I don't think I've ever left a comment on UA-cam before. But since watching your soft white underbelly reviews, I've been tempted to ask you to review the first soft white underbelly video I ever watched, and it's about postpartum psychosis... m.ua-cam.com/video/XaF_zTOCX1Q/v-deo.html I've really enjoyed your intrinsic nature and attitude towards all things mental health. Really enjoy watching you! Thanks ❤
I feel more bpd . Her voices started from left alone by Self … Asperger high functioning/ high polarised mood disorder cycle w depression, social anxiety paranoid overload of emotions from again early trauma misdiagnosed/ too close to her motherly identity. ( not real ) BPD Apajathy I got after 4th baby only . Micro seizures freeze - too. This beautiful woman night terrors maybe but not visual hallucinations, kind of lying kinda overwhelmed by not being enough socially and interpersonally.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION PLEASE DO A THEME OF SOMEONE WHO GOT THEIR LICENSE SUSPENDED FROM MARIJUANA with someone with PSYCHOTIC DEPRESSION OR AND BIPOLAR SCHKTZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER OR DRUG USE IN GENERAL WHEN COMBINED WITH HAVING A MENTAL ILLNESS. THANKS DR. SYL AS ALWAYS.
ooft, as a mentally ill person the term self-aware makes me wince a bit. I've had so many psychiatrists mention it almost as a way of implying you're faking it or drug seeking type thing.
Personally, having childhood trauma makes me not ever want to have kids because life is just too awful. But seeing her have this positive perspective on breaking generational trauma despite her struggles proves to show how resilient she is. Your videos make mental illnesses seem like something to understand rather than something to fear. This was very insightful. Thank you always for making these, they mean and help more than you know.
That was one reason I chose not to have kids (back when we HAD a choice, *sigh*) I didn't want to perpetuate the abuse cycle. But later, when I realized I'm not a psycho who inflicts physical and mental pain on others, it was done TO me, I'm an empath, not an abuser, I realized I STILL didn't want to have kids. It wasn't the life I'd envisioned for myself, and despite what others think or say, I've never regretted my choice. Children aren't a burden, they're a gift, and it's a lifetime's work to raise them into good human beings. I just realized I had other life's work to do, no greater, no less. 👍
I can relate to the concept of being afraid to have children because of how scary this world is because of what I’ve experienced in my childhood. It’s a very powerful feeling in a strong statement. I waited to my 30s to have a child and it was after lots of cognitive behavioral therapy and re-parenting my inner child through counseling and other means. And let me tell you, the world is a whole lot less scary when the grownups aren’t the monsters in every shadow.
What I enjoyed most about this video was your reactions to the baby. It's such a pleasure to see a man actually enjoy babies, to think they are cute, etc. It took me years to realize that neither of my parents actually liked children, so what was modeled for me was that children were a nuisance to be avoided. Very sad.
My mother had schizophrenia and I don’t believe she ever really bonded with most of her children. She expressed hatred for me much of the time, but I’ve also met other people with schizophrenia that are really lovely and loving. I used to hope that her actions and attitude were a part or her illness but I don’t really feel that way anymore. She just didn’t love me, or perhaps wasn’t capable of it due to something else. It’s refreshing to see some one who appears to be a loving mom taking care of themselves and their children. Thanks for your reactions and insight.
I think, that rationally, we try to offer them 'excuses' for their behavior, rather than think, we are unlovable, just by being born? Sad, their behavior alters our means of thinking about ourselves, as 'Less than' because our needs weren't met by their inabilities or failures? I hold tightly to say, they had issues, my love couldn't fix! I wasn't an enabler, they couldn't function as a real human? My expectations were dashed by their inability to fulfill. Again sad.
She has a Facebook where she posts updates, and has talked about her other health issue and history with schizophrenia. She has had another child and they seem to be doing fairly well despite all of her challenges.
It’s interesting. I definitely have “are they laughing at/talking about/judging me?” thoughts a lot in my life, but I think it’s a learned response to having been bullied and ostracized as a child and in my early adulthood. I have severe social anxiety, and strong avoidant tendencies.
Sounds like my life. I was only recently diagnosed AuDHD at 33, so many of us high masking Autists got swept under the rug, and unfortunately OCDs (especially existential OCD), Anxiety, CPTSD, dissociation, and so much more are comorbidities.
this is so reassuring. i'm diagnosed with schizoaffective. my family tell me i shouldn't be a mum. it's heartbreaking. i'm going through ivf, following a miscarriage when i was catatonic whilst tube fed ten years ago. i'm kinda stable on clopixol depot and live a happy life with my husband. my mental health team and perinatal team are supportive with me wanting a baby and i'm holding onto that. to see someone here who is obviously a great mum is so heartwarming for me. thank you
I am the daughter of a mother with schizophrenia. You can be a parent but it will be extremely hard and you absoluty have to have an support system around you to help you. When going through an episode you can't make proper judgement incase you vant make proper judgement that's why having others to take charge is crucial. It might seem weird to say this but even give primary custody to the other parent or caretakers without mental illens. That in case something go's wrong the child won't be harmed. If these things are done you can safely become an parent.
How can your family say that to you?! If it’s your wish to have baby (and it’s so understandable for a woman!) and If I would be your family I would support you in every possible way instead of judging you. Being a mom is such a deep experience and can be heeling as well. Of course it can be struggling too, but for every person, whether stable and healthy or not. When it’s your deepest wish to be a mother, then pls go for it! No one in this world has the right to tell you to suppress this feeling. I‘m also a single mother of a girl and struggled a lot in the past with mental problems. And I still do sometimes. But my daughter helps me a lot since I have to be stable for her. And I have hardly any support from family or friends. I just want you to say that being a mother can make you so much stronger than you would have ever thought. I wish you the very best! 🌻☺️
The first person who replied by saying you should give custody away is projecting onto you. I hope you get the chance to have children with your partner one day-it’s a whirlwind and crazy at times, but in my opinion, completely worth it. Also, everyone has difficulty with their children, it’s not just people with mental illness. You actually have a bigger support team already than a lot of moms feel they have, just from what I’ve seen and experienced. You just won’t know til you try it, and someone else’s fears (and unhealed issues) that you won’t succeed should not stop you from making your own choices in life.
You clearly know zero about what such a severe mental illness can do to you. The person suggesting giving primary care rights to the other parent was just being realistic and responsible! Children aren’t dolls to play with, they aren’t there to please you, they are human beings, with their feelings and their needs. You sound extremely immature and selfish, the opposite of what a parent should be. @@Midnight_Magic_Tarot
She's a darling and intelligent gal (and baby)! I experienced post-partum psychosis - very scary and I used all my mental strength to not act on my thoughts.
I really love her attitude about it all. She's accepting of the natural deviation of human neuropsychology. She's awesome, and I would love to be her friend.
I had severe post partum psychosis 10 years ago. I live in Japan and mental healthcare is terrifyingly poor. The absolute worst part was the anhedonia. I don’t think I experienced anything for about 3 years. Like I was living but not alive.
My mother had post partum psychosis too but we are in Australia. The healthcare system here wasn't helpful either despite its trying. She also experienced years of not really being here, it was very traumatic for everyone. I'm sorry for what you went through, it's more common than we realise but isn't spoken about nearly enough.
I’m not a doctor or anything but in my AP Psychology class in high school, the textbook said that people develop schizophrenia in their early 20s most commonly but it can be triggered in early childhood (if they were already going to have it anyway) by an extreme traumatic event. The teacher brought in a former student who had schizophrenia since she was 7
From the research I’ve read on particularly positive symptoms, I feel like estrogen is a massive player in all this, especially for women with psychosis. Be it menopause or pregnancy, I feel like I’ve seen enough evidence from studies to think it is relevant to the efficacy of antipsychotic medication. I’m hoping these studies will inform future treatment for lovely humans like this lady!
I've nearly completed my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. I recently found your channel, but you've been an enormous help already, not only educationally, but giving me some ( much needed) motivation. I follow a few other therapists and doctors who are all well into their careers, so it's been refreshing listening to someone who is at the beginning of their journey. Anyway, all that to say: thank you for your videos. Also "remember to take your bloody meds" is a great outro! 😂
Thanks Dr Syl for another video on schizophrenia. Amazing women like her show that having schizophrenia doesn't mean anything about who you are. I struggle with taking my meds and have had relapses because of it but your videos and awesome discussions honestly help me trust the process more
11:30 Honestly hearing you describe illusions makes me feel a lot better about myself. There have been times I've worried about whether or not I could be developing schizophrenia because I'll sometimes see blurred black shapes (that are actually just an object like a bookcase) out of the corner of my eye, especially when I'm feeling heightened anxiety. But, I've gone through a great deal of childhood trauma, (slowly working to try therapy), and to know that others with trauma sometimes also experience something similar.
I'm 4th year US medical student pursuing psychiatry. I'm using your videos as a study aid for Sub-Internships- you really help me break down patient interactions and translate psych histories into diagnoses. Thank you so much for all your videos!! PS- love this happy bub
Great job talking about the intertwining of complex ptsd and schizophrenia. You shed more light on some of what I was told during trainings and consultations. Thank you snd thanks to Belle for being do open and honest.
This is one of the first SBSK vids I ever saw, she's an inspiration for sticking with it and doing the hard work to find what works for her. Really great review Dr Syl!
I also became symptomatic at age 4yrs old. I also have several generations of schizophrenia in my family. The audio (voices), visual hallucinations, and delusions have always been a part of me. I don't remember a time without them. I grew up in the 60s when it was believed that children didn't suffer from mental illness. If we didn't have organic brain damage or a birth defect we were labeled behavior problems. A 'child psychologist ' told my mom I was a chronic liar. I learned, in my 30s while raising a schizophrenic son, that we experienced blanks in our memories. Sometimes a false memory that is very detailed. It isn't like it was happening at that time, it's like a memory of something happening the day before. I remember believing that my sister was doing things, or telling my mom I did something to get me in trouble. When my mom asked me I would deny it because I had no memory of it. Back then schizophrenia wasn't a diagnosis. I disassociated a lot in high school. I had, what I called my aspects, that would take over and get me through school. I would lose hours or days. I had a friend who told me about 4 different 'aspects'. I used to cut my thighs and pour draino in the cuts to cause infections. Then when I felt myself drifting away I would hit the sores and the pain would be a focus. I would also pull off part of my big toe nails for the same purpose. I tried very hard to hide my illness. Back then we heard terrible stories about lobotomies so I was rightly terrified. They also locked everyone who was different in institutions for life. Since there was no treatment for me I just pretended I did weird stuff on purpose. I had the 'chipmunk arms', and pill rolling constantly. I also talked to my voices. I was observed in the hospital 3 days after my 5th birthday during a frightening (but well known) hallucinations. I was in to have my tonsils removed the next day. It was the same monster I had seen as long as I remember. I married young and became a mom. I used to be kept awake by what I thought was someone blaring their TV and I would put on my robe and walk the street trying to find it so I could have them turn it down! Then one night I was pacing in my kitchen crying because I was so tired, the 'TV' was too loud & I couldn't find it. I suddenly realized that the man's voice I heard was actually talking to me, responding to what I said! Lightbulb moment. The next year my son, aged 13/7th grade, was expelled after just 4wks. The school said I had to talk to the district psychiatrist. At the district office the waiting room was staged so the only chair/table/lamp available was right across from the Dr's door. On the table was only 1 book. Pink cover with gold letters SCHIZOPHRENIA. Wondering what the heck the word ment I started reading. I started crying before finishing page 1. It perfectly described both my son and I. It was confirmed by the doctor. Problem was I still couldn't find a child psychiatrist to treat him! During the 4mths he was expelled I worked with him to help him 'decompress ' prior to disassociating. He has a computer brain, he learned the 110010 type of programming and built his own computer out of spare parts and a repair manual when he was 14. So I told him to write a program and memorize it. When he started to feel the urge to tap his pencil or hand/foot he was to go somewhere quiet and 'enter' his program. Repeating the sequence until he was again calm and in control. I met with his teachers and told them my son needed permission to just walk out of class without raising his hand or drawing attention to himself. He would stay right outside the door and return as soon as he was calm. They agreed. The psychiatrist who had shadowed him previously had also tried to interact with him during a dissociative episode. She again shadowed him to see how things had changed. She called me and said he was like a completely different person. Sadly, bullying and his dad's abusive behavior made my son's life even more difficult. As an adult he went through homelessness and he and a friend were badly beaten on the street by 4 men. His friend died in his arms before help arrived. My son was hospitalized for a long time. I hadn't been able to find him for 15yrs at that point and not for 2yrs after. He was finally given treatment and housing. He's on disability and has a nice studio apartment in a safe neighborhood. When I found him he was in a mold ridden apt in a very dangerous area. He was very sick from the mold and lung damage from covid. It took me several months to get his case manager to help him move. I arranged for the studio in a safer city and neighborhood. He's happier, but the depression is still bad. He's stopped taking the meds, he never found a good psychiatrist he trusted. He does have online friends, which helps. I am in a city 3hrs away and physically disabled so I can't visit him. He doesn't want me to see him anyway, self hate. I have been in remission for 15yrs now. My grandmother also went into remission later in life. After my divorce 30yrs ago I went to college for a degree in psychology. I was very disappointed in the limited amount of information on schizophrenia in the DSM 5. It's very different when you are living it! I tried many medications for 15yrs, none worked well and still allowed me to function. Since I had learned to get by for 45yrs on my own prior, I stopped everything but antidepressants. Last year my doctor took me off those too. I have been happily living on my own for the past 24yrs. Keep doing the videos on schizophrenia. The social stigma is terrible! We are not monsters...
She is so insightful and optimistic. What a beautiful story to share. It just proves that therapy, along with medication can help someone break the chains of past generational trauma 🙏🏻
I watched this original video a few months ago, and this commentary follow-up by Dr Syl is just incredibly enlightening and really expands and clarifies my understanding of this illness. I have such empathy and good wishes for her continuing improvement and management of her illness. 🥰🍀🙂👍
Your videos are helping me to understand more fully what someone close to me experiences. They have had a lot of trauma. I feel better equipped to deal with issues as they come up. Thank you! ❤
I love you videos, as I'm someone who is personally and intellectually very interested and stimulated by understand mental health illnesses. I just wanted to let you know that your videos are very informative and educational. Your delivery is also amazing - very engaging
I loved her perspective about Schizophrenia being something that can be considered a “normal” condition, addressing stigmatization, how she once feared the condition in her past, and now, has embraced her reality, and her positive outlook on life even with her condition. Lovely. Nice hearing her experience with Lexapro as well.
I genuinely enjoy hearing you talk about all the scientific stuff and the medications. I have learnt so much from this channel already. I am not studying psychology, just a human trying to live my life and mind my business but I've been really drawn to this channel and your analysis. But I also really appreciate your genuine empathy and ability and drive to understand others )and presumably your patients in 'real life'). I think it's important as human beings to have a stronger grasp on our mental health and mental symptoms to live a healthy, balanced life. I am currently dealing with post-viral fatigue /long covid (confirmed by a doctor) and it is the mental symptoms that are more physically taxing and difficult than the physical fatigue and joint/muscle pains sometimes - the frustrations over slower processing than I'm used to, losing my vocabulary and words, feelings of frustration, anger, shame, the brain 'buffering' - and when I push through it all a bit too much and try and be 'normal' for a bit too long, the absolute exhaustion I feel from not properly listening and resting is crazy! Anyway, total tangent and rant - just wanted to leave a comment and thank you for your videos as they are really interesting to me on many levels, from empathy towards other human beings, to scientific information, to interesting intellectual thoughts/theories of my own etc. Thank you!
I learn so much from your videos Dr Syl. I didn't know about the difference between an external voice hallucination and internal voices. That's truly fascinating.
As a psychologist in training and iatrogenic injury survivor I must say that we can’t even rely on doctors 100%, since they don’t know everything, and can be quite uninformed, undereducated, unethical, negligent, inept and too arrogant to listen and respect their patients’ knowledge of their body and personal evidence. Also, medication does not work for everyone, and it has tons of detrimental side effects, therefore not everyone benefits from meds. Some folks can do just fine without pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, There are wonderful holistic psychiatrists out there that have helped many people with natural supplements, dietary changes and other treatments that can help as much as some pharmaceuticals, and have less detrimental side effects.
I think it would be interesting for you to discuss the history of this disease and how the hallucinations reported have changed. For example voices may seem to come from a screen or your phone might “ring” and a voice will give you a command. What were those hallucinations like before phones? Did the voice get attributed to a deity more, etc.
Dr Syl,you are a remarkable,approachable and very human and empathetic.This beautiful young woman Belle,is very intelligent and a high functioning person that has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia.I have a sister with Schizophrenia,I so wish she was as ‘Normalized as Belle’ My sister has endured Catatonia and has paranoia frequently. The biggest issue for her even now,in her sixties,is coming off of her medications…so many times to count…!!! Thank you from my heart for these brilliant snapshots of various mental health issues.♥️🇨🇦
Broooo! I am LOVING how you describe the differences of types of hallucinations/illusions! You're answering all the questions I have constantly wondered about when it comes to these things! Are they seeing things that aren't there? Are their brains morphing things that are there into other things? How valid do they feel these hallucinations are? Mate, I'm bloody impressed and am gonna binge your work. Argh, wish I found this channel yonks ago tbh ❤
Dr. Syl your analysis of the issues re “catatonia” was very interesting to me as what was being described here is not in any way similar to the catatonic states that our relatives experienced (siblings on my spouse’s side of the family - males who developed schizophrenia in their late teens/twenties). Their symptoms were aligned with your observations - they were not responsive and would be silent and stare in a fixed manner (this didn’t change either as with a person inviting them somewhere etc - it was much more prolonged). I know the underlying physical condition is not remotely the same but in terms of how it looks it reminds me of the way Mitch McConnell was “frozen” in a television interview (he seemed to be experiencing a stroke but just in terms of how he looked - fixed and frozen and silent - was very similar)
When your video popped up in my recommended I was skeptical of clicking it - I love SBSK, I think they do a very important thing - which is normalizing people who are often stigmatized. And I was worried, a psychiatric analysis might diminish the very purpose of the original video. I have to say, I was instantly relieved and found your analysis very scientific but also wholesome and caring. I really appreciated your commentary and explanation of the struggles and issues. I then went to watch your analysis of the BPD video by SBSK and became wholeheartedly impressed. You've earned my likes and subscription. Your content is really great and I hope your channel grows swiftly because this is good information that a lot of people could benefit from. Take care!
I've got questions on Psychosis: 1. What defines psychosis such that it needs to be treated? 2. Doesn't psychosis wear off after a while? And wouldn't cool down periods be a reasonable treatment for some psychotic episodes? 3. In the cases of permanent psychosis, are there no cases of people getting better from it on their own? Is it effectively a terminal diagnosis?
I love watching these reaction videos. I recently made a friend who has it and I like to try to understand as much as I can. I hope my friend can have this kind of life - content and happy.
About 15 years ago there was a documentary on tlc. It was about a girl named January who demonstrated symptoms of early onset schizophrenia from birth. Later on her brother bode was also diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia. Very interesting
I have OCD which I talk too…and sometimes I think that people do believe I’m schizophrenic or somehow delusional or dangerous. My most embarrassing moment was walking along by myself…fighting with my OCD and I said out loud “Oh would you shut up!” And I looked up and an elderly couple were sitting there on their front deck eyes wide open and I’m like “Hi. Nice morning…” 😅 I was so embarrassed 😢
This is a great channel! Very interesting and so important for the general population to have some kind of idea about psychological disorders. Everyone should be somewhat educated about these types of diseases and their symptoms so they might be able to recognize them in themselves or someone else if they were to present themselves. In my opinion it's no different than knowing CPR so just in case someone is having a heart attack you could save their life!
I’ve had catatonic episodes before that of lasted upwards of 12 hours. my cat, for some reason has learned when I go catatonic to start yelling at me and he’ll keep hitting me in the face with his face and he sounds like almost a fire alarm. He’s done this for, long periods of time it’s hard to tell because when you’re in catatonia how long it’s happening but, it’s like you get little glimpses of being back and you try to reach for it try to reach for being able to come out of this locked in feeling eventually he gets me out of it though. I know he’s done this upwards of two hours before just yelling at me in my face. Poor thing I bet it’s really scary for him and it kind of feels like he is scared like he’s trying to wake me up from being dead.
Audio hallucinations or hearing as a diagnosed schizophrenia I can assure you that some voices are in your head yelling at your brain, other come from outside your head but are talking right into your ear and often you feel their presence right behind you and often you can feel their breathe on your ear and back of your neck, or voices seem in to be near you in the room. Hearing people around you as whispering or laughing, but those feel like those people's voice are being projected into your head. I do also have CPTSD from childhood tramuas. I hear voices in my head but they are specific to actual people who harmed me. And what they say, although may not be actual what was said, sometimes it is things that were said or their voice saying things that I felt during specific trauma events. My schizophrenia voices talk about specific to the type I meantioned above, it depends who those voices are on what they are going to say and aren't related to my tramuas. Some are religious, others just judgment, some warn me about actual things and have been helpful, some are demonic. But each one are voices I realized to me but are not actual people or beings that don't actual exist. My vision black cat, meows like a real cat, sleeps like a regular cat, sits on top of my shelf but doesn't eat, drink, or needs a litterbox. It is not a cat I ever owned or knew of. I see the cat when I am stressed, haven't been sleeping well etc. If I get back on track, it slinks off and I don't see it. If, however I continue to become more stressed etc, the cat turns into a young pre-teen, cat girl. She moves like a cat and is covered in black fur. She's shy and hides behind my couch or bedroom dresser until I reassure her it is ok and she doesn't need to hide.
I thought her description of catatonia was incorrect when I saw this video the first time. Thanks for clarifying. She basically made it sound like it was just horrible depression.
I love your videos and I’d love if you dove deeper into the topic of anhedonia and also hypochondria. I’ve experienced both for short periods of time and it was the lowest I’ve ever been. It would be nice to see a professional dive into that because I can never find anything good on the internet.
I think she seems really personable and friendly, and clearly demonstrates affection and care for her son. In terms of he personal style, given the posters on the wall and her mentioning listening to music, I'd say it's representative of someone involved in the punk/metal subculture and not anti-social. Whatever someone thinks of this style, she has clearly put in effort to (makeup etc) be presentable within it's aesthetic. Good luck to her.
So emotionally intelligent, self aware & eloquent. Thankyou for being so open about your experiences, you’re making the world a better place being who you are & sharing your wisdom ♥️
6:32 "in ten to fifty years we're going to have ten different types of schizophrenia"... didn't we use to have at least four types (disorganised, catatonic, paranoid, undifferentiated) before the DSM5 and they got rid of them all!
Dr. John Dorian = JD. 😉 However, I have a vague feeling that she may have possibly named the baby after the title character from Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. I haven't personally read the book yet, but I do know the name. 😆 I have also recently found out that there is a phenomenon in psychology called the Dorian Gray Effect that effects the ego in some way or another. I'm sure you can Google it. Heard it during my psych rotation (for nursing) at an inpatient behavioral hospital. In any case, Dorian is such a beautiful name and he is so fortunate to have been born to such a lovely and emotionally intelligent mother. I could totally relate to her desire to undo all the generational trauma we grew up with to provide them with the tools we are only beginning to discover ourselves. Much love and respect to her. And thank you Dr. Syl! You are gifting the UA-cam and Google generation (and beyond) useful information and insight into marginalized populations that deserve far more compassion. Keep up the good work!!
On the medication thing I personally have noticed that within mental health circles we are all always saying to each other "stay on your meds even if you think you don't need them, never stop them without directions from a doctor, there's nothing wrong with being medicated for the rest of your life!" but then we all have at least one experience of not following our own advice on that, like it's something we had to find out firsthand or something even though that is not how that should work lol.
And I will say that there's a lot of professionals that seem to have very little empathy for how much it does suck having to be medicated your whole life. It's really not easy and I think a bit more empathy for that and willingness to talk about the feelings it comes with would do a lot of good.
Hello dear Dr. Syl!😊 Commenting from Germany, I'm originally from Croatia, grew up part of my life in Austria after we had to leave home due to war. May I ask if you could make a video on untreated PTSD? Or CPTSD? Is that possible for narcissism to grow worse due to trauma? Thank you so much in advance! Much love ❤
I loved lexapro but i developed bile reflux and I don’t know if it was caused by the lexapro or not, so I stopped taking it, and still waiting to see if the bile reflux improves, but it hasn’t yet. And I’m struggling with mood again though. But my catatonia hasn’t come back yet at least! I used to completely freeze and not be able to walk or talk or even breathe it felt like my lungs were silent and it even felt like my heart was frozen and when I tried to talk I would stutter sounds.
Your comment on schizophrenia growing to sub types and various types eventually, I hope I'm dead by then--- that is absolutely terrifying for me, as someone with bipolar2/bpd (mood disorder comorbid with personality disorder)-- what if eventually someone says I was misdiagnosed entirely-- I've been misdiagnosed once. Told them I presumed I had bpd traits; the clinic ignored it until my bipolar diagnosis came out, and I shut off the world from shock and rejection. (Context - my mother was an RN til barely post-covid. It took me years since high school to convince her of my bipolar and dad's major depression. Fought for us both/she has since accepted it/dad died this year....so reminding her of my symptoms is weird and hard when i have my off days.) I openly can tell her+my brother when I'm low or agitated and seek some reprieve thank god. (Today was such a day- a "low day" I told them. So minimal interaction and the ones that happened had meaning.) I feel horrible for them ..... I shouldn't be so shakey/"soft" that they have to walk on egg shells for my well being. It's unfair to them. (Im medicated but at this point of my life I feel like nothing will help or save them from my venom.) Im just a big jerk who doesnt speak but makes bad looks- which hurts more. Bah!
Thank you for the comment on babies crying for help and learning it won't always be heeded/responded to-- my bpd didn't sprout I don't think until I was around 4-9yrs old. I learned quickly that crying or hyper ventilating caused my dad distress (fear of not being able to fix my anxiety) and my mother's compassion fatigue from work/minimal responses that told me to shape up/stop fretting. (She was an RN)
OHhhh I had no idea why I knew what lexapro was ... definitely the first drug they tried me on for depression/anxiety, learned it was bipolar and I had psychosis briefly on it/honestly believed I saw a friend get struck by lightning and then believed her ghost was partying beside me all night (delusion) Later went on to citalopram generic. It did well enough. Had a bought of going off it/returning to it nearly a yr later. Never again felt the "I can feel the sun" happiness. But tried . ....yrs later went to lamotrogine and felt alive again but had a body-hive response (should have started lower dose. I was halving w.e dose I was initially prescribed -- had serotonin syndrome eons ago during the escitalopram-to-citalopram weaning days. Learned fast how to wean out and wean on drugs thereafter thanks to google. Should have went to hospital the night I seized up at work and passed out, but asked to go home instead.) Since then, dried out of SSRIs or anything ...went on to citalopram cautiously and enjoyed it for maybe 2 weeks. Then took it for about 2 yrs. Went off. Went in to lamotrogine and had to go off after 1.5 week. Then...went off everything. Went on to duloxcotine....no change. Took it for 3 yrs no change. Weaned off and into quetiapine. Felt change initially but now nothing. Gotta increase dose but no dr to hear me or approve it.
I've been borderline catatonic but came out of it (I forget why tbh, this episode was a blur to me) But I remember seeing people walking by or murmuring/hushed voices of something but I only knew a lamp for light
can you talk more about the other things cPTSD can look like? I've had a couple of really bad med reactions because of misdiagnoses. In the US, you may only get to see your psychiatrist once a every 3 months for 15 minutes, so I understand how early on it was unclear. I am lucky my current doctor is willing to work with my therapist who sees me weekly to come together on complexPTSD + TBI. But it has been a struggle sometimes when my doctor wants to try something new, I get really hesitant and sometimes feel chastised for asking, how is it not explained by trauma or tbi? I feel like John Briere who said that if we truly understood the scope of childhood trauma, the dsm would be a pamphlet about ptsd. I really appreciate your differentiating the trauma voices from hallucinations! I have been trying to explain this to my doctor! My voices are internal and only say things my abusers said, there is NEVER new content, that is trauma! My insomnia due to triggers and anxiety was ascribed to bipolar mania by another doctor, I am always tired and my understanding is a hallmark of mania is no fatigue...! I love your teaching style and your compassion comes through every time, thank you, it has helped me be more compassionate with myself.
I was, what I thought was catatonic. Tragedy struck my life when my depression started and I could move around and i even went out with all of my friends. But I wouldnt say a word and I stared at the ground with my eyes like...slits with the lids drooping down. But I could snap out of it to do things like where I had to go to school or something. But I was a zombie and didn't do or say much, especially once I sat down. Editing me, didn't realize I commented twice, sry
I'd be interested to hear more about how psychotic episodes from schizoaffective or schizophrenia last. How many medications do you try and how long do you try one medication before you decide whether it's working or not. How many medications do you have to try before moving on to something else? What is the best length of psychosis or how fast do you want to see symptoms subside before you get worried about treatment plans?
Tha k yoi for the important clarification on catatonia, im wondering if she has been told the wrong thing by professionals or if she has had to Dx herself with that die to a lack of answers🤔
Can you talk about the similarities and differences between cptsd and schizophrenia? (And maybe also about Autism/cptsd/schizophrenia?) Thank you! I really enjoy these calm reaction vids :)
Hi so for whats considered anti social style ill share my experience: I’ve always been treated differently and stared at when i was younger so when i got older i started wearing makeup and clothes in a way that makes people stare ( so for me its a way to take control of being seen as a bit different and having fun with it after years of unsuccessful attempts at blending in) i don’t know wats really different about me I thought its autism but my therapist told me that im showing a lot of similarities to autism but she doesn’t think its autism
I think you should give us a picture into the experiences of a psychotic person. We would like to hear about what each episode entails. We desire to be educated about these experiences.
I've sometimes had night terrors / sleep-wake missteps where my dream sort of trails into the first few minutes of my wakefulness, or I don't fully wake up until I'm already walking around because of something in a dream. I haven't had them often, and sometimes I know why, like when I was tapering off of lexapro or was on a post-op med, though not always. Of course those aren't anywhere near as life altering or consuming or impactful as a mental illness that affects someone's waking hours, but they are by far the most terrifying experiences I've had as an adult, and I'd love to watch a video on it if you were ever interested in making one.
I’ve stopped meds for non mental health related issues. The same concept, dangerous as well. The stigma of those with mental health not taking there meds is sad. Something you said and I know others have said I have a hard time with. With CBT “recognizing the thought….” I need a vid that breaks that down. I feel dumb, I don’t know how to know I’m having the thoughts when I’m having them. Hopefully that makes sense.
I have a question: do normal people hear voices in their dreams that sound very real? And if yes, where do these voices come from? For me, auditory hallucinations are like dreams in an awakened state. I believe that there is more levels to reality and some things pop up out of nowhere. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish them from real sources. When this happens I walk a lot, real noises stay behind but hallucinations follow you. I also experienced visual ones when shadows become 3D and start moving around. Spots start moving around, crawling like insect. These usually happen when I am overtired or sleep deprived.
Man, I hate when I get overstimulated. It ruins my day. I have no choice but to sleep. I used to move around without a purpose. I did freeze a few times at home. I told my grandma, who lived far away and worried her, that if she doesn't hear from me for 3 or more days, to call the cops. My old positive symptoms would terrify me, too. Meet Cizin. They made the lovely choice to look me in a room when I thought he was there with me. i wouldn't turn around. And real stuff happens to me, sick joke. Well, Ramelteon has had a new affect on me. It's making me focus more. We'll see how this goes, was useless today. I'm not depressed but sad because this is the time of year my family used to go to the lake house wifh my grandma and grandpa who are now deceased.
There are some speculations that child schizophrenia begins with excessive pruning in utero. Im currently learning about this in my neuroscience class. It'd be interesting to hear your thoughts on this.
Talk about a mathatical impossibility... identical twins where 1 has this condition and the other doesn't. I wonder if there has ever been a case like that with conjoined twins?
Just wondering, Dr. Syl, could the voices be another sound as well; such as a low frequency humming sound? Also, could a person (with schizophrenia) imagine being tased or receiving an electric shock all over their body?
Link: ua-cam.com/video/pVrghm714LY/v-deo.html
What should I react to next?
I don't think I've ever left a comment on UA-cam before. But since watching your soft white underbelly reviews, I've been tempted to ask you to review the first soft white underbelly video I ever watched, and it's about postpartum psychosis... m.ua-cam.com/video/XaF_zTOCX1Q/v-deo.html
I've really enjoyed your intrinsic nature and attitude towards all things mental health. Really enjoy watching you! Thanks ❤
May I ask? ua-cam.com/video/EPfKc-TknWU/v-deo.htmlsi=Bd0aSAVS5RTkDYIG
What do you think about this?
I feel more bpd . Her voices started from left alone by
Self … Asperger high functioning/ high polarised mood disorder cycle w depression, social anxiety paranoid overload of emotions from again early trauma misdiagnosed/ too close to her motherly identity. ( not real ) BPD Apajathy I got after 4th baby only . Micro seizures freeze - too. This beautiful woman night terrors maybe but not visual hallucinations, kind of lying kinda overwhelmed by not being enough socially and interpersonally.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION PLEASE DO A THEME OF SOMEONE WHO GOT THEIR LICENSE SUSPENDED FROM MARIJUANA with someone with PSYCHOTIC DEPRESSION OR AND BIPOLAR SCHKTZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER OR DRUG USE IN GENERAL WHEN COMBINED WITH HAVING A MENTAL ILLNESS. THANKS DR. SYL AS ALWAYS.
COULD YOU DO A GOOD ANALYSIS ON THE MOVIE" BEAUTIFUL MIND" WITH JENNIFER CONNOLLY.
I think she's more self-aware and articulate than many people, with or without schizophrenia. I wish her and her baby all the best.
ooft, as a mentally ill person the term self-aware makes me wince a bit. I've had so many psychiatrists mention it almost as a way of implying you're faking it or drug seeking type thing.
Personally, having childhood trauma makes me not ever want to have kids because life is just too awful. But seeing her have this positive perspective on breaking generational trauma despite her struggles proves to show how resilient she is.
Your videos make mental illnesses seem like something to understand rather than something to fear. This was very insightful. Thank you always for making these, they mean and help more than you know.
That was one reason I chose not to have kids (back when we HAD a choice, *sigh*) I didn't want to perpetuate the abuse cycle. But later, when I realized I'm not a psycho who inflicts physical and mental pain on others, it was done TO me, I'm an empath, not an abuser, I realized I STILL didn't want to have kids. It wasn't the life I'd envisioned for myself, and despite what others think or say, I've never regretted my choice. Children aren't a burden, they're a gift, and it's a lifetime's work to raise them into good human beings. I just realized I had other life's work to do, no greater, no less. 👍
I can relate to the concept of being afraid to have children because of how scary this world is because of what I’ve experienced in my childhood. It’s a very powerful feeling in a strong statement. I waited to my 30s to have a child and it was after lots of cognitive behavioral therapy and re-parenting my inner child through counseling and other means. And let me tell you, the world is a whole lot less scary when the grownups aren’t the monsters in every shadow.
What I enjoyed most about this video was your reactions to the baby. It's such a pleasure to see a man actually enjoy babies, to think they are cute, etc. It took me years to realize that neither of my parents actually liked children, so what was modeled for me was that children were a nuisance to be avoided. Very sad.
My mother had schizophrenia and I don’t believe she ever really bonded with most of her children. She expressed hatred for me much of the time, but I’ve also met other people with schizophrenia that are really lovely and loving. I used to hope that her actions and attitude were a part or her illness but I don’t really feel that way anymore. She just didn’t love me, or perhaps wasn’t capable of it due to something else. It’s refreshing to see some one who appears to be a loving mom taking care of themselves and their children. Thanks for your reactions and insight.
I think, that rationally, we try to offer them 'excuses' for their behavior, rather than think, we are unlovable, just by being born? Sad, their behavior alters our means of thinking about ourselves, as 'Less than' because our needs weren't met by their inabilities or failures? I hold tightly to say, they had issues, my love couldn't fix! I wasn't an enabler, they couldn't function as a real human? My expectations were dashed by their inability to fulfill. Again sad.
Don’t apologize for pausing, that’s what we come for :)) and I love you calling the baby “bub”, thats adorable 😊😊😊
She has a Facebook where she posts updates, and has talked about her other health issue and history with schizophrenia. She has had another child and they seem to be doing fairly well despite all of her challenges.
What’s the name of her FB account?
It’s interesting. I definitely have “are they laughing at/talking about/judging me?” thoughts a lot in my life, but I think it’s a learned response to having been bullied and ostracized as a child and in my early adulthood. I have severe social anxiety, and strong avoidant tendencies.
Sounds like my life. I was only recently diagnosed AuDHD at 33, so many of us high masking Autists got swept under the rug, and unfortunately OCDs (especially existential OCD), Anxiety, CPTSD, dissociation, and so much more are comorbidities.
this is so reassuring. i'm diagnosed with schizoaffective. my family tell me i shouldn't be a mum. it's heartbreaking. i'm going through ivf, following a miscarriage when i was catatonic whilst tube fed ten years ago. i'm kinda stable on clopixol depot and live a happy life with my husband. my mental health team and perinatal team are supportive with me wanting a baby and i'm holding onto that. to see someone here who is obviously a great mum is so heartwarming for me. thank you
I am the daughter of a mother with schizophrenia. You can be a parent but it will be extremely hard and you absoluty have to have an support system around you to help you. When going through an episode you can't make proper judgement incase you vant make proper judgement that's why having others to take charge is crucial. It might seem weird to say this but even give primary custody to the other parent or caretakers without mental illens. That in case something go's wrong the child won't be harmed. If these things are done you can safely become an parent.
How can your family say that to you?! If it’s your wish to have baby (and it’s so understandable for a woman!) and If I would be your family I would support you in every possible way instead of judging you. Being a mom is such a deep experience and can be heeling as well. Of course it can be struggling too, but for every person, whether stable and healthy or not.
When it’s your deepest wish to be a mother, then pls go for it! No one in this world has the right to tell you to suppress this feeling.
I‘m also a single mother of a girl and struggled a lot in the past with mental problems. And I still do sometimes. But my daughter helps me a lot since I have to be stable for her. And I have hardly any support from family or friends.
I just want you to say that being a mother can make you so much stronger than you would have ever thought. I wish you the very best! 🌻☺️
Sorry for my English, it’s not my first language. 🙈
The first person who replied by saying you should give custody away is projecting onto you. I hope you get the chance to have children with your partner one day-it’s a whirlwind and crazy at times, but in my opinion, completely worth it. Also, everyone has difficulty with their children, it’s not just people with mental illness. You actually have a bigger support team already than a lot of moms feel they have, just from what I’ve seen and experienced. You just won’t know til you try it, and someone else’s fears (and unhealed issues) that you won’t succeed should not stop you from making your own choices in life.
You clearly know zero about what such a severe mental illness can do to you. The person suggesting giving primary care rights to the other parent was just being realistic and responsible! Children aren’t dolls to play with, they aren’t there to please you, they are human beings, with their feelings and their needs. You sound extremely immature and selfish, the opposite of what a parent should be. @@Midnight_Magic_Tarot
She's a darling and intelligent gal (and baby)! I experienced post-partum psychosis - very scary and I used all my mental strength to not act on my thoughts.
I really love her attitude about it all. She's accepting of the natural deviation of human neuropsychology. She's awesome, and I would love to be her friend.
I had severe post partum psychosis 10 years ago. I live in Japan and mental healthcare is terrifyingly poor. The absolute worst part was the anhedonia. I don’t think I experienced anything for about 3 years. Like I was living but not alive.
Ahh. You pushed your higher self or shadow self into a tantrum. It runs away like so many teenagers. 100% discipline is not meant for mortals.
They always come back.
I'm sorry that happend to you!❤
My mother had post partum psychosis too but we are in Australia. The healthcare system here wasn't helpful either despite its trying. She also experienced years of not really being here, it was very traumatic for everyone. I'm sorry for what you went through, it's more common than we realise but isn't spoken about nearly enough.
That must have been so hard!
It's a magical thing when you FINALLY FINALLY get the RIGHT diagnosis and the right medication/treatment. ❤️
I’m not a doctor or anything but in my AP Psychology class in high school, the textbook said that people develop schizophrenia in their early 20s most commonly but it can be triggered in early childhood (if they were already going to have it anyway) by an extreme traumatic event. The teacher brought in a former student who had schizophrenia since she was 7
My grandmother was diagnosed w/paranoid schizophrenia (circa 1936?). So wonderful to see such progress in the field.
From the research I’ve read on particularly positive symptoms, I feel like estrogen is a massive player in all this, especially for women with psychosis. Be it menopause or pregnancy, I feel like I’ve seen enough evidence from studies to think it is relevant to the efficacy of antipsychotic medication. I’m hoping these studies will inform future treatment for lovely humans like this lady!
Stop saying sorry for pausing! We are here for your insight. Love
I've nearly completed my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. I recently found your channel, but you've been an enormous help already, not only educationally, but giving me some ( much needed) motivation. I follow a few other therapists and doctors who are all well into their careers, so it's been refreshing listening to someone who is at the beginning of their journey.
Anyway, all that to say: thank you for your videos. Also "remember to take your bloody meds" is a great outro! 😂
Thanks Dr Syl for another video on schizophrenia. Amazing women like her show that having schizophrenia doesn't mean anything about who you are. I struggle with taking my meds and have had relapses because of it but your videos and awesome discussions honestly help me trust the process more
11:30 Honestly hearing you describe illusions makes me feel a lot better about myself. There have been times I've worried about whether or not I could be developing schizophrenia because I'll sometimes see blurred black shapes (that are actually just an object like a bookcase) out of the corner of my eye, especially when I'm feeling heightened anxiety. But, I've gone through a great deal of childhood trauma, (slowly working to try therapy), and to know that others with trauma sometimes also experience something similar.
I'm 4th year US medical student pursuing psychiatry. I'm using your videos as a study aid for Sub-Internships- you really help me break down patient interactions and translate psych histories into diagnoses. Thank you so much for all your videos!!
PS- love this happy bub
Great job talking about the intertwining of complex ptsd and schizophrenia. You shed more light on some of what I was told during trainings and consultations. Thank you snd thanks to Belle for being do open and honest.
What a lovely lady and Mom, excellent material, very constructive, educational and positive analysis and interview .
This is one of the first SBSK vids I ever saw, she's an inspiration for sticking with it and doing the hard work to find what works for her. Really great review Dr Syl!
This is why it’s so important to check up on friends
I also became symptomatic at age 4yrs old. I also have several generations of schizophrenia in my family. The audio (voices), visual hallucinations, and delusions have always been a part of me. I don't remember a time without them. I grew up in the 60s when it was believed that children didn't suffer from mental illness. If we didn't have organic brain damage or a birth defect we were labeled behavior problems. A 'child psychologist ' told my mom I was a chronic liar. I learned, in my 30s while raising a schizophrenic son, that we experienced blanks in our memories. Sometimes a false memory that is very detailed. It isn't like it was happening at that time, it's like a memory of something happening the day before. I remember believing that my sister was doing things, or telling my mom I did something to get me in trouble. When my mom asked me I would deny it because I had no memory of it. Back then schizophrenia wasn't a diagnosis. I disassociated a lot in high school. I had, what I called my aspects, that would take over and get me through school. I would lose hours or days. I had a friend who told me about 4 different 'aspects'. I used to cut my thighs and pour draino in the cuts to cause infections. Then when I felt myself drifting away I would hit the sores and the pain would be a focus. I would also pull off part of my big toe nails for the same purpose. I tried very hard to hide my illness. Back then we heard terrible stories about lobotomies so I was rightly terrified. They also locked everyone who was different in institutions for life. Since there was no treatment for me I just pretended I did weird stuff on purpose. I had the 'chipmunk arms', and pill rolling constantly. I also talked to my voices. I was observed in the hospital 3 days after my 5th birthday during a frightening (but well known) hallucinations. I was in to have my tonsils removed the next day. It was the same monster I had seen as long as I remember. I married young and became a mom. I used to be kept awake by what I thought was someone blaring their TV and I would put on my robe and walk the street trying to find it so I could have them turn it down! Then one night I was pacing in my kitchen crying because I was so tired, the 'TV' was too loud & I couldn't find it. I suddenly realized that the man's voice I heard was actually talking to me, responding to what I said! Lightbulb moment. The next year my son, aged 13/7th grade, was expelled after just 4wks. The school said I had to talk to the district psychiatrist. At the district office the waiting room was staged so the only chair/table/lamp available was right across from the Dr's door. On the table was only 1 book. Pink cover with gold letters SCHIZOPHRENIA. Wondering what the heck the word ment I started reading. I started crying before finishing page 1. It perfectly described both my son and I. It was confirmed by the doctor. Problem was I still couldn't find a child psychiatrist to treat him! During the 4mths he was expelled I worked with him to help him 'decompress ' prior to disassociating. He has a computer brain, he learned the 110010 type of programming and built his own computer out of spare parts and a repair manual when he was 14. So I told him to write a program and memorize it. When he started to feel the urge to tap his pencil or hand/foot he was to go somewhere quiet and 'enter' his program. Repeating the sequence until he was again calm and in control. I met with his teachers and told them my son needed permission to just walk out of class without raising his hand or drawing attention to himself. He would stay right outside the door and return as soon as he was calm. They agreed. The psychiatrist who had shadowed him previously had also tried to interact with him during a dissociative episode. She again shadowed him to see how things had changed. She called me and said he was like a completely different person. Sadly, bullying and his dad's abusive behavior made my son's life even more difficult. As an adult he went through homelessness and he and a friend were badly beaten on the street by 4 men. His friend died in his arms before help arrived. My son was hospitalized for a long time. I hadn't been able to find him for 15yrs at that point and not for 2yrs after. He was finally given treatment and housing. He's on disability and has a nice studio apartment in a safe neighborhood. When I found him he was in a mold ridden apt in a very dangerous area. He was very sick from the mold and lung damage from covid. It took me several months to get his case manager to help him move. I arranged for the studio in a safer city and neighborhood. He's happier, but the depression is still bad. He's stopped taking the meds, he never found a good psychiatrist he trusted. He does have online friends, which helps. I am in a city 3hrs away and physically disabled so I can't visit him. He doesn't want me to see him anyway, self hate. I have been in remission for 15yrs now. My grandmother also went into remission later in life. After my divorce 30yrs ago I went to college for a degree in psychology. I was very disappointed in the limited amount of information on schizophrenia in the DSM 5. It's very different when you are living it! I tried many medications for 15yrs, none worked well and still allowed me to function. Since I had learned to get by for 45yrs on my own prior, I stopped everything but antidepressants. Last year my doctor took me off those too. I have been happily living on my own for the past 24yrs. Keep doing the videos on schizophrenia. The social stigma is terrible! We are not monsters...
She is so insightful and optimistic. What a beautiful story to share. It just proves that therapy, along with medication can help someone break the chains of past generational trauma 🙏🏻
A soothing video for a distressing subject.
I watched this original video a few months ago, and this commentary follow-up by Dr Syl is just incredibly enlightening and really expands and clarifies my understanding of this illness. I have such empathy and good wishes for her continuing improvement and management of her illness. 🥰🍀🙂👍
Your videos are helping me to understand more fully what someone close to me experiences. They have had a lot of trauma. I feel better equipped to deal with issues as they come up. Thank you! ❤
I really enjoy these long videos of you explaining stuff dr syl, keep up the good work it’s super educational :D
I love you videos, as I'm someone who is personally and intellectually very interested and stimulated by understand mental health illnesses. I just wanted to let you know that your videos are very informative and educational. Your delivery is also amazing - very engaging
You have such a gentle caring voice. So sweet. And handsome too! 🥰
I loved her perspective about Schizophrenia being something that can be considered a “normal” condition, addressing stigmatization, how she once feared the condition in her past, and now, has embraced her reality, and her positive outlook on life even with her condition. Lovely. Nice hearing her experience with Lexapro as well.
I love SBSK’s videos!
I genuinely enjoy hearing you talk about all the scientific stuff and the medications. I have learnt so much from this channel already. I am not studying psychology, just a human trying to live my life and mind my business but I've been really drawn to this channel and your analysis. But I also really appreciate your genuine empathy and ability and drive to understand others )and presumably your patients in 'real life'). I think it's important as human beings to have a stronger grasp on our mental health and mental symptoms to live a healthy, balanced life. I am currently dealing with post-viral fatigue /long covid (confirmed by a doctor) and it is the mental symptoms that are more physically taxing and difficult than the physical fatigue and joint/muscle pains sometimes - the frustrations over slower processing than I'm used to, losing my vocabulary and words, feelings of frustration, anger, shame, the brain 'buffering' - and when I push through it all a bit too much and try and be 'normal' for a bit too long, the absolute exhaustion I feel from not properly listening and resting is crazy! Anyway, total tangent and rant - just wanted to leave a comment and thank you for your videos as they are really interesting to me on many levels, from empathy towards other human beings, to scientific information, to interesting intellectual thoughts/theories of my own etc. Thank you!
Well I feel inadequate after watching that. Shes really got herself together.
I learn so much from your videos Dr Syl. I didn't know about the difference between an external voice hallucination and internal voices. That's truly fascinating.
As a psychologist in training and iatrogenic injury survivor I must say that we can’t even rely on doctors 100%, since they don’t know everything, and can be quite uninformed, undereducated, unethical, negligent, inept and too arrogant to listen and respect their patients’ knowledge of their body and personal evidence. Also, medication does not work for everyone, and it has tons of detrimental side effects, therefore not everyone benefits from meds. Some folks can do just fine without pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, There are wonderful holistic psychiatrists out there that have helped many people with natural supplements, dietary changes and other treatments that can help as much as some pharmaceuticals, and have less detrimental side effects.
I think it would be interesting for you to discuss the history of this disease and how the hallucinations reported have changed. For example voices may seem to come from a screen or your phone might “ring” and a voice will give you a command. What were those hallucinations like before phones? Did the voice get attributed to a deity more, etc.
Dr Syl,you are a remarkable,approachable and very human and empathetic.This beautiful young woman Belle,is very intelligent and a high functioning person that has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia.I have a sister with Schizophrenia,I so wish she was as ‘Normalized as Belle’
My sister has endured Catatonia and has paranoia frequently. The biggest issue for her even now,in her sixties,is coming off of her medications…so many times to count…!!!
Thank you from my heart for these brilliant snapshots of various mental health issues.♥️🇨🇦
Broooo! I am LOVING how you describe the differences of types of hallucinations/illusions! You're answering all the questions I have constantly wondered about when it comes to these things!
Are they seeing things that aren't there? Are their brains morphing things that are there into other things? How valid do they feel these hallucinations are?
Mate, I'm bloody impressed and am gonna binge your work.
Argh, wish I found this channel yonks ago tbh ❤
Dr. Syl your analysis of the issues re “catatonia” was very interesting to me as what was being described here is not in any way similar to the catatonic states that our relatives experienced (siblings on my spouse’s side of the family - males who developed schizophrenia in their late teens/twenties). Their symptoms were aligned with your observations - they were not responsive and would be silent and stare in a fixed manner (this didn’t change either as with a person inviting them somewhere etc - it was much more prolonged). I know the underlying physical condition is not remotely the same but in terms of how it looks it reminds me of the way Mitch McConnell was “frozen” in a television interview (he seemed to be experiencing a stroke but just in terms of how he looked - fixed and frozen and silent - was very similar)
When your video popped up in my recommended I was skeptical of clicking it - I love SBSK, I think they do a very important thing - which is normalizing people who are often stigmatized. And I was worried, a psychiatric analysis might diminish the very purpose of the original video. I have to say, I was instantly relieved and found your analysis very scientific but also wholesome and caring. I really appreciated your commentary and explanation of the struggles and issues. I then went to watch your analysis of the BPD video by SBSK and became wholeheartedly impressed. You've earned my likes and subscription. Your content is really great and I hope your channel grows swiftly because this is good information that a lot of people could benefit from. Take care!
I saw the original video and enjoyed it so much. It was great to watch it again with your input and reactions!!
I'm so happy to have come across his channel. Also when he talks about the "bub" 😢😂🤣 my heart!
I've got questions on Psychosis:
1. What defines psychosis such that it needs to be treated?
2. Doesn't psychosis wear off after a while? And wouldn't cool down periods be a reasonable treatment for some psychotic episodes?
3. In the cases of permanent psychosis, are there no cases of people getting better from it on their own? Is it effectively a terminal diagnosis?
I haven’t even watched the video yet, but have seen many others. I think you are spot on, and show an amazing amount of empathy and understanding.
I love watching these reaction videos. I recently made a friend who has it and I like to try to understand as much as I can. I hope my friend can have this kind of life - content and happy.
I’m learning so much from you, thank you. I’m new to working within
a crisis center, and a recovery facility for women and children.
About 15 years ago there was a documentary on tlc. It was about a girl named January who demonstrated symptoms of early onset schizophrenia from birth. Later on her brother bode was also diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia. Very interesting
I have always thought it would be nice to have a psychiatric opinion on sbsk videos to know the medical angle . Thank u syl. Love from 🇮🇳 india
This was so wholesome 😭😭😭
I have OCD which I talk too…and sometimes I think that people do believe I’m schizophrenic or somehow delusional or dangerous. My most embarrassing moment was walking along by myself…fighting with my OCD and I said out loud “Oh would you shut up!” And I looked up and an elderly couple were sitting there on their front deck eyes wide open and I’m like “Hi. Nice morning…” 😅 I was so embarrassed 😢
This is a great channel! Very interesting and so important for the general population to have some kind of idea about psychological disorders. Everyone should be somewhat educated about these types of diseases and their symptoms so they might be able to recognize them in themselves or someone else if they were to present themselves. In my opinion it's no different than knowing CPR so just in case someone is having a heart attack you could save their life!
Dr. Syl - ❤ thank you for your expertise and genuine concern for the human condition.
I’ve had catatonic episodes before that of lasted upwards of 12 hours. my cat, for some reason has learned when I go catatonic to start yelling at me and he’ll keep hitting me in the face with his face and he sounds like almost a fire alarm. He’s done this for, long periods of time it’s hard to tell because when you’re in catatonia how long it’s happening but, it’s like you get little glimpses of being back and you try to reach for it try to reach for being able to come out of this locked in feeling eventually he gets me out of it though. I know he’s done this upwards of two hours before just yelling at me in my face. Poor thing I bet it’s really scary for him and it kind of feels like he is scared like he’s trying to wake me up from being dead.
Having children with the intent to raise them well truly does lead to more healing of oneself and forgiveness towards the mistakes of our parents.
shouldnt bring children ito the world to fix YOUR PROBLEMS
Audio hallucinations or hearing as a diagnosed schizophrenia I can assure you that some voices are in your head yelling at your brain, other come from outside your head but are talking right into your ear and often you feel their presence right behind you and often you can feel their breathe on your ear and back of your neck, or voices seem in to be near you in the room.
Hearing people around you as whispering or laughing, but those feel like those people's voice are being projected into your head.
I do also have CPTSD from childhood tramuas. I hear voices in my head but they are specific to actual people who harmed me. And what they say, although may not be actual what was said, sometimes it is things that were said or their voice saying things that I felt during specific trauma events.
My schizophrenia voices talk about specific to the type I meantioned above, it depends who those voices are on what they are going to say and aren't related to my tramuas. Some are religious, others just judgment, some warn me about actual things and have been helpful, some are demonic. But each one are voices I realized to me but are not actual people or beings that don't actual exist.
My vision black cat, meows like a real cat, sleeps like a regular cat, sits on top of my shelf but doesn't eat, drink, or needs a litterbox. It is not a cat I ever owned or knew of.
I see the cat when I am stressed, haven't been sleeping well etc.
If I get back on track, it slinks off and I don't see it.
If, however I continue to become more stressed etc, the cat turns into a young pre-teen, cat girl. She moves like a cat and is covered in black fur. She's shy and hides behind my couch or bedroom dresser until I reassure her it is ok and she doesn't need to hide.
I thought her description of catatonia was incorrect when I saw this video the first time. Thanks for clarifying. She basically made it sound like it was just horrible depression.
She seems like a really sweet woman who's going to be a fantastic mother.
I love your videos and I’d love if you dove deeper into the topic of anhedonia and also hypochondria. I’ve experienced both for short periods of time and it was the lowest I’ve ever been. It would be nice to see a professional dive into that because I can never find anything good on the internet.
Thank you for making this video.
I think she seems really personable and friendly, and clearly demonstrates affection and care for her son. In terms of he personal style, given the posters on the wall and her mentioning listening to music, I'd say it's representative of someone involved in the punk/metal subculture and not anti-social. Whatever someone thinks of this style, she has clearly put in effort to (makeup etc) be presentable within it's aesthetic.
Good luck to her.
Thank you so much for your videos! They’re so informative and interesting!
So emotionally intelligent, self aware & eloquent. Thankyou for being so open about your experiences, you’re making the world a better place being who you are & sharing your wisdom ♥️
Thank you for another great video.
Nice video. Thank you!
6:32 "in ten to fifty years we're going to have ten different types of schizophrenia"... didn't we use to have at least four types (disorganised, catatonic, paranoid, undifferentiated) before the DSM5 and they got rid of them all!
I’m curious where she is today she was very inspiring
Dr. John Dorian = JD. 😉
However, I have a vague feeling that she may have possibly named the baby after the title character from Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. I haven't personally read the book yet, but I do know the name. 😆
I have also recently found out that there is a phenomenon in psychology called the Dorian Gray Effect that effects the ego in some way or another. I'm sure you can Google it. Heard it during my psych rotation (for nursing) at an inpatient behavioral hospital.
In any case, Dorian is such a beautiful name and he is so fortunate to have been born to such a lovely and emotionally intelligent mother. I could totally relate to her desire to undo all the generational trauma we grew up with to provide them with the tools we are only beginning to discover ourselves. Much love and respect to her.
And thank you Dr. Syl! You are gifting the UA-cam and Google generation (and beyond) useful information and insight into marginalized populations that deserve far more compassion. Keep up the good work!!
Really interesting vid, thank you. Humans are just so complex & fragile.
On the medication thing I personally have noticed that within mental health circles we are all always saying to each other "stay on your meds even if you think you don't need them, never stop them without directions from a doctor, there's nothing wrong with being medicated for the rest of your life!" but then we all have at least one experience of not following our own advice on that, like it's something we had to find out firsthand or something even though that is not how that should work lol.
And I will say that there's a lot of professionals that seem to have very little empathy for how much it does suck having to be medicated your whole life. It's really not easy and I think a bit more empathy for that and willingness to talk about the feelings it comes with would do a lot of good.
True it's expensive and the side effects are never comfortable
Hello dear Dr. Syl!😊
Commenting from Germany, I'm originally from Croatia, grew up part of my life in Austria after we had to leave home due to war.
May I ask if you could make a video on untreated PTSD? Or CPTSD?
Is that possible for narcissism to grow worse due to trauma?
Thank you so much in advance!
Much love ❤
I love the term "bub" for baby. 🥰
I love your videos
It helps me realize symptoms so I’m careful not to show them!
How interesting about illusion and hallucination! I have had both but did not know the difference. Thanks!
I loved lexapro but i developed bile reflux and I don’t know if it was caused by the lexapro or not, so I stopped taking it, and still waiting to see if the bile reflux improves, but it hasn’t yet. And I’m struggling with mood again though. But my catatonia hasn’t come back yet at least! I used to completely freeze and not be able to walk or talk or even breathe it felt like my lungs were silent and it even felt like my heart was frozen and when I tried to talk I would stutter sounds.
I would love you to talk about single episode psychosis! How does that work? How do you treat/determine that as a doctor?
Your comment on schizophrenia growing to sub types and various types eventually, I hope I'm dead by then--- that is absolutely terrifying for me, as someone with bipolar2/bpd (mood disorder comorbid with personality disorder)-- what if eventually someone says I was misdiagnosed entirely-- I've been misdiagnosed once. Told them I presumed I had bpd traits; the clinic ignored it until my bipolar diagnosis came out, and I shut off the world from shock and rejection.
(Context - my mother was an RN til barely post-covid. It took me years since high school to convince her of my bipolar and dad's major depression. Fought for us both/she has since accepted it/dad died this year....so reminding her of my symptoms is weird and hard when i have my off days.) I openly can tell her+my brother when I'm low or agitated and seek some reprieve thank god. (Today was such a day- a "low day" I told them. So minimal interaction and the ones that happened had meaning.)
I feel horrible for them
..... I shouldn't be so shakey/"soft" that they have to walk on egg shells for my well being. It's unfair to them. (Im medicated but at this point of my life I feel like nothing will help or save them from my venom.)
Im just a big jerk who doesnt speak but makes bad looks- which hurts more.
Bah!
Thank you for the comment on babies crying for help and learning it won't always be heeded/responded to-- my bpd didn't sprout I don't think until I was around 4-9yrs old. I learned quickly that crying or hyper ventilating caused my dad distress (fear of not being able to fix my anxiety) and my mother's compassion fatigue from work/minimal responses that told me to shape up/stop fretting. (She was an RN)
OHhhh I had no idea why I knew what lexapro was ... definitely the first drug they tried me on for depression/anxiety, learned it was bipolar and I had psychosis briefly on it/honestly believed I saw a friend get struck by lightning and then believed her ghost was partying beside me all night (delusion)
Later went on to citalopram generic. It did well enough. Had a bought of going off it/returning to it nearly a yr later. Never again felt the "I can feel the sun" happiness. But tried . ....yrs later went to lamotrogine and felt alive again but had a body-hive response (should have started lower dose. I was halving w.e dose I was initially prescribed -- had serotonin syndrome eons ago during the escitalopram-to-citalopram weaning days. Learned fast how to wean out and wean on drugs thereafter thanks to google. Should have went to hospital the night I seized up at work and passed out, but asked to go home instead.)
Since then, dried out of SSRIs or anything
...went on to citalopram cautiously and enjoyed it for maybe 2 weeks. Then took it for about 2 yrs. Went off. Went in to lamotrogine and had to go off after 1.5 week.
Then...went off everything. Went on to duloxcotine....no change. Took it for 3 yrs no change. Weaned off and into quetiapine.
Felt change initially but now nothing. Gotta increase dose but no dr to hear me or approve it.
I've been borderline catatonic but came out of it (I forget why tbh, this episode was a blur to me)
But I remember seeing people walking by or murmuring/hushed voices of something but I only knew a lamp for light
can you talk more about the other things cPTSD can look like? I've had a couple of really bad med reactions because of misdiagnoses. In the US, you may only get to see your psychiatrist once a every 3 months for 15 minutes, so I understand how early on it was unclear. I am lucky my current doctor is willing to work with my therapist who sees me weekly to come together on complexPTSD + TBI. But it has been a struggle sometimes when my doctor wants to try something new, I get really hesitant and sometimes feel chastised for asking, how is it not explained by trauma or tbi? I feel like John Briere who said that if we truly understood the scope of childhood trauma, the dsm would be a pamphlet about ptsd. I really appreciate your differentiating the trauma voices from hallucinations! I have been trying to explain this to my doctor! My voices are internal and only say things my abusers said, there is NEVER new content, that is trauma! My insomnia due to triggers and anxiety was ascribed to bipolar mania by another doctor, I am always tired and my understanding is a hallmark of mania is no fatigue...! I love your teaching style and your compassion comes through every time, thank you, it has helped me be more compassionate with myself.
I was, what I thought was catatonic. Tragedy struck my life when my depression started and I could move around and i even went out with all of my friends. But I wouldnt say a word and I stared at the ground with my eyes like...slits with the lids drooping down. But I could snap out of it to do things like where I had to go to school or something. But I was a zombie and didn't do or say much, especially once I sat down. Editing me, didn't realize I commented twice, sry
I'd be interested to hear more about how psychotic episodes from schizoaffective or schizophrenia last. How many medications do you try and how long do you try one medication before you decide whether it's working or not. How many medications do you have to try before moving on to something else? What is the best length of psychosis or how fast do you want to see symptoms subside before you get worried about treatment plans?
Is it always the case that if your voices are inside your head it's related to trauma and if they are outside your head it's psychosis?
Tha k yoi for the important clarification on catatonia, im wondering if she has been told the wrong thing by professionals or if she has had to Dx herself with that die to a lack of answers🤔
Apart from that still very insightful
Can you talk about the similarities and differences between cptsd and schizophrenia? (And maybe also about Autism/cptsd/schizophrenia?) Thank you! I really enjoy these calm reaction vids :)
Hi so for whats considered anti social style ill share my experience: I’ve always been treated differently and stared at when i was younger so when i got older i started wearing makeup and clothes in a way that makes people stare ( so for me its a way to take control of being seen as a bit different and having fun with it after years of unsuccessful attempts at blending in) i don’t know wats really different about me I thought its autism but my therapist told me that im showing a lot of similarities to autism but she doesn’t think its autism
I’m taking Lexapro for panic attacks and mild depression but it doesn’t seem to work very well
I’m taking 10mg
I think you should give us a picture into the experiences of a psychotic person. We would like to hear about what each episode entails. We desire to be educated about these experiences.
I've sometimes had night terrors / sleep-wake missteps where my dream sort of trails into the first few minutes of my wakefulness, or I don't fully wake up until I'm already walking around because of something in a dream. I haven't had them often, and sometimes I know why, like when I was tapering off of lexapro or was on a post-op med, though not always. Of course those aren't anywhere near as life altering or consuming or impactful as a mental illness that affects someone's waking hours, but they are by far the most terrifying experiences I've had as an adult, and I'd love to watch a video on it if you were ever interested in making one.
I’ve stopped meds for non mental health related issues. The same concept, dangerous as well. The stigma of those with mental health not taking there meds is sad.
Something you said and I know others have said I have a hard time with. With CBT “recognizing the thought….” I need a vid that breaks that down. I feel dumb, I don’t know how to know I’m having the thoughts when I’m having them. Hopefully that makes sense.
I have a question: do normal people hear voices in their dreams that sound very real? And if yes, where do these voices come from? For me, auditory hallucinations are like dreams in an awakened state. I believe that there is more levels to reality and some things pop up out of nowhere. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish them from real sources. When this happens I walk a lot, real noises stay behind but hallucinations follow you.
I also experienced visual ones when shadows become 3D and start moving around. Spots start moving around, crawling like insect. These usually happen when I am overtired or sleep deprived.
Man, I hate when I get overstimulated. It ruins my day. I have no choice but to sleep. I used to move around without a purpose. I did freeze a few times at home. I told my grandma, who lived far away and worried her, that if she doesn't hear from me for 3 or more days, to call the cops. My old positive symptoms would terrify me, too. Meet Cizin. They made the lovely choice to look me in a room when I thought he was there with me. i wouldn't turn around. And real stuff happens to me, sick joke. Well, Ramelteon has had a new affect on me. It's making me focus more. We'll see how this goes, was useless today. I'm not depressed but sad because this is the time of year my family used to go to the lake house wifh my grandma and grandpa who are now deceased.
There are some speculations that child schizophrenia begins with excessive pruning in utero. Im currently learning about this in my neuroscience class. It'd be interesting to hear your thoughts on this.
Finally something to keep me as interested as true crime.
What u said made my day👌🏼🪻 27:18
Talk about a mathatical impossibility... identical twins where 1 has this condition and the other doesn't. I wonder if there has ever been a case like that with conjoined twins?
Just wondering, Dr. Syl, could the voices be another sound as well; such as a low frequency humming sound? Also, could a person (with schizophrenia) imagine being tased or receiving an electric shock all over their body?
At age four, could she have been dissociating from trauma, not hallucinating?
That seems to be what he's suggesting as a possibility, although we don't really know enough to say just from a video. Or possibly that she has both.