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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!!
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.
@@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.
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.
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 ♥
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 💕
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?
@@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.
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.
@@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?
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!
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.
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 was taking Haldol benztrapene Lamictal and abilify. But then I switched out the Abilify for Seroquel because my insurance was giving out on the Abilify. Anyways seroquel been working great for me. It's almost been a year of not hearing voices really for the most part. I'm letting people know give medication a chance. I do that and do a light prayer in the morning everyday and I'm cool everyday I'm good.
I love to hear comments like yours dealing with a 10yr old going thru this.. U guys give me hope at life for her. I learn so much from this channel. Thanks for sharing
@@beantowncutie1 never stop believing in miracles. I was 18 when I first got it. I'm 34 now. I have an 8 year daughter. I know how it must feel. Kids are stronger than people give him credit for. God bless. The real thing that kept me sane throughout all this with family. I needed that support. It was really bad for many years but we got through it. And now I'm doing better than ever.
@@Alienreggaereggaeradio Thank you so much for the reply. Without talking to people like u I don't know where i would be in life. Im so glad ur doing much better. I see thru the eyes of a child how hard this is.. And she is thriving most of the time. I pray and have faith that in time she will get stronger and stronger.
Other side effects include: being severed from your soul, no longer ever having any meaning or meaningful expression in life, permanently irreversible central nervous system damage, no longer being human, knowing you are taking drugs designed to control your mind because someone didn't like you mind and abused you and gaslit you, and being unable to ever heal from the trauma that caused you original symptoms because you are deemed incurablly damaged.
@@Elvenboadicea yeah it's poison all right. More than that, it's also allowing another human being to declare you as unfit to exist unless they can regulate your thoughts and behaviors with drugs. It's murder.
@@ElvenboadiceaI’ve been on that med I never experienced what Dolly experienced everyone is different. It helped my symptoms regarding intrusive thoughts but it made me very hungry and tired.
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.
@@Chocolatechip758 i took it for about 2 -3 years... if i were u, id rather speak to my doctor 1st, becuz what i did was a gamble and i turned out to be lucky. I have bipolar disorder and luckily my psychosis isnt tht bad
@@Chocolatechip758 i totally feel u! Antipsychotics meds are a train wreck and caused me more harm than good, physically and mentally... Speak to ur doctor and see what u guys can do to help u without Antipsychotics.
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
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.
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 am surprised you didn't mention anything about drowsiness and extreme fatigue. I take my antipsychotic at night because it nocks me out. I have trouble waking up in the mornings even if I have more than 10 hours of sleep.
@@nihil8436 It is no life. So far I have gone into debt cause of it. I have now weaned myself off almost completely, but still taking a bit cause now I am dependent and can't sleep without it. I am going to be trying psilosybin.
Yes! There the worst. And they're kinda new on the market, a few decades so we don't even have enough info on how bad they could be to your neurons and body and just quality of life on the long run.
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 🧡
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.
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'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!!
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 😂🤦♀️
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
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.
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
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!
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.
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 RU-vid 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) ♥️♥️♥️
Do they really give out months of psychiatric meds in bottles and not strips? They used to do that here (UK) in the 80s and early 90s but stopped, presumably because it's easier to count pills in strips and not accidentally take double doses. Also it's (some) protection against impulsive suicide attempts, if you have to pop every individual pill out.
DON'T FUCKEN TAKE THIS ARTIFICIAL SHIT. IT'S ALMOST RUINED MY LIFE. I'M GOING OFF ALL OF THIS SHIT AFTER 20 YEARS. THE SYSTEM WANT'S YOU TO SUFFER ON THIS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BE YOUR SELF HOW YOU WERE BORN.
I was on anti-psychotics, antidepressents, and anti- anxiety med for decades. Besides the side effect which made it impossible to work, they did no good. Other mentally I'll people I know say the same. I see why people take to drugs and booze. I recently discovered KETAMINE. This is wonderfull for anxiety and depression. Since it's not taken on a daily bases, there's little side effects.I am sorry this new thing comes at the end of my life.
I can relate to the weight gain man! It was so hard mentally. Also my medicine (olanzapine) gave me a lot of sleepiness and I found it really hard to focus while I was on it.
Hi Julia! I know I'm late to the party, but I was on olanzapine for bipolar psychosis, and I put on 40 pounds very quickly. Now I'm on seroquel (quetiapine), which has less of a weight-gain side effect. I still haven't been able to lose the weight I gained on olanzapine. Still, it's better than being psychotic.
Hi! My diagnose changed from depression with psychotic features to full blown bipolar 1, so now I am on lithium and depakine, which I think don't cause as much weight gain
Atypical anti-psychotica work by blocking the blocking the dopamine D2/3 receptor in the transfer of information between neurons. Basically they dampen an overactive brain. But like most things in your body there is a chance that your neurons will develop new receptors in order to sidetrack the blocking effect. This was confirmed to me by the psychiatrist treating a family member (he was researching this subject). This means that continual longer term use of anti-psychotica can lead to an increased chance of psychotic episodes when the medication is reduced or stopped.
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....
Congrats Lauren for your beautiful insight and for talking about your personal experience of such an important argument on a mass media platform like RU-vid! 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!
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.
These sensations become very exhausting for me. I get so tired with restless leg syndrome with the agitation also running alongside this. I have sometimes had dreadful feeling especially an hour after taking my antidepressant Mirtazapine. Sometimes there is no side affects and then other times it makes everything worse. I have been left writhing and squirming in bed or been forced to sit the bath or shower for hours afterwards just to have the running water sensation trying to cover up over these feelings. If I am lucky my antidepressant makes me really tired as I take it at night and I just fall asleep naturally which is really a blessing but different days yield different results. I certainly can't drink Tea or Coffee and I avoid any stimulants like sugary drinks or caffeine laced drinks as they potentiate and makes everything worse. Hot milk helps also malted night drinks can help and porridge early or at night helps settles the stomach reducing anxious, butterflies. Anything that helps settle thing I will give it a try.
Doom is definitely a good descriptor of the side effect of akathesia. Uggghhhhh worst feeling ever. Small adjustments can help though. All i had to do was split my dose so I took half in the morning and half at night and it basically made it so I could hardly tell (obviously everyone is different - talk to your dr and keep trying new combos).
Hey there. I believe you've said in the past that you have schizoaffective bipolar type? I was just wondering why you never talk about or do videos on the bipolar aspect of your illness? I'd love to see more content regarding that as I also have bipolar 1. Great content though!
I just wanted to say that I read an article about a schizophrenic who had a bone marrow transplant and it cured his schizophrenia. I also read they believe possibly that it could be a bacteria that creates brain swelling and they prescribed some patients an antibiotic. The patients said they're systems subsided. It really needs to be looked into.
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!
Unfortunately the longer you are on anti-psychotic the greater the chance of tardive dyskinesia. Once you have it it’ll not go away and can only be masked by more medication.
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.
I guess it depends on your definition of mind altering. Yeah they obviously work on the brain but it’s not like LSD or weed or anything like that. Before I took mine I was confused about how a pill is supposed to change my mind. It didn’t change my mind, just gave me a chance to slow down and then my delusions went away after a while.
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!
Oh my god the restlessness side effects I had with abilify were so horrible I would start crying. It even felt incredibly physically painful sometimes. I wish I had seen something like this earlier and recognized it as a symptom of the medication so it didn't take me so long to talk to my doctor about it.
WE TOTES AND, DEFFO LOVE, APPRECIATE AND, VALUE YOU, ROB AND, YOUR FAMILY LAUREN!!!!! YOU AND, YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER HAVE TRULY ADDED TO, EDUCATED AND, ENLIGHTENED MY LIFE (LIVES😅. IT'S A "DOCTOR WHO" REGENERATION THANG"). #DOCTORWHO. YOU AND, ROB (AND, YOUR UNSEEN FAM, OF COURSE) TRULY ARE THE EPITOMY OF, PRICELESS! YOU ALL ARE LOVED TO THE MOON AND, BEYOND!!!!!! 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 Lol / PLUR 👽🌌🌀🏳️🌈🐕🦺🚀👨🚀👨🚀🟦💙💙➕🟦
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.
The older antipsychotics like thorazine and respirdal makes my body feel like I'm carrying a body suit that weighs at least 50 pounds and it feels like work just to get things done. Also the classic antipsychotics make my mind feel like I'm in a mental straight jacket and I don't feel as witty or just slowed down accompanied with the heavy feeling in my body just to do basic chores feels like I'm just not myself. I guess this is that mental barrier you where talking about. I know you don't like being told you are some hero or heroine for coping with scizoaffective disorder but it can be a struggle. The scizofrenia simulator seems to be somewhat accurate. I'm learning how or that I need to accept my scizoaffective disorder but I don't have to like it. But I will admit being on the correct medication helps the symptoms a great deal. Not promoting any medicine but invega shot works well for me I don't have to worry about go off my medication due to extreme appetite and weight gain do to meds. It seems to slow down my metabolism. Thank you for having this channel.
The side affects of antipsychotics lead me to relapse (cocaine addiction). I bounce back between full blown/destroy my life addiction - when I am on antipsychotics I never feel satiated and cravings come back hard, in all forms (food, shopping, cigarettes, drugs.. everything) When I stop antipsychotics my cravings decrease and eventually go away entirely. I feel okay just in a neutral mindset, I feel satiated. But then eventually, like clockwork, I bounce back into psychosis. I don’t know which is worse: addiction or psychosis. Both are self destructive and I need to find balance, but can’t seem to figure out the right dosage or type of antipsychotics. I feel like I’ve tried everything and I don’t know what to do tbh :( Can you provide any insight into the link between antipsychotics and addiction?
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
W/all due respect, the cumulative adverse effects far outweigh the so-called "benefits" RE: psych meds. When that happens, I don't need the meds 2 "control" my condition. It's not worth the lethargy nor weight gain that only compounds/aggravates the condition.
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
I have to take Valproate,Seroquel and Zyprexa. The problem is increased appetite hence one gains weight. I have gained 10 kg on Psychotropics but increased my exercise regiment. That didn’t even help because after running 20 kg I was hungry. I decided to take the Zyprexa only as needed. I lost some weight by sticking to a healthy diet. It is difficult. I have bipolar 1 and used to be on Li. One gains weight very slowly on that drug. Weight gain is for me the worst. I will not tolerate it. I have diabetes in my family and heart disease.😂
@@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.
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!
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.
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.
Can we hear some stories of ppl who come off their meds and live successful lives? Ppl shouldn't be penalized if they decide to refuse treatment especially when they're stable. Doctors need to give patients more freedom and stop trying to force treatment on them. Its evil and wrong. Alot of these doctors are athiest and want to keep ppl dumb dependent and sick. They know someone living medication free means less money for them.
when I take the first pill I regret taking it and I prefer having episodes over meds but when I have the episode the pain makes me go back to anti-psychotics and so on .... it's like a loop which I cannot get out of it
If you suffer from schizophrenia you could try sarcosine. You can buy it online cheaply. It has been shown to have a medium effect size for positive and negative symptoms. Although probs schizophrenia isn't one disorder, so probably won't work for everyone.
Same. Everyone told me that my symptoms could get worse if I don't take them but I wanted to be thin again and be able to function without drowsiness so I took a chance. Turns out I'm perfectly fine without them. My mother was livid that I crushed my pill supply but seriously, who puts a 14 year old on risperidone?
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 recommend Abilify. I feel exactly the same except for an increase in appetite. Others are far too strong for me. I have no symptoms of 'numbness' or apathy like I did with Invega. For libido I take Yohimbine, Tulsi Holi Basil and Maca. I'm still finding the balance for these.
That's how I felt at first, but without me realizing it the drug snuck up on me in ways I didn't realise, it was getting worse and worse, it became unbearable, had to stop.
None of the neuroleptics 'are like a combination of mood stabilizers'. I really have no idea what this is supposed to mean, or why something that would be a mood stabilizer (i.e., an anti-manic agent), would be a good treatment for negative symptoms. In fact, the neuroleptics that are most effective as acute anti-manic agents are the least likely to have benefits for negative symptoms, across the board.
Ive just started working as a pysch nurse. Thank u so much for sharing ur story! Learning so much from you. Do u have any tips for nurses on how to manage patients in hospital? Like thing you wish nurses would do etc.?
Yes. 1. Lack of sleep can be terrible and keep a psychosis going. If your patient is asleep try to use webcams or something rather than going in with a flashlight. 2. If they are not sleeping at all at night and finally nap some in the afternoon- don’t wake them. Sleep is critical. 3. When leaving a hospital patients might have to wait up to a year to get in to see a psychiatrist. Make sure patients leave with a handout on the hazards of tapering meds too fast. It can leave lasting neurological effects and a lot of GPs don’t know this. 10% every 2 weeks is a good guideline. If they run into akathisia suggest they see a doc right away. It can cause suicide. Make sure they know what akathisia is. Provide this info in writing!! You would be shocked how little you are told leaving a hospital. And some needs to be in writing bc memory/concentration can be lacking. Families can be too distressed to remember everything. 4. Docs often never mention that meds can make an erection impossible. Let people know it’s a possibility. And that down the road as meds are reduced that area of the body will work again. Guys are traumatized thinking it’s gone for good. This isn’t even mentioned during a hospital stay. It’s important to understand. 5. Provide a handout on coping strategies for panic attacks. Breathing techniques can be tried first and are often more effective than jumping to a Benzo first. Sometimes distraction helps too. 6. Distraction helps with anxiety. Anxiety underlies many mental health disorders. Make sure there are good activities for distraction. A set of crayons is not going to cut it. Ideally there would be several music listening stations. Often there is one radio that gets put away as there is always one patient who keeps fiddling with it. Music is a great calming thing. Very underused in hospitals. 7. If patients are allowed to go out for walks but have to be back in time, in psychosis time is not something you always sense. Patients are punished if late so this increases anxiety. 5 mins might feel like an hour in psychosis. Make sure they provide a timer if patients need it to take with them. And all the ceiling clocks seem to be with the minute hand. In psychosis all of a sudden it can be difficult to read a clock. Some digital ones with numbers would be helpful. Or some cheap digital watches to take along for the walk. If someone in the room is wearing a digital watch, make sure there isn’t an hourly beep set on it or an alarm that’s going to keep the others awake in the room at night. 8. Have a handout for families. One nurse mentioned it is best if you are calm when you are visiting. Try to suck it up and not cry or look upset. Families crying or looking in shock will just cause distress for your loved one. If patients are having trouble concentrating , keep sentences short. Sometimes just bring a snack and hang out together. Or bring a yoga mat and just be there beside the person looking up at the sky. Don’t ask them a lot of questions. Take a walk with them and tell them it’s ok if you don’t feel up to talking. Do come and visit. It is shocking how few people come to visit. 9. Provide a handout to give families who are coming for the first time. Explain some basic things. How the patient will be signing in and out. How the patient loses privileges if late. What you can bring and not bring. What they are allowed to have that can stay and be locked up for walks (music iPod etc) Any useful info. Anything parents might not know about that would be useful. Explain positive and negative symptoms. Explain types of meds. 10 Let patients know that lots get better and leave. Some get the idea in the first few days that they will be there forever. They don’t understand that most people will improve in time. They need hope. 11 sleeping pills might help a bit in the initial stage but try not to take them every day after the first 2 weeks or month or you will get tolerance and then they often become ineffective. Lots of docs take sleeping pills too but they try not to take them more than every 3rd night for this reason. This is important info because if all of a sudden you can’t sleep your symptoms can start getting worse again. You might need to see a doc soon. They might modify meds to a more sedating one if sleep gets worse again. 12. Keep better records on how the patient is sleeping. If the patient is awake all night the doc might switch to a more sedating antipsychotic over a less sedating antipsychotic. Then when the patient leaves the hospital and things improve they might want to be checking in again with their doc if it is too sedating later on. Try to anticipate what might come up as again they might be on a long waiting list for a psychiatrist.
I suffer from schizoaffective disorder and I am on 2 antipsychotics (amisulpride and clozapine) along side mood stabilisers (lithium and clonazapam) and an anti depressant (sertraline) I am still in hospital, have been for coming up to 7 years but I have come on leaps and bounds in the past year. Now I make videos on mental health in the hope that I can help some people
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!
Got diagnosed with the Schizophrenia like 4 years,i tried lots of antipsychotic and like 2 years ago a stopped,and i still feel the side effects.Not sayings the medication is bad,but really was not helping much,wish there where better medication
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.
My adult daughter is on medication and has completely left her parents out of her life. We haven’t heard from her in over a year 😢 Is it normal to shutout loved ones? This is so hurtful and we worry about her mental health…even where she is 😭😭😭
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.
Years later she found Keto diets help with many mental disorders including this one. Probably the culprits are lectins like gluten which can go causing damage to the nervous system undetected.
I love antidepressants because we don't have sexual desire e know naturally I'm taking them for a depression, Without sexual desires imagine a world without customs and traditions, With freedom to wear whatever we want, Just imagine it is so beautiful
