreased libido, is genuinely appreciated. It's crucial for viewers to be aware of these aspects and work collaboratively with their healthcare providers. Your point about the psychological dilemma, where people might hesitate to take medication even when it's effective, is thought-provoking. Recognizing that taking medication is a step towards better health and a fuller life is an important perspective. Looking forward to more insightful videos from you! If you have any specific tips for coping with side effects or maintaining a healthy lifestyle while on antipsychotics, that would be a fantastic addition to your content. Keep up the great work!
I’m on an antipsychotic to manage my seizure disorder. My dose is pretty high and when I was taking additional medications to manage the symptoms of my anxiety disorder (tied to my seizures) I could tell some people judged me when I’d pick up my RX. It took awhile till we got the dosage right and eventually I was able to remove the separate anxiety meds but the side effects are brutal to adjust to. Many subsided but the ones that remain years later are low libido and chronic thirst. Intimacy is hard and I always have to have water with me. Thank you for normalizing mental health and reminding people it’s ok to take medication. Some of us truly need it to live our fullest lives. 💛
nai nai hey! I’m sure you’re coming from a good place but so are my doctors and they’ve decided that the drug I’m on is best for my individual needs. The rx I have is actually popular for multiple health conditions, not just mental illnesses. I don’t think it’s smart to try to diagnose people based on a vague comment meant to support others in a similar position. Thank you for your concern though 😊
Maby some need But many more are forced iven if they don't need And Schizophrenia it's a heavy Censured subject Its lots off darkness in this subject Much homen rights violations in the mental health y
I'm fifty years old and have schizophrenia and on these type meds,and I think for someone as young as you painting such a clear and fair picture of this is great! Your like a voice from my side of the fence I always wanted to hear! I honestly wish there was more people like and on this side of the fence! Keep up the good work takes a lot of courage to do what you are doing! Bless you,I really hope your well just now❤
Being on antipsychotic medication is just that, life changing. I'm on Seroquel 600mg a day, along with other medications. In order to stay compliant I have had to change my daily life. Sleep is important. Eating well. Working 9 to 5 has become nearly impossible. That being said, I can live a nearly normal life. Keep up the good work! These videos are so amazing!
Thank you for being so open with discussing your mental health journey. I personally don’t have experience with needing anti psychotics, but after my brother passed away, I had to go on anti-depressants for my depression and anxiety. I’m very thankful I made that decision, bc it has allowed me to still feel my feelings, but not sink into the black hole they create. It’s like a dark cloud was lifted when I started taking them. Of course I stopped taking them after about a year, bc I thought I didn’t need them anymore, but I was wrong lol. I went for 4 months without them to see if my brain chemistry would sort itself out, but it didn’t, so I started taking them again lol. ✌️🤟💜
this is something that needs to be emphasized to the person taking the meds (whatever disorder) AND their family/support. If anyone thinks they don't need the meds and want to try to stop taking them, great. BUT, talk to your therapist about it and come up with a plan that includes your support structure so that they know and can pay more attention for issues. It causes stress for everyone involved if someone keeps thinking they don't need it and it turns out they do. If this happens, look towards the long term injections. They typically last about a month, and some for three months. That's a game changer in regards to a normal lifestyle, one injection every three months. But that's if that particular med works for you.
Thank you. I'm watching so that I can understand what someone in my family is going through. I have to say, it is difficult to imagine you struggling with any mental health issue because you are not presenting any abnormal behavior.
But that's the whole problem. High functioning people can hide their symptoms for a very long time. People expect abornmal behavior because those cases make it to the news. However majority of psychotic people suffer in silence.
Thank you so much for this video. I find it amazing that you talk about things that can be very sensitive in such a public manner. I am in pharmacy school and we just learned about psychotic medications. Seeing this video really brings it all around for me because yes we learn about side effects different formulations but it always different when you hear the actual side of who is taking it. I also loved how you really focused on the fact that every medication can work different for every person, that you are not less of a person because you need to take these medications, that it is important to have conversations with your health team in general and most importantly to not abruptly stop without talking it over first. Sadly antipsychotics are very person based. What works for you might not work for someone else. Again thank you for your insight and your openness I think it really helps everyone understand things better. (Also just the fact that yes you do have a diagnosis but look you have a TH-cam channel with views and over 500 comments. I hope other people who may feel helpless and think yes I don’t have to be defined by diagnosis) ♥️♥️♥️
Congrats Lauren for your beautiful insight and for talking about your personal experience of such an important argument on a mass media platform like TH-cam! I just discovered this Channel and happy for that. Your great commitment will help many people and you should be proud for that! Thank you very much!
Thank you for being thoughtful and careful with you presentation. You are really helping out by sharing you experiences and removing the fear that some may feel.
Thank you for your informative video. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 15. I am now going to be 63. Back in the 70s, they did not know much about treatment for bipolar disorder, and I had generalized anxiety too. My first psychiatrist didn't believe in drug therapy, and I was searching for help for many years; after many drug trials, finally, in my late 40s, I was put on antipsychotics. The first medicine knocked me out for 3 days; then we tried another. I was awake, but I definitely agree that I felt numb. I tried a few more antipsychotic medications, but one made me bloat quite bad, and the others made my brain feel like vegetable soup. I was also concerned about Tardive dyskinesia. I think I have seen over 16 psychiatrists, and I have been put on all kinds of different meds and tried different talk therapy. I eventually met the right female doctor, and it took 8 years, but we finally got my medications correct. I wish you all the best as I know where you are coming from. I read a lot about my illness and other mental illnesses and I find it helpful. Stay strong beautiful child! Tracey
@@cheyannemuro1725 Thanks for the helpful suggestion. I'm on two anti-psychotic meds and the doses are heavily weighted to the PM. While one makes me very drowsy and timeless, the other relieves anxiety and tends to perk up my senses. My doctor likes to remind me, given that I was formerly under a guardianship and mandated to live in an assisted living facility (i.e., after two involuntary detentions in the state hospital), that side effects are a small price to pay for independent living. I think a lot of us feel as though we're operating without a net. One misstep either way along the ridge we travel and we plummet. So while I once rebelled against pharmacology, I now see it as a lifeline.
Your videos are so helpful for family members of those with mental illness. They really help us understand what our family members are experiencing. Thanks
I have BPD/EUPD with psychosis and psychotic-like symptoms during times of intense stress and I really appreciate your insight on your own severe mental illness, it’s been so helpful for me! That’s really interesting that you said about it making you anxious because aripiprazole made me soooo anxious but I feel like when you have multiple mental illnesses and you’re on so much medication, half the medication you’re on is to counteract the severe side effects of the essential medication 😂🤦♀️
5:20 I think the clinical term for this is akathisia. I experienced this when I took an anti-psychotic years back when experiencing mania/psychosis (Bipolar disorder). If you google it, there are some decent descriptions of it, but I agree with you that it is hard to find an adequate way to describe it to people who have never experienced it. When I tried to explain it to friends I described it as "imagine if your bones, skin, muscles, and blood were all vibrating at different frequencies at once," but even this is confusing because it's not necessarily a physical sensation per se. At one point it got so bad for me I started banging my head against the wall because the distraction of physical pain was the only way I could think of stopping it. Finally my parents contacted the doctors and agreed I could go off of it since my psychotic symptoms had subsided (not cold turkey though, I was still on mood stabilizers). Some of the worst agony I have ever felt, but ultimately worth it for the sake of getting rid of psychotic symptoms, however I can only speak from my personal experience of using it to stomp out acute psychosis, not long-term use. Like you said, different medications affect people differently, and I have memorized the name of that specific one so in the future if I experience psychosis again, I can tell the doctors to try a different one (hoping that I would be in a facility that listens to those kinds of requests).
I've had the weight gain as a major problem with most anti-psychotic medications. I've had dry mouth as a symptom with one set of meds that I took. The numbing effect isn't something I can really say I've been through in my adult life, but as a teenager I certainly felt like my mind was underwater and I would be sleeping a lot in school. As an adult that symptom faded but the weight has been the biggest difficulty and I've only been able to manage with a different drug that simply didn't have that constant hunger as a side effect. Basically, on that symptom I finally lucked out, but as a trade off I now take a mood stabilizer that requires occasional blood level checks to ensure I'm not slowly getting into toxic levels of it and within a therapeutic range. The strategy for my psychiatrist was to settle on a regiment of medications that worked reasonably well rather than perfectly because each shift in medications runs the full risk of side effects and potentially compounding existing problems. Another reason NOT to stop taking them abruptly without talking to your doctor.
Thank you for your honesty of your lived experience with Schizophrenia. You helped me understand the people I love who are experiencing living with this health condition. You’re a blessing.
Here's my best medication story......For a short time I took an anti-psychotic medication that actually induced psychosis. I started to feel a scraping sensation in my lower spine that I interpreted as bone termites. It felt like my vertebrae were being hollowed out from the inside by the termites. When I called my doctor his nurse told me to stop taking the pills, which I did, and the problem immediately went away.
Yeah, the side effects can be difficult to withstand and, even more so, strenuous to keep your motivation to get well after having a side effect. However, just like with any other doctor from any other specialty, communicate and report it (like you did). Today with all of the advancements in modern medicine, there are so many different medications. It’s all about finding the right one. Sorry that you went through that and I hope you’re doing well, my friend.
I know that it's not me being out of my mind I am not imagining that I am the only person that has these symptoms I really thank God for you talking about the almost exact thing in my life...I appreciate what you are doing on TH-cam omg your great
Hi Lauren, You come across 100%. I wouldn't know you were on anything or had anything. I think you definitely have the meds/side effects balance right! My experience: Sex drive - forget about it! Weight gain for sure, but manageable. Restlessness nearly drove me mad. However I did approach doctors and cut down as I was able, very gradually to the point that side effects were no longer an issue. Reactive withdrawal anxiety definitely was - but with help I learnt to live with it. Thank you again for your positive and helpful message.
I want to hug every other sufferer. Its a shit deal living with a sever MH disorder. Especially this lady. I can feel her emotion especially about the weight. I am proud of you that you are still in the fight. Never surrender!
The "restlessness" you're describing is akathisia and it can become chronic, especially when you switch medications, change doses, or withdrawal too quickly off your AP. You can also get akathisia from SSRIs. Depending on the severity, it can be so excruciating that people end their lives because of it. It comes with doom, like you said, fear, paranoia, looping thoughts, and more. This is a huge side effect that doctors and psychiatrists like to ignore, not take seriously, or cover up with other meds.
I just found this channel a week ago and I wanted to say this is some of the most AMAZING content I have found that has really helped me on mental health. I’ve been on my medication now for anxiety and depression 3 years and it has helped me immensely and live a better quality of life then I was before it. Unfortunately in the last year or so have been thinking that I don’t need it anymore and that I wanted to see how I “felt” without it and maybe my emotions my anxiety would be totally fine and I realized it’s the farthest thing from the truth. I’ve come to the conclusion I have to be on my medication life long and that is always the hardest pill to swallow and accept for me or anyone. Thank you for making your videos and speaking of your experiences it seriously has helped me so much ❤️.
I’m taking an antipsychotic to help manage my PTSD and psychotic depression symptoms, along with other medications, and while I look forward to the day where I don’t need them I’m so grateful to have a prescription that works.
Take your meds and pray to god that your mind stays clear and your daily functioning on point. That’s all I gotta say I’ve seen horrible things happen to people that didn’t take their meds. And me myself I don’t want that happening to me. Love to the channel and love to all people who struggle no matter what they are struggling with.
i can’t believe how happy you seem even though you must take higher dosages than I do.. I feel dulled and have trouble feeling motivated and positive emotions like love especially which is really bringing me down
Seek out an employer who understands, my employer understands when I need to go home early for therapy or just because I’m exhausted. They understand when I need to take a mental health day. They understand when I can’t be productive because my mental health isn’t doing well. Then again, when I do feel good I work really hard and do a really good job. I’m sure that helps as well. The most important thing is to be honest and open about how you feel and what you need. You can’t expect other people to just get it, you need to tell them.
Thank you for being vulnerable and relatable. I'm on Olanzapine and it does numb me emotionally and socially. I also struggle waking up. I need to immediatly step out of bed or else I'll just fall asleep again. My libido is also non-existent, and I particulaly struggle with that in dating. But to be fair, it also brings me peace of mind and groundedness nothing else brings me, and thats way more important for me.
You are amazingly gifted in your openness, communication skills, articulation, empathy. Thk u for this! These videos are helping me understand a loved one! 🙏 Priceless!
I went through several diagnoses until getting the one that seems correct which is schizoaffective disorder. I took an old school antipsychotic in the 80s when I was 15 and 16. Then I was off antipsychotic medications for several years which is a long story. Then I was back on them by the end of the 1990s. Because of a combo of antipsychotic medications and medications like Depakote and Lithium I was able to finally organize my thoughts and got my undergrad degree and my law degree. I’ve done ok and work as a lawyer. But it’s been getting harder. I spent three months off work recently due to a long major Psychosis With some bipolar mixed into the middle. The psychosis has been worse than it ever has been. I’m taking new medications now and so I hope they will help me and keep me out of the hospital. I was inpatient three times last year and into the beginning of this year. I feel for your pain and problems. I really do.
As always, you are so clear and helpful. My experience is with a different class of drugs (different illness) but your shared experience applies. It's so nice to not feel so alone.
Thank you for posting this. I take anti-seizure medications, and some of the side effects, as well as the temptation to stop taking them precisely because they are working, occur with my medications as well.
When I was 16 I was hospitalized for cutting and they took me off all the meds my own doctor put me on and they put me on RANDOM ANTIPSYCHOTICS like haldol without telling my parents. That's illegal. I don't even have psychosis or bipolar disorder, and I had a serious medical reaction from the haldol that I got no treatment for. It was hell.
Like 50 percent of people are alergic to haldol. Me after about 24 hours i had the worst muscle spams in the world my whole face was locking and my jaw worst pain ever
Haldol? Isn’t that only used in extreme situations? It was used on me because I had a Grand Mal Seizure and they treated me with Keppra, which is actually standard practice. Unfortunately I’m allergic to Keppra and it turned me into a rampaging beast. Haldol knocked me out or at least calmed me down.
They gave me haldol once in the er, thought they were trying to kill me and started flipping my shit until I just lost consciousness. Kind of awful in the moment, but being incapacitated for like 24+ hours was kind of nice in a way.
Same. I was put on haldol and developed tardive dyskinesia which is uncontrollable muscular spasms. It was hell I will never ever take that med again and other meds made me fall asleep standing up or driving and I wrecked my car so many times due to this
I find that you are a brave person to discuss this Online. The stigma is bad. Never give up. I have friends with both Psio effective disorder and Paranoid Psychosis.
Im a doctor currently studying for the exams required to be able to move to USA to pursue psychiatry residency and become a specialist. I've been watching many of your vids for a long time, and hearing your perspective on many topics has been very informative. I hope i can take everything you've talked about in many videos and become a good, empathic and understanding psychiatrist :)
what is the current thinking about anti-psychotics? Are they still saying the old rubbish about balancing the brain? Do you know if there are any new meds?
Stay as far away from psychiatrists as you possibly can if you can avoid that poison they give out. There is also no such thing as a chemical imbalance. I hope this new psych to be at least knows that much.
Accurate video. One antipsychotic gave me an insatiable hunger that was never sated & contributed to nearly 80 lbs in weight gain in a short span. Almost all antipsychotics I have checked have a low percent of probability of sexual dysfunction, but they most assuredly can happen. The "nothing" feeling & "doom" feeling are common. Agitation, too. Thank you for making these videos. It's comforting to know others go through schizophrenia too & that there are good-hearted people like yourself destigmatizing it through honest testimonials. Hospitalizations for mental health are nothing to be ashamed of. I have averaged at least one per year for a decade. I hope everyone who needs help finds the courage to seek help & is as lucky as I have been with finding a good mental healthcare team. Not all mental healthcare workers are created equal. I promise, from personal experience, that good mental healthcare workers do exist. Being willing to ask for help when it's needed is a sign of strength. 💙🖖
Decreased libido is a common side effect of other mental illness medication. I have that from my anxiety medication. Thanks for all the new information! I’m learning so much from your videos.
Nejka Reiki practitioner I am on Lexapro. I was previously on Sertraline and Prozac. I’ve had similar side effects on all of them. I prefer the lexapro.
Thank you, Lauren. The best meds are love and be loved. I thank God everyday, my wife and my kids are the best Meds for my psychosis problem. I pray to God don't ever let me loss the senses of love , that's my most fear.
I do not have schizophrenia but found this video because I was wondering if people had a similar experience with antipsychotics as mine. I'm autistic and was put on Risperdal to help handle the irritability that comes along with autism and all I got out of it was increased anxiety, brain fog, blunted happiness and 100lbs. My dosage was lowered a few weeks ago and now I am the happiest I've felt in years
@frosty6845 I'm autistic and got put on risperdal too. I felt brain fog and numbness and used to get frustrated as I couldn't formulate thoughts, my brain would just freeze sometimes. I'm on 0.75mg put I struggled reducing them, as my brain is very sensitive to change I get withdrawal symptoms a lot
Thank you, Lauren. I've been dealing with Bipolar Disorder and OCD for most of my adult life. It may have started earlier than adulthood, but no one knew what to call it when I was a teen in the early 80's. I have it at about 80% under control by having a great psychiatrist and also a wonderful CBT therapist that I've been seeing since 2011. I just want to stress how important it is to rely on BOTH medications AND CBT or similar therapy. I believe I've tried nearly every medicaton out there, since my journey to better mental health began in 2001. I pray that you continue to progress, Lauren, because we all understand that the goal is to minimize the effect the symptoms have on your daily life, and at least for now keep in mind that this will not go away like a cold.
Hi can you tell me in easy words,what does it mean "I couldn't live without mime"...completely changed my life for the better...did you kea,did you stop taking your medications?
@@breatheeasily4013 my daughter started taking first time after her first episode 4 months ago olanzapine...she is normal a lot but she got too much weight....
Your talks here are an inspiration for me in dealing with a family situation. I can’t thank you enough for offering your very difficult experiences up as a resource. I am headed right now to join your Patreon Team. Bless you.
I definitely got the weight gain, when I was on a different med I got movements in my hand and legs. It was embarrassing. I definitely see improvement in my symptoms though
Everyone's body is different and they react to medications differently. For me I have been on many different medications and I dealt with much of the numbness and weight gain that you mentioned. I have been on Invega trinza injections since 2016. I took Invega medication in a pill form and my body didn't react well to that at all. I felt depressed everyday and very numb. The injection was a complete 180. At first my body had to get used to it and it felt a little numbing (but not anyone near as much as before). I felt a lot more stable than I was on any of the other medications. Invega is also a FDA approved medication for schizoaffective disorder in the United States where I live. I got a job that year in 2016 at a grocery store and have been there for 4 years straight while going to school full-time and I am set to graduate this spring. Now I am able to feel my emotions fully and I feel very healthy. I don't feel the tiredness that I felt from other medications. Being on a plant-based diet and going for walks everyday also helped me to lose the excess weight I had before. I also like to meditate and pray. Believing that god is there and is present with me even in the difficulties is very comforting when I feel alone or a little restless. Because of that and my injections I don't believe in the degrading thoughts that arise from stress and insecurities. I still hear voices but I have a firm sense of truth and reality now that grounds me well. I am able have rich experiences with others and many people have mentioned how much joy and confidence I have now . If it wasn't for the injections I don't think I would have stayed on the medication in the long term. Its a good option to try out and see if it works for any of you. I don't find taking injections to be embarrassing anymore. I have been open to many people about how injections have stabilized me. I view it the same as someone on diabetes who has to take insulin. It's never something to be ashamed of it's just something where I have to trust the nurses, medical professionals and the science. Thank you for your videos they have really helped. Your such a kind-hearted, and courageous person for sharing your experiences with others! God Bless!
Hi I’ve had schizophrenia since I was 21 I’m 43 now. And let me say you do a very good job of describing what I go through with my medicine. Thanks and keep up the good work!
The rapid weight gain was the hardest part for me. Trialling many different types definitely took a toll on my body, but once I found the right type they helped so much with the scattered thoughts and hallucinations. However, they did seem to amplify my depressive symptoms despite taking them concurrently with antidepressants. Glad I got to a stable headspsce and currently don't need them.
So glad you post these videos. I am a recent schizo diagnosis and am trying to find out what other people go through. These meds have my mood so flat. I don’t laugh like I used to or feel things like I used too. I am so much of an empathic person so that is hard. However the meds seem to work well for me. I have not had the paranoia of being wired or being watched by the government. Schizophrenia is hard to convey to people that don’t have it. I have struggled with the diagnosis and am still recovering from my last psychotic break.
7:01 Yes, a medication I was taking removed the full feeling you get after eating. . . so I would just keep eating, got upto 82kg before i realised what I was doing lol.
Abilify ruined 3 years of my life, I no longer felt emotions, it sent me into total depression, I could no longer even cry for the emotional block it created in addition to an unbearable akathisia. I then managed to suspend it and some problems returned but nothing compared to the contraindications of Abilify, I was technically dead as a person. Then I tried risperidone and didn't have any of the problems that Abilify created, it's a good drug but currently I'm not taking. I've some fear of future consequences like the dicinesia you also talked about and other metabolic diseases .. but I'm very undecided whether to go back for it, I'm evaluating. Hi and congratulations on your dedication to these videos.
@@goertzpsychiatry9340 antipsychotics and ssri's have provided me the opportunity to live, communicate and participate in a balanced lifestyle. Without them I would not be where I am today. They saved my life and brought me from nearly complete incoherence to sanity.
I started taking antipsychotics when I was a sophomore in high school. I played around and was scared to take it so I didn't go on one till I started college. I realized I needed them because I was bad bipolar highs and making crazy decisions and acting recklessly. I've only been on the anti psychotics im on for a few weeks and its help so much.
I’m bipolar but personally they made me feel worse than when I was off medication. I’m no longer taking anti-psychotics and hopefully anti depressants either.
A side effect I want to mention that wasn't in this video is extreme sleepiness. I've been on antipsychotics for years and after the one I used to be on stopped working, I was put on this other one that made me REALLY sleepy all the time for a while. At a higher dose, I would usually wake up around noon and sometimes slept as late as 5:00 PM. When I was awake I was usually lethargic and tired. I hated it SO much that I asked my psychiatrist to lower the dose. He did, but at a really low dose I had psychotic symptoms coming back, but also could wake up early again and stay awake all day. I had to decide if it was worth it. Then serious symptoms started coming back (like what I experienced before medication) and I agreed to have the dose increased a bit, more in the middle. That's where I'm at now, and I feel it works. I have almost no psychotic symptoms most of the time, and while I sleep more than I like, I can still wake up at an alright time and can even wake up early from time to time. I do miss being able to stay up late, but I'd rather go to bed early than have delusions. I also experience some drooling as a side effect, which doesn't bother me much, but can be slightly annoying. I keep having to randomly wipe my mouth, and I drool on my pillows at night.
The restlessness you described is called akathisia, it is a common side effect of antipsychotics, it is an inner restlessness that cannot be satiated no matter where you are or what you are doing. It can lead to exhaustion. It is one reason I don't personally recommend antipsychotics, it is better to learn to live with the condition where possible and find other things that help.
I pray for everyone going through what I’m going through and I’m definitely praying for those like me where medicine isn’t helping at all… I’m taking Prozac for nothing than to not have migraines and to indulge in the unwanted weight gain… I am not making fun I promise… I’m suffering… hoping all is well…God bless
I stumbled on this video cause i was looking for a video on adhd medication experience, people like you help so many lives its crazy thanks for doing this even tho I’m not schizophrenic
@jw zacher Yeh Seroquel is primarily an anti-psychotic but can be prescribed in lower doses for anxiety. The main possible side effects are fatigue and hunger but once you relearn when you are actually hungry and when your meds are telling you to eat, it's pretty easy to manage.
@jw zacher Like any medication, it entirely depends on the person. It saved my life. I've been on it since I was 17 and I don;t plan on ever stopping it. It has mostly helped me with my impulse control which is good because it was a big issue that put me in dangerous situations. Talk to your doctor about it. I'm not a doctor and it worked for me, that doesn't mean it would be good for you.
This is a constructive video. On antipsychotics for 11 years, came off them completely last year and at the point now where I have to work out if I want to go back on them again. This is an inclusive video that is so helpful and gives another insight.
I’ve been dealing with this for a few years and will hopefully be starting medication soon. A lot of the side effects mentioned I feel with already, the “doom” feeling and screen feeling. So maybe those are just symptoms she hadn’t had the chance to identify earlier, just a fresh perspective to help with research!
@@Em_Elizabeth Do you have schzophernia?If you stop your medication,Then how are you coping without medication?..Do you have hallucinations and dillusions problem as well?
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@Living Well with Schizophrenia, I don't mean to sound crass but, are you good in bed? I keep hearing that women with mental illnesses are simply nuts in bed!!
Séx
Sex
Sex
Sex
I've been binge-watching most of your videos. I'm a psychiatrist. God, I wish you could come to my practice and talk to my patients. Really, the eloquence and clarity in your videos are enviable. I believe what you are doing is so much important than you might even know. Thank you.
These aren't my videos I didn't make these videos and I'm not proud of what I did
😨
Psychiatrist are the devil. If someone hears voices they should get atypicals over the counter. Anything else, a therapist, especially a counselor
You don’t have to be a psychologist God to understand gosh I have a gift that I understand people like this
@@roseknuckles9894 yep 😂
You're awesome, Lauren. You should be incredibly proud of yourself for the work you're doing.
im on disability i cant do it. but i have no friends other than my family,
Totally agree and thank you.
Is there a holistic medicine or Herb or something that you could take that does not require actual medication.
@@daniellamoreno3616 there are many instances of people with schizophrenia or other serious mental illness being persuaded to go off their medications and onto some "herb" and ending up severely ill, including cases where people have died. It is extremely dangerous to "play" doctor and mess with someone with severe mental illness' medication.
boob slime change your name to something that’s not disgusting and things will improve from that moment on😉😻🧚🏼🙋🏻♀️
me: *is on antipsychotics*
me: watches this vid anyway
It’s a really good idea to watch these videos when you’re on antipsychotics, I’m sure a lot of information in this video is familiar to you, and it’s good to know you’re not alone in your experience.
Me too haha. But it’s interesting to hear others point of views.
Same here
same
I was on several of the older antipsychotics in the 1980's, then sometime in the early '90s my psychiatrist put me on a new, "miracle drug," that supposedly, "healed" you ,or it would kill you. I had to have my blood drawn EVERY week throughout the '90s. I turned 30 in 1990, and that medication took away my 30's. I had psychosis and paranoia terribly, and I gained 100 pounds! I would forget what I was talking about before I could complete a sentence. It was hellacious. Around 2000, I changed doctors, and got off of it. It is a drug that can change lives, but it wasn't a good fit for mine. It occurs to me, that maybe I was just that sick, and the drug wasn't to blame. At any rate, I've been on antipsychotics of one kind or another for 32 years, and yes, I still get tempted not to take my meds. I do have TD. My hands have terrible tremors, and I can't move my tongue without it trembling, BUT I AM ALIVE. I really feel like I'm IN life, now, and I've been some better for about eleven years. I truly am a success story. I'm not able to work any kind of regular job, as I still have pretty rough patches, but I'm an artist, and if I focus on my art, the people I love, see my therapist and psychiatrist, and take my medication, I hang in okay. Thanks for reading this ramble, and thank you for the possiblity that I was just a very sick woman. I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in '89, as well as chronic depression and anxiety.
@S Kk He has. Bless you, too.
Well done Paula. We are grateful you are here and talking to us. Stay strong and keep creating your art.
It's been 20 years you don't work so you life is shit why you don't stop this medication it's hearth of the problem you still alive oh my god take care
thats wonderful paula mempa, i was diagnosed with schizophrenia 3 years ago, had a double heart 7 months ago . lost a leg in the process,i always wondered would i ever fit in outside of drugs where i never fitted in there anyway, but ilooks as if its going to end the way it started, a fcking loner who only mixed because he had to or was always chasing somethning he couldnt get
@@malikouriachi1829 That sounded strangely hostile and then it ended in "take care", lol
Paula, I'm glad to hear that you are doing better now, thank you for sharing your story ♥
I’ve been living with diagnosed schizoaffective-bipolar type since mid 2019 on the brink of graduating college. A lot of professors and some close friends were trying to push me to take a break after being hospitalized. I graduated that December in 2019 with a Graphic Design degree.
I say this all because I’ve stumbled upon your channel, doing my due diligence in researching. This video in particular really helps me understand how I am feeling.
Thank you so much. Please continue making content for us.
I don't know you, but I'm proud of you. Gives me hope. Hope your well.
I'm bipolar type 2 with panic disorder, and this happened to me at work too. I became so stressed emotionally that I developed the panic disorder and spiraled from there, and I had to leave my job because I became so afraid of my workplace due to the stress.
@@noah9552this is my exact situation and I think my life is over because I’ve already tried different antidepressants and nothings working. Is there anything I can do if I don’t have insurance for therapy?
Folks who live with schizophrenia genuinely REALLY inspire the hell out of me. I think that’s why a lot of people come here like me who don’t live with schizophrenia. I have a lot of other issues and I feel like I can connect with all of your videos, we’re all struggling togetha🖤
I have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - I was diagnosed with it in a psychiatric hospital, after being misdiagnosed with PTSD for 8 years and wondering why I was never getting better (and actually getting worse). At first, even the thought of looking more into what I had was just too hard and depressing for me - so I decided to "work myself up to it" by learning about other mental health disorders for a while. I started doing some research into schizophrenia last year, and it's not only been very insightful, but the courage shown by people who have learned to live and cope with it - especially for years - has finally helped me face my own struggles with a brave face. Mental illness is a truly ugly thing - but the people that do their best to cope with it, and help others, are the most inspiring people on earth ♥
So even though I don't actually have schizophrenia, videos like these have very much had a powerful and positive impact on my life. I would even say that it helped change my life ♥
@@ember-brandt Hey God bless you
Thank you for your kind words towards people who have this condition. A lot of the time we do feel like outsiders, so people like you are the warriors who keep us moving along. Without support like yours from my family and friends, I probably would have given up a long time ago. 10 years and going! :)
Thank you. This brought a smile to my face. Schizophrenia is a living hell
🖤🖤🖤🖤
Mine makes me sleepy as heck, but they're what helped me to not be so afraid of everything. I was having such terrible breakdowns constantly that I was ready to lock myself inside. My meds changed that. They took the edge off of the world, and helped me to see that my fears were a product of a bad environment that I was raised in.
I got my life back 💕
Darcy That last line killed me. I am so glad to hear you got your life back and I wish you a healthy & happy future.
I relate so hard😓😭
@@BeingBetter I have an excuse to drink too much coffee now at least 😂
While being sleepy really can suck, I'd rather be sleepy than afraid, you know?
@@darcy9867 Yeah!!
I'm so glad to hear that you got your life back!
I have bipolar and I just want to say,you people are incredibly brave.Been hospitalized with you guys,and I seen what you go through.
No you don't - bipolar is neither something that you can have or be. At least not in a medical sense - you have been dupe !!
Lauren, you do such a fantastic job on your videos, I just wanted to thank you. Whether you've intended to or not, you've become a wonderful ambassador for the community of people living with schizophrenia. Please be encouraged, and keep sharing with us!
Your an angel, ive needed an advocate with the same illness to explain it for me,im welling up in tears watching your channel, thankyou soooo much!
You are the only person that brings me peace since being diagnosed with schizophrenia. I appreciate all the info.
My son is a schizophrenic. Thank you for talking about this. I am watching this so that I can understand him. Well done for doing this video because you had a dry mouth and you still carried on.
Lauren, I just want to sincerely thank you for this. I don’t have schizophrenia or shiziaffective, but I have Bipolar 1 with psychosis. Your videos really help me understand my psychosis better and different ways I can cope, and it’s really nice to know that I’m not alone. So thank you so much 🧡
th-cam.com/video/55NpfNzdwMY/w-d-xo.html
My husbands ex took an antipsychotic and had bi polar . Your post gives me a clue of which Bi Polar .
You're so intelligent and this work you're doing blesses the lives of not only people struggling with schizophrenia but families of people with schizophrenia and the people who care for them. I'm a medical student and this content is A1!
My heart goes out to you. Applause for all the time and effort you are putting in to manage your disease. I imagine it's a struggle every day. For me as a medical doctor it would have been very helpful to know which meds caused what side effects. Keep up the good work 👏
Cheers from Bulgaria 🇧🇬
Very decent of you and brave to reach out and try to help others. Thank you for being you
Thank you for humanizing this. I've learned a lot from your channel and changed the way I thought.
I'm bipolar and just had an increase in my anti-psychotic medicine. I've been getting the jittery thing you talk about and it was a relief to hear it's normal!!
You are so stunningly gorgeous and your videos help me so much! I have 2 really close friends with schizophrenia and your videos have helped me so much with dealing with my friends symptoms. Thank you for making these videos and stay strong because you are an amazing person and a prime example of how to handle this overwhelming disorder.
Hello Lauren! Thank you for sharing your personal experience with antipsychotic medication. Your openness provides valuable insights into what individuals might expect when considering such treatment. It's commendable that you emphasize the importance of finding the right balance between symptom reduction and managing side effects.
The discussion about the psychological and physiological aspects of being on antipsychotics adds depth to the understanding of this medication. Your honesty about the challenges, such as the sense of numbing, restlessness, and potential side effects like weight gain and decreased libido, is genuinely appreciated. It's crucial for viewers to be aware of these aspects and work collaboratively with their healthcare providers.
Your point about the psychological dilemma, where people might hesitate to take medication even when it's effective, is thought-provoking. Recognizing that taking medication is a step towards better health and a fuller life is an important perspective.
Looking forward to more insightful videos from you! If you have any specific tips for coping with side effects or maintaining a healthy lifestyle while on antipsychotics, that would be a fantastic addition to your content. Keep up the great work!
I’m on an antipsychotic to manage my seizure disorder. My dose is pretty high and when I was taking additional medications to manage the symptoms of my anxiety disorder (tied to my seizures) I could tell some people judged me when I’d pick up my RX. It took awhile till we got the dosage right and eventually I was able to remove the separate anxiety meds but the side effects are brutal to adjust to. Many subsided but the ones that remain years later are low libido and chronic thirst. Intimacy is hard and I always have to have water with me. Thank you for normalizing mental health and reminding people it’s ok to take medication. Some of us truly need it to live our fullest lives. 💛
nai nai hey! I’m sure you’re coming from a good place but so are my doctors and they’ve decided that the drug I’m on is best for my individual needs. The rx I have is actually popular for multiple health conditions, not just mental illnesses. I don’t think it’s smart to try to diagnose people based on a vague comment meant to support others in a similar position. Thank you for your concern though 😊
@nai nai No, you need to not play doctor. You're no one to diagnose or suggest medications one bit. Go away.
My mom also has seizures that are tied to her anxiety disorder I wish more research could be put into it. You’re so strong!
Maby some need
But many more are forced iven if they don't need
And Schizophrenia it's a heavy Censured subject
Its lots off darkness in this subject
Much homen rights violations in the mental health y
The drugs my grandmother took for a schizophrenia left her in a barely able to function fog. She hated them.
Sorry to hear that. My take is
only take them if absolutey necessesary. Quality of life can be destroyed with antipsychotics. In my humble opinion.
I met a woman in hospital who couldnt string a sentence together on her meds then when i seen her again she was off her meds and spoke as clear as day
I'm fifty years old and have schizophrenia and on these type meds,and I think for someone as young as you painting such a clear and fair picture of this is great! Your like a voice from my side of the fence I always wanted to hear! I honestly wish there was more people like and on this side of the fence! Keep up the good work takes a lot of courage to do what you are doing! Bless you,I really hope your well just now❤
Being on antipsychotic medication is just that, life changing. I'm on Seroquel 600mg a day, along with other medications. In order to stay compliant I have had to change my daily life. Sleep is important. Eating well. Working 9 to 5 has become nearly impossible. That being said, I can live a nearly normal life. Keep up the good work! These videos are so amazing!
Thank you for being so open with discussing your mental health journey. I personally don’t have experience with needing anti psychotics, but after my brother passed away, I had to go on anti-depressants for my depression and anxiety. I’m very thankful I made that decision, bc it has allowed me to still feel my feelings, but not sink into the black hole they create. It’s like a dark cloud was lifted when I started taking them. Of course I stopped taking them after about a year, bc I thought I didn’t need them anymore, but I was wrong lol. I went for 4 months without them to see if my brain chemistry would sort itself out, but it didn’t, so I started taking them again lol. ✌️🤟💜
this is something that needs to be emphasized to the person taking the meds (whatever disorder) AND their family/support. If anyone thinks they don't need the meds and want to try to stop taking them, great. BUT, talk to your therapist about it and come up with a plan that includes your support structure so that they know and can pay more attention for issues. It causes stress for everyone involved if someone keeps thinking they don't need it and it turns out they do. If this happens, look towards the long term injections. They typically last about a month, and some for three months. That's a game changer in regards to a normal lifestyle, one injection every three months. But that's if that particular med works for you.
Thank you so much lauren, what you’re doing is so incredibly impactful. You’ve been a source of education for so many :)
It’s so nice to be able to relate to someone with this area of life. Thank you so much for posting these videos.
Thank you. I'm watching so that I can understand what someone in my family is going through. I have to say, it is difficult to imagine you struggling with any mental health issue because you are not presenting any abnormal behavior.
But that's the whole problem. High functioning people can hide their symptoms for a very long time.
People expect abornmal behavior because those cases make it to the news. However majority of psychotic people suffer in silence.
Thank you so much for this video. I find it amazing that you talk about things that can be very sensitive in such a public manner.
I am in pharmacy school and we just learned about psychotic medications. Seeing this video really brings it all around for me because yes we learn about side effects different formulations but it always different when you hear the actual side of who is taking it.
I also loved how you really focused on the fact that every medication can work different for every person, that you are not less of a person because you need to take these medications, that it is important to have conversations with your health team in general and most importantly to not abruptly stop without talking it over first. Sadly antipsychotics are very person based. What works for you might not work for someone else.
Again thank you for your insight and your openness I think it really helps everyone understand things better. (Also just the fact that yes you do have a diagnosis but look you have a TH-cam channel with views and over 500 comments. I hope other people who may feel helpless and think yes I don’t have to be defined by diagnosis) ♥️♥️♥️
You're so well spoken. ❤
Congrats Lauren for your beautiful insight and for talking about your personal experience of such an important argument on a mass media platform like TH-cam! I just discovered this Channel and happy for that. Your great commitment will help many people and you should be proud for that! Thank you very much!
You are not less of a person! You are amazing ❣️ The world needs your voice. God bless you sweetie 🙏😇
Thank you for being thoughtful and careful with you presentation. You are really helping out by sharing you experiences and removing the fear that some may feel.
Thank you for your informative video. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 15. I am now going to be 63. Back in the 70s, they did not know much about treatment for bipolar disorder, and I had generalized anxiety too. My first psychiatrist didn't believe in drug therapy, and I was searching for help for many years; after many drug trials, finally, in my late 40s, I was put on antipsychotics. The first medicine knocked me out for 3 days; then we tried another. I was awake, but I definitely agree that I felt numb. I tried a few more antipsychotic medications, but one made me bloat quite bad, and the others made my brain feel like vegetable soup. I was also concerned about Tardive dyskinesia. I think I have seen over 16 psychiatrists, and I have been put on all kinds of different meds and tried different talk therapy. I eventually met the right female doctor, and it took 8 years, but we finally got my medications correct. I wish you all the best as I know where you are coming from. I read a lot about my illness and other mental illnesses and I find it helpful. Stay strong beautiful child! Tracey
You mention numbness but I think another side effect of certain anti-psychotics is extreme fatigue, especially if daily dosage is high.
James Pridmore Maybe ask your doctor about if taking it at night would be better for you? That’s what was recommended for me
@@cheyannemuro1725 Thanks for the helpful suggestion. I'm on two anti-psychotic meds and the doses are heavily weighted to the PM. While one makes me very drowsy and timeless, the other relieves anxiety and tends to perk up my senses.
My doctor likes to remind me, given that I was formerly under a guardianship and mandated to live in an assisted living facility (i.e., after two involuntary detentions in the state hospital), that side effects are a small price to pay for independent living.
I think a lot of us feel as though we're operating without a net. One misstep either way along the ridge we travel and we plummet. So while I once rebelled against pharmacology, I now see it as a lifeline.
@@justinlillywhite100 you may have been misdiagnosed. If those are your only symptoms you probably have delusional disorder.
sailorstarrr delusional disorder is a psychotic symptom too
sailorstarrr and i had those too but got a psychosis dx
Your videos are so helpful for family members of those with mental illness. They really help us understand what our family members are experiencing. Thanks
I have BPD/EUPD with psychosis and psychotic-like symptoms during times of intense stress and I really appreciate your insight on your own severe mental illness, it’s been so helpful for me! That’s really interesting that you said about it making you anxious because aripiprazole made me soooo anxious but I feel like when you have multiple mental illnesses and you’re on so much medication, half the medication you’re on is to counteract the severe side effects of the essential medication 😂🤦♀️
Thanks!
5:20 I think the clinical term for this is akathisia.
I experienced this when I took an anti-psychotic years back when experiencing mania/psychosis (Bipolar disorder). If you google it, there are some decent descriptions of it, but I agree with you that it is hard to find an adequate way to describe it to people who have never experienced it. When I tried to explain it to friends I described it as "imagine if your bones, skin, muscles, and blood were all vibrating at different frequencies at once," but even this is confusing because it's not necessarily a physical sensation per se. At one point it got so bad for me I started banging my head against the wall because the distraction of physical pain was the only way I could think of stopping it. Finally my parents contacted the doctors and agreed I could go off of it since my psychotic symptoms had subsided (not cold turkey though, I was still on mood stabilizers).
Some of the worst agony I have ever felt, but ultimately worth it for the sake of getting rid of psychotic symptoms, however I can only speak from my personal experience of using it to stomp out acute psychosis, not long-term use. Like you said, different medications affect people differently, and I have memorized the name of that specific one so in the future if I experience psychosis again, I can tell the doctors to try a different one (hoping that I would be in a facility that listens to those kinds of requests).
I've had the weight gain as a major problem with most anti-psychotic medications. I've had dry mouth as a symptom with one set of meds that I took. The numbing effect isn't something I can really say I've been through in my adult life, but as a teenager I certainly felt like my mind was underwater and I would be sleeping a lot in school. As an adult that symptom faded but the weight has been the biggest difficulty and I've only been able to manage with a different drug that simply didn't have that constant hunger as a side effect. Basically, on that symptom I finally lucked out, but as a trade off I now take a mood stabilizer that requires occasional blood level checks to ensure I'm not slowly getting into toxic levels of it and within a therapeutic range. The strategy for my psychiatrist was to settle on a regiment of medications that worked reasonably well rather than perfectly because each shift in medications runs the full risk of side effects and potentially compounding existing problems. Another reason NOT to stop taking them abruptly without talking to your doctor.
Thank you for your honesty of your lived experience with Schizophrenia. You helped me understand the people I love who are experiencing living with this health condition. You’re a blessing.
Here's my best medication story......For a short time I took an anti-psychotic medication that actually induced psychosis. I started to feel a scraping sensation in my lower spine that I interpreted as bone termites. It felt like my vertebrae were being hollowed out from the inside by the termites. When I called my doctor his nurse told me to stop taking the pills, which I did, and the problem immediately went away.
That is terrifying!!! 😭 I'm glad you stopped taking them.
Yeah, the side effects can be difficult to withstand and, even more so, strenuous to keep your motivation to get well after having a side effect. However, just like with any other doctor from any other specialty, communicate and report it (like you did). Today with all of the advancements in modern medicine, there are so many different medications. It’s all about finding the right one. Sorry that you went through that and I hope you’re doing well, my friend.
I know that it's not me being out of my mind I am not imagining that I am the only person that has these symptoms I really thank God for you talking about the almost exact thing in my life...I appreciate what you are doing on TH-cam omg your great
Hi Lauren,
You come across 100%. I wouldn't know you were on anything or had anything. I think you definitely have the meds/side effects balance right!
My experience:
Sex drive - forget about it! Weight gain for sure, but manageable. Restlessness nearly drove me mad. However I did approach doctors and cut down as I was able, very gradually to the point that side effects were no longer an issue. Reactive withdrawal anxiety definitely was - but with help I learnt to live with it.
Thank you again for your positive and helpful message.
Are you off this toxic called medication now? If so, has your libido returned to previous state?
Thanks!
Bhahahahhah see she’s using you guys
Thank you so much for sharing your personal experiences. I can't tell you how much I appreciated you doing this, it so gives me hope for my loved one.
I want to hug every other sufferer. Its a shit deal living with a sever MH disorder. Especially this lady. I can feel her emotion especially about the weight. I am proud of you that you are still in the fight. Never surrender!
The "restlessness" you're describing is akathisia and it can become chronic, especially when you switch medications, change doses, or withdrawal too quickly off your AP. You can also get akathisia from SSRIs. Depending on the severity, it can be so excruciating that people end their lives because of it. It comes with doom, like you said, fear, paranoia, looping thoughts, and more. This is a huge side effect that doctors and psychiatrists like to ignore, not take seriously, or cover up with other meds.
Yup it's absolutely disgusting, the horror of it is undescribed torment.. my life has been destroyed..
I just found this channel a week ago and I wanted to say this is some of the most AMAZING content I have found that has really helped me on mental health. I’ve been on my medication now for anxiety and depression 3 years and it has helped me immensely and live a better quality of life then I was before it. Unfortunately in the last year or so have been thinking that I don’t need it anymore and that I wanted to see how I “felt” without it and maybe my emotions my anxiety would be totally fine and I realized it’s the farthest thing from the truth. I’ve come to the conclusion I have to be on my medication life long and that is always the hardest pill to swallow and accept for me or anyone. Thank you for making your videos and speaking of your experiences it seriously has helped me so much ❤️.
I’m taking an antipsychotic to help manage my PTSD and psychotic depression symptoms, along with other medications, and while I look forward to the day where I don’t need them I’m so grateful to have a prescription that works.
Take your meds and pray to god that your mind stays clear and your daily functioning on point. That’s all I gotta say I’ve seen horrible things happen to people that didn’t take their meds. And me myself I don’t want that happening to me.
Love to the channel and love to all people who struggle no matter what they are struggling with.
God bless you Lauren, you're inspirational!
i can’t believe how happy you seem even though you must take higher dosages than I do.. I feel dulled and have trouble feeling motivated and positive emotions like love especially which is really bringing me down
5:40 that’s called IMPENDING DOOM!! I think that’s the best term for those feelings. It’s like a climax that builds and stays there
That's what I feel like every day all day
th-cam.com/video/55NpfNzdwMY/w-d-xo.html
Thats the new release of the game DOOM?
This is so helpful as a student in mental health nursing. Thank you - you explain this so well :)
Could you do a video about maintaining a job or income when a 9 to 5 has been really difficult due to mental health?
Seek out an employer who understands, my employer understands when I need to go home early for therapy or just because I’m exhausted. They understand when I need to take a mental health day. They understand when I can’t be productive because my mental health isn’t doing well. Then again, when I do feel good I work really hard and do a really good job. I’m sure that helps as well. The most important thing is to be honest and open about how you feel and what you need. You can’t expect other people to just get it, you need to tell them.
Get on disability and a part time job.
I can't go to work. It is because of negative symptoms . I am on pension. I got pension when I was 30 years old. Now I am 44.
Do u do better in a quiet setting alone or with noise
See if your job would allow telework and I would apply for FMLA. Diagnosed mental health issues can be covered.
You’re so composed and almost at ease with the mental health issues you are facing. Good for you.
Thank you for being vulnerable and relatable. I'm on Olanzapine and it does numb me emotionally and socially. I also struggle waking up. I need to immediatly step out of bed or else I'll just fall asleep again. My libido is also non-existent, and I particulaly struggle with that in dating.
But to be fair, it also brings me peace of mind and groundedness nothing else brings me, and thats way more important for me.
How much olanzapin do you take? I'm on 5mg for bipolar
@@millstreetteut7835 I'm on 5 also after a druginduced psychosis.
You are amazingly gifted in your openness, communication skills, articulation, empathy. Thk u for this! These videos are helping me understand a loved one! 🙏 Priceless!
I went through several diagnoses until getting the one that seems correct which is schizoaffective disorder. I took an old school antipsychotic in the 80s when I was 15 and 16. Then I was off antipsychotic medications for several years which is a long story. Then I was back on them by the end of the 1990s. Because of a combo of antipsychotic medications and medications like Depakote and Lithium I was able to finally organize my thoughts and got my undergrad degree and my law degree. I’ve done ok and work as a lawyer. But it’s been getting harder. I spent three months off work recently due to a long major Psychosis With some bipolar mixed into the middle. The psychosis has been worse than it ever has been. I’m taking new medications now and so I hope they will help me and keep me out of the hospital. I was inpatient three times last year and into the beginning of this year. I feel for your pain and problems. I really do.
As always, you are so clear and helpful. My experience is with a different class of drugs (different illness) but your shared experience applies. It's so nice to not feel so alone.
Thank you for posting this. I take anti-seizure medications, and some of the side effects, as well as the temptation to stop taking them precisely because they are working, occur with my medications as well.
When I was 16 I was hospitalized for cutting and they took me off all the meds my own doctor put me on and they put me on RANDOM ANTIPSYCHOTICS like haldol without telling my parents. That's illegal. I don't even have psychosis or bipolar disorder, and I had a serious medical reaction from the haldol that I got no treatment for. It was hell.
Like 50 percent of people are alergic to haldol. Me after about 24 hours i had the worst muscle spams in the world my whole face was locking and my jaw worst pain ever
Haldol? Isn’t that only used in extreme situations? It was used on me because I had a Grand Mal Seizure and they treated me with Keppra, which is actually standard practice. Unfortunately I’m allergic to Keppra and it turned me into a rampaging beast. Haldol knocked me out or at least calmed me down.
@@Whoopdido777 they use it when patients are violent to knock them out
They gave me haldol once in the er, thought they were trying to kill me and started flipping my shit until I just lost consciousness. Kind of awful in the moment, but being incapacitated for like 24+ hours was kind of nice in a way.
Same. I was put on haldol and developed tardive dyskinesia which is uncontrollable muscular spasms. It was hell I will never ever take that med again and other meds made me fall asleep standing up or driving and I wrecked my car so many times due to this
I find that you are a brave person to discuss this Online. The stigma is bad. Never give up. I have friends with both Psio effective disorder and Paranoid Psychosis.
Im a doctor currently studying for the exams required to be able to move to USA to pursue psychiatry residency and become a specialist. I've been watching many of your vids for a long time, and hearing your perspective on many topics has been very informative. I hope i can take everything you've talked about in many videos and become a good, empathic and understanding psychiatrist :)
Great that you are here and listening.
We need more psychiatrists like you! Thank you for listening to people and for always learning.
what is the current thinking about anti-psychotics? Are they still saying the old rubbish about balancing the brain? Do you know if there are any new meds?
We need more doctors like you who actually care about patients and want to learn the best way to help them.
Stay as far away from psychiatrists as you possibly can if you can avoid that poison they give out. There is also no such thing as a chemical imbalance. I hope this new psych to be at least knows that much.
Accurate video. One antipsychotic gave me an insatiable hunger that was never sated & contributed to nearly 80 lbs in weight gain in a short span. Almost all antipsychotics I have checked have a low percent of probability of sexual dysfunction, but they most assuredly can happen. The "nothing" feeling & "doom" feeling are common. Agitation, too. Thank you for making these videos. It's comforting to know others go through schizophrenia too & that there are good-hearted people like yourself destigmatizing it through honest testimonials. Hospitalizations for mental health are nothing to be ashamed of. I have averaged at least one per year for a decade. I hope everyone who needs help finds the courage to seek help & is as lucky as I have been with finding a good mental healthcare team. Not all mental healthcare workers are created equal. I promise, from personal experience, that good mental healthcare workers do exist. Being willing to ask for help when it's needed is a sign of strength. 💙🖖
Decreased libido is a common side effect of other mental illness medication. I have that from my anxiety medication. Thanks for all the new information! I’m learning so much from your videos.
Can I ask what you use for the anxiety? I use Lyrica but have to quite due to bed side effcts! Tnx, much peace!
Nejka Reiki practitioner I am on Lexapro. I was previously on Sertraline and Prozac. I’ve had similar side effects on all of them. I prefer the lexapro.
@@CrazyKeara Thank you very much dear, much love💗
Thank you, Lauren. The best meds are love and be loved. I thank God everyday, my wife and my kids are the best Meds for my psychosis problem. I pray to God don't ever let me loss the senses of love , that's my most fear.
I do not have schizophrenia but found this video because I was wondering if people had a similar experience with antipsychotics as mine. I'm autistic and was put on Risperdal to help handle the irritability that comes along with autism and all I got out of it was increased anxiety, brain fog, blunted happiness and 100lbs. My dosage was lowered a few weeks ago and now I am the happiest I've felt in years
@frosty6845 I'm autistic and got put on risperdal too. I felt brain fog and numbness and used to get frustrated as I couldn't formulate thoughts, my brain would just freeze sometimes. I'm on 0.75mg put I struggled reducing them, as my brain is very sensitive to change I get withdrawal symptoms a lot
Thank you, Lauren. I've been dealing with Bipolar Disorder and OCD for most of my adult life. It may have started earlier than adulthood, but no one knew what to call it when I was a teen in the early 80's. I have it at about 80% under control by having a great psychiatrist and also a wonderful CBT therapist that I've been seeing since 2011. I just want to stress how important it is to rely on BOTH medications AND CBT or similar therapy. I believe I've tried nearly every medicaton out there, since my journey to better mental health began in 2001. I pray that you continue to progress, Lauren, because we all understand that the goal is to minimize the effect the symptoms have on your daily life, and at least for now keep in mind that this will not go away like a cold.
I couldn't live without mine. Completely changed my life for the better.
Same
Hi can you tell me in easy words,what does it mean "I couldn't live without mime"...completely changed my life for the better...did you kea,did you stop taking your medications?
@@aaymathebest4705 For me, taking medication was the first time I felt normal and my mood stabalized. Great addition to my life. What about you?
@@breatheeasily4013 my daughter started taking first time after her first episode 4 months ago olanzapine...she is normal a lot but she got too much weight....
@@aaymathebest4705 That also happened to me.
Your talks here are an inspiration for me in dealing with a family situation. I can’t thank you enough for offering your very difficult experiences up as a resource. I am headed right now to join your Patreon Team. Bless you.
Good video. I was born 1944. Was on antipsychotics between 1971 and 2001. Now i am 77 years old and take no meds at all for anything at all.
hope your still kicking it
Hello what disorder you have sir for what problem were you taking antipsihotics.
@@dejandejan2925 Anxiety syndrome with hypochondria. Classic hysteria..... I could not say that I am feeling better....
@@kajgenell I understand sir i think i have ocd because 2 psychiatrist have said that. So that is very similar thing to your condition i would say.
@@kajgenell antipsihotic give me blurred vission i just feel bad from them. I was born in 1991.
I have schizophrenia and I just want to say your videos help me so much thank you so much !
I definitely got the weight gain, when I was on a different med I got movements in my hand and legs. It was embarrassing. I definitely see improvement in my symptoms though
It must be hard to adres the real problem. Thank you for being so honoust and sharing your experience. I,m still searching myself to
The Beast, the animal, the demon, the angel, the light, the Christ To be ,,i am,, is hard.
Everyone's body is different and they react to medications differently. For me I have been on many different medications and I dealt with much of the numbness and weight gain that you mentioned. I have been on Invega trinza injections since 2016. I took Invega medication in a pill form and my body didn't react well to that at all. I felt depressed everyday and very numb. The injection was a complete 180. At first my body had to get used to it and it felt a little numbing (but not anyone near as much as before). I felt a lot more stable than I was on any of the other medications. Invega is also a FDA approved medication for schizoaffective disorder in the United States where I live. I got a job that year in 2016 at a grocery store and have been there for 4 years straight while going to school full-time and I am set to graduate this spring. Now I am able to feel my emotions fully and I feel very healthy. I don't feel the tiredness that I felt from other medications. Being on a plant-based diet and going for walks everyday also helped me to lose the excess weight I had before. I also like to meditate and pray. Believing that god is there and is present with me even in the difficulties is very comforting when I feel alone or a little restless. Because of that and my injections I don't believe in the degrading thoughts that arise from stress and insecurities. I still hear voices but I have a firm sense of truth and reality now that grounds me well. I am able have rich experiences with others and many people have mentioned how much joy and confidence I have now . If it wasn't for the injections I don't think I would have stayed on the medication in the long term. Its a good option to try out and see if it works for any of you. I don't find taking injections to be embarrassing anymore. I have been open to many people about how injections have stabilized me. I view it the same as someone on diabetes who has to take insulin. It's never something to be ashamed of it's just something where I have to trust the nurses, medical professionals and the science. Thank you for your videos they have really helped. Your such a kind-hearted, and courageous person for sharing your experiences with others! God Bless!
Take your meds and pray to god your mind stays clear and your able to function properly.
Hi I’ve had schizophrenia since I was 21 I’m 43 now. And let me say you do a very good job of describing what I go through with my medicine. Thanks and keep up the good work!
The rapid weight gain was the hardest part for me. Trialling many different types definitely took a toll on my body, but once I found the right type they helped so much with the scattered thoughts and hallucinations. However, they did seem to amplify my depressive symptoms despite taking them concurrently with antidepressants. Glad I got to a stable headspsce and currently don't need them.
So glad you post these videos. I am a recent schizo diagnosis and am trying to find out what other people go through. These meds have my mood so flat. I don’t laugh like I used to or feel things like I used too. I am so much of an empathic person so that is hard. However the meds seem to work well for me. I have not had the paranoia of being wired or being watched by the government. Schizophrenia is hard to convey to people that don’t have it. I have struggled with the diagnosis and am still recovering from my last psychotic break.
7:01 Yes, a medication I was taking removed the full feeling you get after eating. . . so I would just keep eating, got upto 82kg before i realised what I was doing lol.
Abilify ruined 3 years of my life, I no longer felt emotions, it sent me into total depression, I could no longer even cry for the emotional block it created in addition to an unbearable akathisia. I then managed to suspend it and some problems returned but nothing compared to the contraindications of Abilify, I was technically dead as a person. Then I tried risperidone and didn't have any of the problems that Abilify created, it's a good drug but currently I'm not taking. I've some fear of future consequences like the dicinesia you also talked about and other metabolic diseases .. but I'm very undecided whether to go back for it, I'm evaluating. Hi and congratulations on your dedication to these videos.
Antipsychotics just give me relief.
th-cam.com/video/55NpfNzdwMY/w-d-xo.html
@@goertzpsychiatry9340 antipsychotics and ssri's have provided me the opportunity to live, communicate and participate in a balanced lifestyle. Without them I would not be where I am today. They saved my life and brought me from nearly complete incoherence to sanity.
been reading up + watcing video bout antipsychotics my mum has them ..good vid keep strong keep going positive best u can
I started taking antipsychotics when I was a sophomore in high school. I played around and was scared to take it so I didn't go on one till I started college. I realized I needed them because I was bad bipolar highs and making crazy decisions and acting recklessly. I've only been on the anti psychotics im on for a few weeks and its help so much.
You know antipsychotics damage the brain right?
www.madinamerica.com/2020/07/randomized-controlled-trial-confirms-antipsychotics-damage-brain/
@@the_red_wolf8244 what do you consider to be a better alternative?
I’m bipolar but personally they made me feel worse than when I was off medication. I’m no longer taking anti-psychotics and hopefully anti depressants either.
What a graceful spokeswoman and warrior for mental health 💜 oh also spot on
A side effect I want to mention that wasn't in this video is extreme sleepiness. I've been on antipsychotics for years and after the one I used to be on stopped working, I was put on this other one that made me REALLY sleepy all the time for a while. At a higher dose, I would usually wake up around noon and sometimes slept as late as 5:00 PM. When I was awake I was usually lethargic and tired. I hated it SO much that I asked my psychiatrist to lower the dose. He did, but at a really low dose I had psychotic symptoms coming back, but also could wake up early again and stay awake all day. I had to decide if it was worth it. Then serious symptoms started coming back (like what I experienced before medication) and I agreed to have the dose increased a bit, more in the middle. That's where I'm at now, and I feel it works. I have almost no psychotic symptoms most of the time, and while I sleep more than I like, I can still wake up at an alright time and can even wake up early from time to time. I do miss being able to stay up late, but I'd rather go to bed early than have delusions.
I also experience some drooling as a side effect, which doesn't bother me much, but can be slightly annoying. I keep having to randomly wipe my mouth, and I drool on my pillows at night.
I started Invega Sustenna and get drooling. What medication do you take?
You are saving so many lives with these videos. You are amazing!
You're a good clear and effective speaker.
Thanks for the amazing advice Lauren. Your experience with this type of medication really sheds light on my own. X
The restlessness you described is called akathisia, it is a common side effect of antipsychotics, it is an inner restlessness that cannot be satiated no matter where you are or what you are doing. It can lead to exhaustion. It is one reason I don't personally recommend antipsychotics, it is better to learn to live with the condition where possible and find other things that help.
Honestly Lauren is the best! Keep up the good work you actually help people by doing this! I'm proud that we have people like this in the world!
I pray for everyone going through what I’m going through and I’m definitely praying for those like me where medicine isn’t helping at all… I’m taking Prozac for nothing than to not have migraines and to indulge in the unwanted weight gain… I am not making fun I promise… I’m suffering… hoping all is well…God bless
I checked my self in to a facility, best decision in my life. I’m on the right meds and I feel good.
I stumbled on this video cause i was looking for a video on adhd medication experience, people like you help so many lives its crazy thanks for doing this even tho I’m not schizophrenic
I take an antipsychotic for my anxiety, at a lower dose though. It has saved my life.
@jw zacher Yeh Seroquel is primarily an anti-psychotic but can be prescribed in lower doses for anxiety. The main possible side effects are fatigue and hunger but once you relearn when you are actually hungry and when your meds are telling you to eat, it's pretty easy to manage.
@jw zacher Like any medication, it entirely depends on the person. It saved my life. I've been on it since I was 17 and I don;t plan on ever stopping it. It has mostly helped me with my impulse control which is good because it was a big issue that put me in dangerous situations.
Talk to your doctor about it. I'm not a doctor and it worked for me, that doesn't mean it would be good for you.
@@JadeDRail Maybe you can get rid of medication later on.
@@kajgenell No I can't. I've had anxiety all my life and it was really awful before it. If I stop it i'll probably die.
@@JadeDRail Perhaps u are very young. Much can happen.
This is a constructive video. On antipsychotics for 11 years, came off them completely last year and at the point now where I have to work out if I want to go back on them again. This is an inclusive video that is so helpful and gives another insight.
I’ve been dealing with this for a few years and will hopefully be starting medication soon. A lot of the side effects mentioned I feel with already, the “doom” feeling and screen feeling. So maybe those are just symptoms she hadn’t had the chance to identify earlier, just a fresh perspective to help with research!
I love you; you are helping lots of people with mental illnesses. Thank you so much Lauren ❣❤💜
Can’t stand the weight gain in most medications it’s ridiculous lol
@xoxo xoxo i went from 150 pounds to at least 230 in a just 2 months and now everybody's talking about how fat i am 😭😭
Yea agree, its beyond annoying! Its like all the water stays in your body and you feel like a baloon! 🙄
That's why I stopped taking medication.
@@Em_Elizabeth Do you have schzophernia?If you stop your medication,Then how are you coping without medication?..Do you have hallucinations and dillusions problem as well?
@@Em_Elizabeth please reply me my daughter is ill as well