Doctor REACTS to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Psychiatrist Analyzes "A Diagnosis" | Dr Elliott

[@shrapo]

Such a good video but I wasn’t ready for it to end. Please keep reacting to crazy exgirlfriend songs and even whole episodes. It really is more nuanced than its name.

[@DoctorElliottCarthy]

If the worst criticism my videos get is that people wanted more then I'll take that.

[@MsArtivisual]

Yes! Please! This whole series is SO good at tackling a variety of topics, ranging from mental health, relationship issues (not only Rebecca's, but also Paula's and to an extent Josh & Valencia's), sexual identity, friendship, finding meaning in life... Plus it is SO funny and clever.

[@puddincakes1005]

Amen! Give us more Elliot!!! ❤️

[@Danica.Margarit]

C-R-A-Z-Y

[@cepahreinholt8710]

Yes!! I would love a psychiatrist reaction to almost all this show. It's soo good!!!

[@ksantisteban]

I felt so stigmatized with being diagnosed with BPD and CPTSD and I listened to this song and cried for days. It made me accept my diagnoses and get help after being hospitalized multiple times. Songs Like these make you feel less lonely.. especially in a world where mental health and BPD are highly stigmatized.

[@yllowjcket]

I have the same diagnoses and it's so hard feeling like no one understands what I'm experiencing. Stuff like this makes me feel a lot less alone. I hope you're doing okay ♥️

[@anawieder5003]

Me too. I also have both diagnoses and it was really hard to come to terms with all the stigma of BPD

[@ksantisteban]

@@yllowjcket I am now receiving multiple therapeutic supports such as Substance abuse counseling, DBT and CPTSD group counseling 🙏 There are also tons of online Facebook groups and online therapists who are willing to help ❤️ hope you find something that works for you!

[@angelav4401]

I'm so glad this song inspired you! Know that there are people out there who understand BPD and would never judge you for it ❤️

[@ianrose6218]

Holy crap, my people! As much as the stigma and trouble with treatment that comes with BPD can be overwhelming, it explains why meds either didn’t work or turned me into a sedated zombie, and why my symptoms still persisted regardless. Therapy has done more than I ever could have hoped. Also, I had no idea that a BPD/CPTSD diagnosis explained away internal voices that mimicked people you knew and things they said. Couldn’t explain it better and wound up with supposed DID instead (they called it MPD for some reason, even in 2013), which I only realized wasn’t right years later. Talk about a misdiagnosis.

[@britsaunders2151]

You ruined everything is honestly one of the best portrayals of mental health I've ever seen. Please react to that one and give your input. I'm very curious! Love these.

[@sarahmb42]

Fav song. Ideal for karaoke.

[@sarahmb42]

A good therapeutic jam

[@loriegabidel]

It's a little scary how often I sing that to myself.

[@zerjiozerjio]

Second that!!

[@cheekynandosss581]

This song is called “you stupid b***h” fyi!

[@rockabillymuffin]

You could pretty much cover all of Crazy Ex Girlfriends Songs, I'd watch! A few that come to mind are "The Darkness", "We'll never have problems again", "You stupid Bitch", "Where's the Bathroom", "A Boyband of 4 Joshes", "The end of the Movie" and so many more! This show means so much to me. I have BPD and ADHD as well and this song sums up how helpful a diagnosis can be to get the help, the community you need to get better. It gives you a new language to communicate what's going on with you and not to mention especially with BPD, where you probably should do DBT, a diagnosis is important to even know that DBT is a good therapy.option for you. Thank you for covering this ☺️

[@auldthymer]

All of my favorite songs! I saw the clip of "A Boyband of 4 Joshes" and I thought it was funny and cute. Then I saw it in context: still cute and funny but also made me ugly cry.

[@CatinaLeon]

I agree! Another one that broke my heart was "Rebecca's reprise", it's short, but so telling... And from the psychiatrist point of view there's "This Session Is Going To Be Different". The end of the movie and A boyband of 4 Joshes are amazing.

[@ewigkeit001]

The Darkness is a great song to react to!

[@radish1395]

Also add in there the “Without Love” song too!!!

[@judyjude]

"Where's the bathroom" is probably my favorite guest song. She came and served.

[@andrewthezeppo]

You should really watch this whole series start to finish and react to a few key episodes, the pilot would be a great place to start. It is really amazing how they slowly and respectfully explore Rebecca's mental health state throughout the series. The songs are always fun and the show has lots of great character growth for other characters like coming out or going back to school later in life. Sidebar: Rebecca: I like penises but who doesn't? Dr. Elliot: Oh I hear ya hon, Me: I feel that

[@WynneL]

Me, too. 💖🫂

[@montanarose-sings]

There's a tiny line in this song that no one ever talks about, and I think it's one of the best examples of how aware the writers are with this show. "What could it be? What could be right?" It would have been SO easy to make it "What could be wrong?" There are still a ton of ways to rhyme with it, and it's how a lot of people might feel when they're grappling with mental illness. "What could be wrong? What's wrong with me?" But because of this song's positivity and optimism, they do away with the easy lyric and change it to a more uplifting connotation. It's so small, but it's always stuck out to me the most.

[@corinnahogan4927]

I was not ready for the “oh, I hear ya hon” 😂

[@RPGLover87]

Something I love with season 4 is it goes into how useful having other people in your life with similar problems can be. In one episode she meets her Half-brother (her father had another kid with a different woman when he abandoned her own mother Naomi) when he travels to HER to get help with a thing. She notices behavioural weirdness in him, but at first doesn't realise what it might mean, until after she calls him out for manipulating her and in his apology he starts spiralling, in the exact same way she spirals herself, so she catches him mid-spiral to stop things getting worse, then phones his mother to advise she get him a therapist NOW, because she's realised he may also have undiagnosed BPD. She catches it in him early enough that he won't do anything nearly as bad as she did at her worst, because it's exactly what she went through herself.

[@tobi601]

I really loved that Burt was diagnosed with BPD later and was in her group therapy. First of all when we first meet him rebecca gives his theory a chance even when someone else probably would put hive off as a conspiracy theorist and we see during the trial his own mental health gets him written off as a witness when he was both very smart and knew what he was talking about. When he comes back, he sees what rebecca wants and supports her by helping her become a partner in her firm. As little time as they get together, they actually have a really healthy dynamic and I think them having the same diagnosis helps them understand each other and seeing but in her group I can imagine would be really comforting to see someone familiar when she hadn't done that therapy before. In short but is an amazing character

[@Bpdbryan]

As someone with BPD, I love how this show represents the disorder in a less stigmatised way.

[@tim4pele]

"Yes I like penises, but who doesn't?" "Oh, I year you, hun" 🤣

[@246kisses]

I had to stop the video I was laughing so hard! He’s such a good guy

[@radish1395]

I can assure you they handled her finding out about BPD, not liking it because Rebecca is who she is, and then accepting it well. I would recommend reading Rachel Bloom’s book too!

[@anabg1634]

you should totally check the following episode when they show how she gets the diagnosis!! We would love to hear your insights!!

[@KheldarLars]

I was thinking that the whole video, he'd really get it.

[@ebbandflowph]

I hope you cover Rebecca's post-diagnosis actions and how she deals with her diagnosis, as well as some of the earlier parts of the show. It's helped me be more open about mental health with some of the people that I love in my life, and it really is such a good show.

[@Belgarion9989]

I would have never gotten as far as I have in life if I hadn’t been diagnosed properly. I was misdiagnosed, twice, and I did all the work but never got any better, and so many of my therapists and doctors didn’t recognize that there was something wrong with the diagnosis itself instead of me.

[@NotTelling]

First off, I love how much compassion you express in your videos and how open you are about both the wonderful things psychiatry can do for people and the areas that need improvement. I'd love to see you react to more Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (maybe full episodes?) and I also want to recommend Rachel Bloom's OCDance song :)

[@arjc5714]

I absolutely love CXG, and I related HARD to Rebecca in this scene, even though I haven't really ever gotten a true diagnosis for my mental health issues (no money, no time, wrong country). I'd love to see more Crazy Ex Girlfriend reactions, the whole series is awesome.

[@Dionaea_M]

Me too

[@Danica.Margarit]

As someone with BPD I just want to tell you to PLEASE KEEP RANTING! I was so happy to hear all that. I'm proof that it can get a whole lot better with the right treatments. Also you totally need to watch this whole show. It's absolutely brilliant.

[@spencer2571]

Getting my ADHD diagnosis was the best day of my life. This song rings so true.

[@mitzidiaz8880]

I’ve rewatched CXG so many times, I never wanted to watch it because of the name. When I got my BPD diagnosis I noticed everyone loved the series. A Diagnosis always makes me weep because most of us went through all that and this just states exactly the way I felt when someone finally said: I have a diagnosis for you.

[@zoeb3573]

Based on your question in the end, I really hope you watch the rest of the episode to comment on her reaction to her diagnosis.

[@Silkenray]

This is how I felt when I finally was diagnosed with OCD after two decades of a depression diagnosis and three years of a vague and muddy “Well. There’s definitely some form of anxiety disorder” non-diagnosis. Thank you for your positive attitude, compassion, and sense of humour. You made me smile for the first time in weeks.

[@georgia_mccx]

As someone diagnosed with BPD I can't say how much I appreciate Dr Carthy being the voice for all of us who feel like a lost cause.

[@PyroKinteticPotatoe]

Honestly all of this is so accurate! Especially the RELIEF of just getting a diagnosis! Yeah, I did kind of get upset and break down when I was diagnosed with BPD initially… but after YEARS of thinking “what is wrong with me???” and eventually just believing that I was going crazy, it was such a breath of fresh air to finally have someone acknowledge me and what I was really feeling. The clarity of just getting that diagnosis really changed my life for the better.

[@WaftingCurtains]

I was diagnosed with depression as a teenager and just like you said, I'm bipolar type 2! They hadn't recognized any of my hypomanic behavior (nor had I) so it took until later in life for us to figure it out. It's changed my life, I'm just sad it took until I was in my 30s to finally get medicated properly.

[@DrCuriensapprentice]

I have BPD and the best way I describe it to people is that I have these “gremlins” in my head (like the movie inside out but on acid) that will whisper things like “he’ll stop liking you” “you’ll never have happiness” “they’re talking about you”, which then my brain tries to regulate things which then means I go on an emotional rollercoaster and I can become paranoid and then do a lot of self-destructive things. I have nearly lost the closest friendship I’ve got because of it. I’m better, still have the gremlins but medication and a lot of helpful tips my therapist gave me means I’m better at telling these gremlins to fornicate off (the most polite way that KZbin will allow).

[@rachelvictoria8699]

As someone who was diagnosed with BPD, I gotta say this song (the show in general) depicted it perfectly lol ESPECIALLY the part right after this song when they tell Rebecca her diagnosis and “do NOT look it up online” and it’s the first thing she does lmao and then the denial after, the struggle to start taking the antidepressants (I also got the bottle and didn’t start taking it at first either lol) idk I love this show so so much and Rachel bloom

[@psychscenes4023]

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is such an excellent show! I'm glad you're featuring it and great insights

[@bloodypastels5638]

I just wanted to say thank you so much for speaking about borderline personality disorder because you spoke about it in such a kind way and you were so understanding about the symptoms and it means so much as somebody who is in Canada where they give you one group round of group sessions to learn DBT and then they leave you on your own and you have to fight really hard to get therapy which I know I desperately need so I have been stuck with a binder full of DBT stuff and trying to make sense and give myself therapy if that makes sense. So sorry for ranting but it just means the world to me that you were speaking on BPD in such a kind and understanding way and I wanted you to know how much it means

[@brightshining]

Oh, I feel you 💜 Stay well 🙏

[@sarah2301]

Really fun video! Even my depression there was a bit of "what is my personality vs the depression" but I had a good friend also diagnosed around the same time so we could compare notes and chat. You should do some reactions to Chicago Med - I'd suggest S3E9 (new psych resident goes to treat people at prison) or S4E8 (phantom limb with the mirror/rubber hand demonstration)

[@IceMetalPunk]

I think the whole sense of not knowing "is this me, or is this the disease? Either way, is it accurate, or am I distorting reality? Should I believe these thoughts, or dismiss them? If I dismiss them and they're right, things will be terrible. But if I believe them and they're wrong, things will be terrible. What do I do?" .... that might be the worst part of mental illness for me. (GAD/MDD specifically for me, by the way)

[@Beautyonthebrain_]

I found CXG shortly after my own diagnosis for BPD, the show & this song in particular gave me hope that things would get better for me. I just started my sixth year of counseling & that has changed my entire life. I learned how to set boundaries, I learned to speak up for myself & not be such a people pleaser. BPD treatment is hard, but so worth the work. I told my therapist about CXG & she loved it. When I need to feel centered I put this on & cry/sing along because it expresses all the emotion & relief that followed my initial diagnosis. I'd love to see you analyze all four seasons, there are some huge character arcs, & it's just a great shoe in general

[@harrij2458]

I remember before I got my autism diagnosis I was really scared it would be BPD because I believed all the stigma, now I'm glad I understand better

[@TheChlozie]

The stigma is a lie. I have BPD and know lots of people with it and can say confidently that borderlines can be some of the most intensely caring and loving people you'll ever meet 💜

[@whatsup968]

A music artist I like was diagnosed with BPD and released multiple songs about her experience, including a song called "Borderline" The artist name is Sunmi I admire Sunmi and Rachel Bloom for talking about and humanizing such a stigmatized disorder

[@brightshining]

💜

[@mathildevinther7329]

So glad you chose this song! Loved your take on it - as usual. ❤️ Would love to see more crazy ex from you, such an unexpectedly nuanced and deep show.

[@donnamalayeri613]

This was my first introduction to your channel and it was wonderful! My vote for the next CXG song is The Darkness. It's by far the saddest song in the show (IMO) and I felt it really captured the feeling of depression. She compares it to an ex-lover that she can't seem to get away from.

[@UnveiledAngel]

ADHD might not be as stigmatized but I feel like the treatment can be. I lapsed on my medication and have gone to a doctor to get back on track but am getting treated as if I were a drug addict looking for a fix just because I want to get back on the adderall I was prescribed before. It's so frustrating.

[@Mimm42]

So glad you did this one! Please check out the 2 part epsilon of Golden Girls called "sick and tired", without spoiling anything its really interesting to me how much has changed at yet how much has stayed the same about certain diagnoses since the 80s

[@PlayitAgain16]

I got diagnosed with BPD while season 3 was on the air. One of my friends who had been watching the show from the start told me about it and I quickly fell in love with it. and this episode in particular made me sob with recognition and validation. I actually got to meet Rachel Bloom a few months ago and told her this and about my experience in DBT and she told me that she was proud of me. One of the best moments of my life ❤

[@jenti9346]

I LOVED this show soooo much! I’m a social worker with BPD. I remember being so excited to get a diagnosis, but when it was BPD I thought - nope. I don’t want that one because it is so stigmatized and requires way too much work. I’ve been in DBT for years and am so much better for it, but seeing everything I struggle with represented on this show in a comedic but sensitive way helped a ton. My people are definitely “crazy” at times, but with treatment we are incredibly self-aware and a whole lot of fun. 😂❤️ Completely agree about the lack of access to treatment. Finding a therapist that specializes in DBT is crucial and it isn’t cheap or easy. I drive an hour each way to see mine and my health insurance only covers a fraction of the cost, but without insurance I definitely couldn’t afford meds and treatment. I hate that some of my people struggle all of their lives without access to care.

[@crankycat3026]

First of all, I really need to watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. The name has put me off but after hearing the song and watching your reaction I need to see it. I started tearing up at the end there because I was diagnozed with BPD at 37, and it brought back a lot of feelings from the time before the diagnosis. Another reason I started tearing up was hearing you speak about BPD with such compassion. It wasn't easy to get a more specific diagnosis than a vague-ish depression and anxiety one, as I was mainly doing "too well". I tend to act in instead of acting out, which made my problems more difficult to see on the outside. Eventually, I was lucky enough to get a psychiatrist who saw there was maybe more to it and recommended I spend a month at an out patient centre. After some intensive interviews I was diagnosed with BPD and OCPD (which felt like a weird combination but after talking it through with my therapist it made sense based on who I am). I just remember feeling relieved that there was a name to why I'd kept going through these difficulties all my life, while also feeling a sense of dread when I read about BPD and the degree of stigma surrounding it. I'd already started therapy before the diagnosis, and I think having the diagnosis made it easier to focus on certain issues.

[@tahraethestoryteller6079]

7:38 about that, the anxiety and insomnia was probably a nod to Rachel Bloom's struggle with sleep anxiety as a result of her OCD

[@Dionaea_M]

I love that you're doing Crazy Ex-Girlfriend reacts and I'm really looking forward to the next one!! I think it would be nice if you did a few analysis on some parts of the show, for example this moment where she finds out what is her diagnosis and her process with the homework he gives her. I think you can see clearly in the show her progress with the therapy while she starts to comprehend the process and her attempts to measure herself, would be nice to observe that. Anyway, thank you 🥰

[@SammiScoop_1]

After you did the first episode on my crazy ex girlfriend. I watch the entire series. OMG it was so good.

[@peccavo]

I wonder if Dr Carthy has any idea how thrilled most of us would have been to have a doctor like him, compassionate, observant, well-educated, holistic in approach. It really would have made seeking mental health treatment easier.

[@mandipandi303]

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the rest of the episode. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is such a brilliant show and I love it so much.

[@Harrison_J_T]

I feel like my reaction to this was very different to most people's. I honestly saw this song through the lens of my own focus on getting a diagnosis with depression and anxiety and thinking with a diagnosis you got treatment and then at some point you were just better and it was just done. I expected a quick fix and had the harsh reality of realising it's not that simple. I saw myself reflected in Rebecca and until this video didn't realise that wasn't the common intepretation.

[@donnamalayeri613]

Yeah, I had the exact same reaction as you, but in the context of the show it's very obvious -- she's in denial about all the hard work ahead of her. This is why I like the song so much though, it reminds me that there's a lot of optimism to be had, even if there isn't an easy fix.

[@thowaway1200]

The beauty of this is that this song, out of context, seems to say that a diagnosis is EVERYTHING. In the context of the show, it shows that it really changes nothing. There is still a lot of hard work in treatment. There are some mental health disorders that I think getting a diagnosis for is important - BPD being one of them, due to the very specialized nature of treatment (and this is especially important with diagnoses that require medication, like bipolar and schizophrenia). But outside of those few diagnoses, I don't necessarily think the label is as important as some people think it is. A medical diagnosis leads to a specific prescribed course of treatment. Mental health generally does not work that way (except for cases like BPD where the prescribed treatment is DBT, but the diagnosis doesn't guarantee your insurance will pay for a full fledged DBT program) and the diagnosis itself is incredibly subjective and dependent on the perspective of the provider. I approach everything with a trauma lens. For relational issues, I generally diagnose a trauma disorder, I treat depression and anxiety with trauma modalities because from my perspective, trauma is at their root. A provider who does not come from that lens might treat depression with CBT. There's a bit of art in therapy, really. I can see why a diagnosis is critical for a medical provider like a psychiatrist, though.

[@caitlinhogan5258]

I see it as both. That’s one of the things I love about it and the show as a whole is the complexities. I think there is a lot of genuine celebration of getting a more accurate diagnosis which does really help her understand herself better and learn more effective methods of treatment. But at the same time she definitely hopes it will be an ‘easy fix’ and will give her an instant sense of identity when actually there’s a lot of hard work ahead of her, it’s just now the work might be better tailored to her.

[@englishmuffinpizzas]

You’re spot on in the context of this show- she is really excited hoping for an easy fix in this song, but then it doesn’t turn out that way at all.

[@orangemarissa50]

I hate when people tell me to stop being negative and just look at the bright side....

[@Lupescupe]

After struggling with depression, insomnia and anxiety for over a decade, I was finally diagnosed with adhd when I was 33 yo. I remembered this song and realised truly what Rebecca meant because it changed my life. After a year and a half, I feel like I know myself better than ever and I'm also at a really good place because I've been responding well to the treatment. It's amazing what a good doctor with an accurate diagnosis can do for you. So I'll encourage everyone who is struggling to keep advocating for themselves. I know it can be super discouraging, especially if you've had bad experiences with health care providers (which, let's face it, most people in the world probably have), but truly don't lose hope because life can get better. ❤🎉

[@wherefancytakesme]

I was an extra in this song, -not telling whom unless someone demands to know- and the whole thing took about 14 hours counting breaks. You breaking it up into pieces has sent me back to the super long day of going stanza by stanza, repeatedly. I have the song memorized to this day, lol. Very nice day despite being long! Love the show and everyone was accommodating. (Oh and of course your analysis of the mental health aspects felt very nice. I'm ASD/ADHD.)

[@zagorskaewelina]

I love the song. It is so accurate. Especially the part starting with "Prescribe me my tribe". My ASD diagnosis at 34 y.o. enabled me to find so many people who share many of my struggles. It brought such a new quality to my life

[@fudgethestuffeddog]

"Yes I like penises, but who doesn't?" Dr. Elliot: "Oh I hear you, hun." 🤣😂

[@alex-zh5ns]

i discovered your channel recently and have so far watched almost all of your videos. the compassion you bring to every topic is so incredibly healing to me, in a way? i have been to far too many bad psychologists who never really cared about listening to me (about 8 different ones over 3 years…) so to see someone who genuinely cares and is as respectful and empathetic as you are no matter the situation, is really reassuring. your endlessly kind and hopeful videos have given me the confidence to advocate for myself to get the better care and treatment that i need and deserve. i am SO glad that i found you, and really look forward to more of your content!! (ps. if you’re ever in the need of something to react to: jules’ special episode from euphoria called “fuck anyone who’s not a sea blob” dives really deep into her trans identity and childhood trauma and how both of these things can affect your relationship to yourself and others!! gets very graphic at certain times during flashbacks, but it would be really fascinating to hear your thoughts and insights!)

[@ceciliagialdini7695]

I can so relate to Rebecca at the moment. I'm waiting for another assessment with the psychiatrist to review my diagnosis. Knowledge is power 🤩 thanks Dr Carthy, I'm soo looking forward to the next video!!

[@Nellipusen]

I remember when this song came out, it was a year or two before I got my own diagnosis of ASD, and let me tell you, I had never related to a song that much in. my. life.

[@mangantasy289]

I have several issues (severe eating disorders, anxiety disorder, depressions, traumata, light DPD...) but the one that felt mostly like this song to me was AVPD. And it the most recent one I got (I have depressions likely since childhood, first named as a teenager). Also some of the symptoms mix in with the depression ones I guess, but the "driving myself crazy with forcingly painting out worst case scenarios in my head for seemingly small things, like a family meeting to a point I get even physically ill" could finally be explained. Just continously doubting myself and no matter which choice I make it will be wrong or feel wrong or possibly end in a disaster... And panick and cry and feel helpless for days or weeks about that one event. Hard to explain. But with the diagnosis the doc can read it up. Makes things a lot easier whenever for example hospitalized. Like a summary. And absolutely makes you feel less lonely and misunderstood if you find out that what you feel might be very typical for your respective condition. About BPD, my mother suffers from it and I am aware how stigmatizing it is (mental health in general, I have collected my own share of bad experiences during the las 20 years, but I really feel BPD especially so). Also, she is very challenging for me, but at the same time I feel for her (most family members have turned away from her) because I understand (not completely I'm sure, but at least seemingly better due to my own issues) that it must be really hard for her too to live with that condition and all the symptoms.

[@roselover411]

"Yes I like penises but who doesn't?" "Oh I hear you hun." I *cackled!*

[@nadiaalvarado6973]

Such a good video!! Please review ENCANTO and generational trauma, or family dynamics

[@tomsautocadstudio6446]

does anyone else hate the grandma in encanto

[@angelav4401]

Thank you so much for doing this video! This show is truly special to me because it made me feel less alone in my struggle with mental health, and your insights are even more affirming. I'm so excited for the next video!!

[@oultimonome]

I love this song and it came to my mind when I finally was diagnosed with OCD. Such a liberating thing, to finally know we're not that weird!

[@Briansawilddowner]

I highly recommend checking out the TV show Legion. It uses sci-fi to portray the interaction between childhood trauma and mental illness and then how both of those impact interpersonal relationships. I’d love to see your take on it but unfortunately I don’t have a particular scene or episode to recommend because it’s all done with metaphor and takes multiple episodes to understand. For example the show’s main villain represents trauma and affects David in the same ways trauma does by disturbing his sleep, altering his memories, taking control to protect him, and also gets misdiagnosed as a mental illness.

[@ThatBrazilChick]

I was diagnosed with BPD in 2017 around the same time I discovered this show. I received intensive therapy for 2.5 years and it’s changed my life completely. I’m so much happier now, my relationship is thriving and I have a baby boy. It’s helped me to go out and make friends, figure myself out and stop being a people pleaser (trying to impress everyone because I had an awful fear of rejection and abandonment). I still deal with anxiety which I’ve learnt to manage well now.

[@hannalowercase5928]

OMG YESSSSKSKSKQKKXJS FINALLYYYYYY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU'RE AWESOME!!! i appreciate you so much!

[@flawlix]

This song always makes me cry from that first line, no matter how many times I hear it. It wasn’t as dramatic as Rebecca’s BPD diagnosis, but I was almost 30 when I finally got diagnosed with ADHD. Getting medicated for ADHD literally cured the generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks I’d been experiencing for most of a decade. I haven’t had a panic attack in 5 years. I experience anxiety like a normal person, instead of as a constant, directionless spiral of dread, sense of impending doom, and feeling like every small worry is a catastrophe. I still struggle with depression. And getting the non-medication side of treatment for ADHD as an adult has been complicated. But simply knowing why I do certain things and recognizing patterns of ADHD behaviors has improved my life tremendously.

[@hannalowercase5928]

i finished the video now and, as always, your reactions are amazing! i am so grateful you reacted to more CXG, it truly is a wonderful show

[@BlindGirlUK]

As someone that's just been diagnosed with PTSD after suffering alone for the past year (no one believed me until I got this diagnosis in writing a few weeks ago), this video hits hard.

[@wunder0]

You can ABSOLUTELY be cured from BPD! I was diagnosed when I was around 26 years old, after first been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I went through DBT (Dialectic Behaviour Therapy) for a year and it helped. And during that time I noticed I was still different from people in the group and realized that the core problematic wasn't found, so around 30 I was diagnosed with ASD (Aspberger) and suddenly pieces even from early childhood fit! The journey is different for everybody, but the main thing is to keep looking inwards until it makes sense.

[@IceMetalPunk]

I've struggled with generalized anxiety disorder and comorbid depression for basically my whole life (or at least, as far back as I can remember), but I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my mid-20s. I was struggling a lot at university, and most of the time it wasn't because I didn't understand the material, it was because I was just... shutting down and staring at the TV or computer screen instead of doing the work I needed to do. My girlfriend at the time suggested I had ADD and that I should get tested for that, and I thought she might have a point, so I went to the student clinic to get an ADD test. It ended up, after a massive general questionnaire and a 45 minute interview with both the psychiatrist and psychologist, that their diagnosis was, "You don't have ADD, but you do seem to have a severe generalized anxiety disorder with some depressive symptoms as well, and that's more likely what's been causing your inability to prioritize and focus on classwork, among other things." At first I was shocked and didn't fully understand, but I'm a science nerd, so as soon as I got back to my dorm, I started doing research into the neuroscience of anxiety, and the more I learned, the more it fit my life's experiences to a T. It was such a relief to realize that (a) no, the way I've felt my whole life *isn't* supposed to happen, (b) but I'm not the only one who's dealt with this, and (c) there's a physical explanation for all of it. At the time, the psychiatrist recommended a combination of fluoxetine and therapy, so I did that, but through a series of unfortunate events, I was taken off the meds after only a couple months and went through three different therapists in that time. Through more unfortunate events, I ended up losing my access to the one therapist I was seeing, and since then I haven't had therapy or meds. Every day can be a struggle, especially when anything potentially stressful occurs (which seems to be happening a lot lately, I think to the entire world now), but at least I know *why* I feel this way, and I know what the core trigger of all my anxiety is. Knowing may be only half the battle, but at least it's better than panicking and not having any idea why.

[@JenABlue-ed1bw]

This song really speaks to me as a patient, I've really valued the clarity and structure that having diagnoses gives me. Each one has made me feel seen, and less isolated. As a clinician, however, I find I'm much more skeptical of them. I don't know how it is on your side of the pond, but in this benighted late-capitalist hellscape insurance companies expect a diagnosis in the first session, when I've barely started building rapport and assessing the client. The DSM is also a mess--the definition of trauma used for PTSD, for example, is far too narrow, and the absence of cPTSD is a travesty. The lines between one disorder and the next are often written as if sharp, but in actual practice incredibly vague and fuzzy--the personality disorders especially seem prone to this. And when you throw in the Dodo Bird conjecture, I feel there's a lot of reason to question how clinically valuable a diagnosis actually is. I still do it, of course! It's my job, clients often appreciate it, and insurance demands it. But I find a thorough case conceptualization developed over the first few sessions a lot more useful to guiding my work with the client than a diagnosis I'm forced to kludge together after one.

[@carlosnunez6217]

I went out LOOKING for a video of a doctor looking at this specific song haha. Thanks for making one

[@CathyConneff]

I bloody love your videos and your championing of accessible healthcare for people with personality disorders. It makes me hopeful.

[@beekind14]

I've had depression as a teen and through my life, they put me on sertraline and I went what I know think is manic/hypomanic. I wasn't sleeping or eating, I was suddenly going out all the time, dropped out of my master's degree (not like me at all) broke up with my ex suddenly, started drinking, chatting to strangers, seeing things and the whole thing is a blur. I thought it was just a normal side effect, but I've realised that I've had this up and down pattern (to a lesser extreme) for a long time but I always put it down to anxiety. I'm starting to be concerned about bipolar (my mom has it so I've heard that's a risk factor too) but I don't even know how to approach this. Also I love CXG! I'm so excited to see more of these videos, I think Rachel Bloom actually has OCD irl, and they approach mental health in such a nuanced way. It's interesting how her character processes the diagnosis, and I think fairly true to life.

[@theloverlyladylo9158]

Another interesting BPD related song is "Borderline" by Sunmi. She's a Korean singer who about a year revealed that she has BPD. Her whole EP 1/6 is about her BPD, in an oblique "this what life feels like when you have BPD" way, but "Borderline" really digs into how hard it can be to just live with it.

[@danyelric1074]

When I learnt about my diagnosis it made my life easier. Nothing much changed, but now I knew why I was the way I was, I stopped feeling so out of place and more importantly, it helped me find the names for the things I experienced and tools to deal with it without disassociating as often as I used to!

[@brianfraley]

Love your commentary. Very clear and compassionate. I think at one point in my life I may have been diagnosed as borderline. I never sought therapy. But sitting with my emotions was definitely part of what worked with me. My father had told me once to count to ten before reacting. I should have listened. You probably wont agree with some of what I came to believe, but here goes. I think that some of the trauma you talked about is ancestral. Which is why in some cases, as you said, doesnt show up in individual cases. Also, the hearing voices part. I only heard voices on two occasions. And for me, I STILL think they were real. I have a somewhat Eastern civilization mentality, in that SOMETIMES these things are spiritual gifts. And... here is where Im sure I'll lose you... is sometimes what we call mental illness are spiritual attacks. Im not going as far as extreme exorcism or witch burnings... but there is something to what they were getting at. In that we have become so materialistic that we have denied our spirituality and that there are actually other realms. I am NOT talking about organized religion. I am more aligned with how indigenous people view and treat such things. Anyway, its working for me. And I agree with almost everything you say, too. Its balance.

[@Julia-0411-k8x]

I have bpd and I heard this song the day I got the diagnosis after I told other people in the clinic that I feel kind of relieved to finally have an accurate diagnosis one of them recommended ceg to me and this song and it is just amazing 😃

[@annam9373]

Yes yesyes!!! please do the followup video, her whole journey with mental heath is super interesting!!!

[@Howdidyouknow04]

When it’s say “that share my diagnosis” it kind of reminded me about times when I was in therapy waiting rooms and curious if the kid/teen in the room with me had the same diagnosis.

[@kaylaports4449]

I love that you mentioned fluoxetine because I took it for IED and it didn’t do a thing I took it for three months

[@MadCupcake38]

MORE CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND PLEASE!!! so pleased to see this!

[@katherinemattinson4424]

"Could have knocked..." 🤣 This video is seriously fantastic! I love Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, it honestly helped me get a handle on my mental health! Your analysis is so great, I'm definitely going to watch more of your videos!

[@BlueGeen]

Omg omg omg I was waiting for you to watch more CXG. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep going.

[@bea_ln]

I've been waiting for this ❤️

[@loriegabidel]

This is my absolute favorite show. They worked really hard to get the mental health stuff right.

[@EJproductionsxD]

I can't wait for a follow up for this!

[@jeffhappens1]

I love your last comment. It's a productive way of thinking.

[@neoscencez]

You are quite possibly the most lovely human I've listened to.

[@DoctorElliottCarthy]

😁

[@neoscencez]

@@DoctorElliottCarthy I shall pop you on blast for my twitter followers Doc. You've got a fab future! X

[@xar226]

I would add that a diagnosis strangely carries with it a sense of validation, especially for mental health issues that carry a lot of guilt. It becomes more like to a thing that is happening to you than a weakness.

[@likesorad7320]

Another great thing about the series is that even after she gets her diagnosis, it doesn't *fix it*, she still has to constantly engage in her patterns of behavior and how she relates to her mental illness, herself, and others.

[@geneventide5314]

One of my favourite songs from my favourite shows! Great stuff

[@mariakristinasmith9423]

You should definitely do a video on the scene where Rebecca attempts suicide. It's heartbreaking but so extremely well handled

[@guerrazun]

As a patient this song ment a lot to me, cause I also felt seen and felt like there was a possibility of getting better when I got a diagnosis

[@AlexanderHL1919]

Hi Dr Elliott, could you do an episode on "High-Functioning Depression" or Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)? What is your take on it? I ask because I have recently seen an NHS mental health specialist seeking help with my PDD, but he literally said he doesnt think I'm depressed and that "theres not much here about this thing you call high-functioning depression", leading me to believe not only he doesnt believe I am struggling with PDD because "I seem to be doing well enough and that I have a job now", but that he doesnt even believe PDD is a real thing. Its been very frustrating. What do you think about PDD?

[@emily-ky8bz]

One song I recommend reacting to is No One Else is Singing My Song. It's so good and I think would be interesting to discuss.

[@indigoziona]

Such great commentary and you seem like a wonderful doctor to have :D

[@elizabethbrown2705]

"The darkness" is a fantastic song about living about depression.

[@thembill8246]

One simply cannot underestimate the value of being able to put a name to how you feel because if there's a name for it, then there are other people who feel like you do. Not that it's a mental illness, but that's how I felt when I realized that I'm asexual. Instead of just feeling broken, I realized that there was a whole community of people like me. On a totally different note, I dated a woman many many years ago who was textbook borderline personality disorder, and knowing Rebecca's end diagnosis and going back and rewatching the series, I see so many behaviors that remind me of this person. They really did their research on this series on everything important.

[@nftbandit9645]

FIRST! Your videos cure my depression. Thank you for everything you do ❤️🤘🏼

[@ImAlsoMerobiba]

I can't wait for more reactions to CXG songs and clips.

[@berf9445]

I lean hard into my diagnosis'(bipolar 1, BPD, CPTSD, GAD), perhaps too hard. They have dominated my life for the last 8 or so years that if I'm not actively in an episode, I don't really know who I am anymore.

[@jadehidalgo3437]

I’ve even seen other pysch doctors KZbin channels where they perpetuate the stigma & stereotypes… thanks for not doing that.. we aren’t doomed souls ❤

[@abrilgomez4671]

Oh! The one the therapist sings! I don't recall the name... It's something like "this time will be different" or something