Is the healthcare system broken?Psychological Therapist REACTION to Sick Boi by Ren

[@heatherann1465]

How f*cking refreshing! A health care professional with his eyes wide open!!! Tell me how to spread the awakening?!?!?

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Heather, it felt really good to put it up too. I guess we can spread by sharing what we know as wide as possible and bringing attention to it. That is my plan for now! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@NordicBlackout67]

Heather I agree it's hard to find good healthcare people who actually see anger as a part of your health mental health ect. Other then just an emotion.

[@EmmaByrne-si3vr]

Easy (not easy). You stand up for your rights and don't let them get away with it. You cite sourses, you annoy them and you only stop for self care and hospital. You form a group who can work together and you complain. You keep doing it. Then the system grinds you down and you give up. Simple, see? /lh Also see: Philosophy Tube's awesome video about how the NHS works in denying treatment.

[@limpedimp]

They should introduce alot of ren's music into education of mental illness, lately I've been using reaction videos to cope with my everyday struggles, but this video I emailed to myself to never loose, and to show every doctor/therapist in the future, because I can relate SO much to both this and "Hi Ren" , I'm 39 today, I've lived with mental illness since middleschool pretty much, to this day I dont have a diagnosis, people dont even want to see me or try to help. twice in my life I've been told by 2 different doctors/therapists "I dont think you're sick" as I back then had a bipolar diagnosis, as i were sitting there totally wrecked, even with a person with me as support, she didnt even say hi as we entered the room, she were staring at my journals for 30-40 seconds then turns to me and says "I Dont think you're sick" and removes the diagnosis entirely, where another that I had been seeing for some time, but couldn't really help me, when i was once again at the brink of ending it, i went to her because in my head atleast she knew the most about me, as I entered the room, she literally sighed, and said "What are you doing here? there's nothing I can do for you" , I havent been shot, but I normally use the analogy of I'd rather take a bullet in my stomach than hearing "I dont think you're sick" or people not believing me. last effort I tried contacting asking for help, they didnt get back to me for over 8 weeks, after I'd one more time called and asked why they didnt get back to me. To this day I have nowhere to turn to, no supportsystem, nothing, im just sitting at home fighting with my demons day in and day out. so really, thank you for this video, that someone within the system recognizes how f*cked up it can be, and I feel for the people that becomes "victims" of it. I'm from sweden so this is obviously not my native language so I apologize if there's things that might not make sense but, I hope you are okay with me showing this to whoever, if ever, I meet someone that is supposed to help me. Again, thank you!

[@yakg7976]

​@@limpedimpI'm American, and in an extremely similar situation, loss of health insurance freqhad kept me from many follow up appointments, its more physical symptoms zive tried to seek, though had mental health issues diagnosed as early as childhood, then had seizures, mystery hives, idiopathic everything diagnosed, including autoimmune disorder, just daunting how infrequently I have been heard by medical providers. My health insurance becomes active again in a few days, so I am going to try to seek some help for the first real time in about 6 years. I already have been losing myelin sheath in my spine that I know of, but I would bet it doesn't even matter to my primary care provider. I truly hope you are able to get proper help from a care provider soon, and see at least some relief from some or all symptoms.

[@34goldilocks]

Hi from the UK I just want to say that if all the medical staff thought like you we would live in a much better world! Just watched this and I just want to say I need a therapist like you, I'm full of so much pain and trauma and now have a phobia with any thing medical. I would love you to interview Ren that would be amazing.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Yeah that would be super cool to chat with Ren! Thanks for watching my video and taking the time to comment.

[@staceyjayneplatt9527]

Agreed 👏👏👏🙏🙏🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@staceyjayneplatt9527]

I Concur 👍

[@deeda1779]

I wish all health care professionals had your thought process.

[@SnailHatan]

A large portion do. They are just prohibited from acting upon it due to legal and “ethical” rules. As someone new to working in mental healthcare, the amount of therapists I’ve heard complain about the limits of what they are actually allowed to do is crazy. Every one I’ve met has had at least several patients who they weren’t allowed to help in the way that they needed. The most they can do is follow the guidelines and prescribe some meds. They aren’t allowed to give general advice on life decisions or non-scientific tools that could genuinely fix just about every problem their patients face. At least, that’s my experience so far in the US.

[@lesdeplorables7440]

@@SnailHatan Meaning we might take action and aide in the rebuilding of our supposed heath system. Cuz from what my heart and eyes say; proper nutrition is a true medicine. It matches our body structures and if the effort in study grows it could be noted into a open source program that could be accessed for information or input by anyone and everyone. Thus transparency will reduce the possibility of being fooled again.

[@normaleehi]

@@bronsonstone725 its a collective lack of integrity placed into our social dna. point the finger at individuals and the cycle of entropy just continues. society is an organism to be understood and nurtured and we're treating each other like antibodies, to be eradicated one by one. its a game nobody forced into playing can win

[@GeriStorm]

He had Lyme disease nobody listened! Gave him medication for mental illness!

[@lisadavenport2390]

Yes ty for this. As both a past healthcare worker and also a lyme patient. I was actually treated poorly as a woman. I had both happen. I wish I met health professionals like you

[@Danandrea919]

I was also misdiagnosed with Severe Depression, BiPolar, Fibromyalgia... But all the time it was Lyme. I BEGGED my doctors to test for Lyme. They flat out refused. I went through this for 25 years when my heart stopped beating. The Lyme had eaten it away. At that time I was taking 13 different prescription medications for pain, depression, bipolar, anxiety, etc... I finally got a diagnosis of Lyme and am off all the meds. Its MY opinion that I was much more profitable being treated for the symptoms than treated and cured of the cause. It was ALL IN MY HEAD!! Everytime I hear those words now, those LIES, I am disgusted with how I was mentally and emotionally raped and abused by the medical syat2em for profit!! It's pure EVIL!!

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Sorry you went through this Danandrea

[@kitsunelee007]

I have CPTSD, auto immune disease, bipolar, Autistism, childhood torture and sexual assault, rape, and 10+ specialist because I'm terminally ill. Ren is singing about my life since age 3!

[@ladyethyme]

Experienced that myself-7 years of shit misdiagnoses. Lyme was the whole time

[@Charyl.w.an.A]

Big Hug to everyone ❤

[@TeresaGrimes-qp9ic]

Bless you. Cross our fingers, we went through H$LL, OUR FUTURE HUMAN BEINGS DO NOT GO THROUGH WHAT WE HAVE.💜

[@stephenlane5139]

You're the first person I've heard call anger a healthy emotion. It usually has such a negative view. It's not the anger, it's the behavior that follows that can be unhealthy. Thank you.

[@halesie4285]

'Anger is and an energy' - John Lydon

[@Alan_Duval]

I think it's more often meant that one's way of managing or channelling one's anger is unhealthy, rather than necessarily anger itself being unhealthy.

[@Bai_Su_Zhen]

There is no unhealthy emotion.

[@amyfox9659]

I was misdiagnosed with hallucinations after childhood sexual assault. I was put in hospital psych ward in early 1980's and taught to take pills and be obedience. My body was resistant to all Antidepressants I had been rotated through by the time I was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases. Half of my brain is deteriorated. I had a correct diagnosis in 3 days of MRI after 15 years of flushing pills that made me more ill. I was told to go on early disability and go home. My brain is age of a 90 year old. I have 9 specialists and 18 prescriptions to give me some longevity and a degree of quality of life. A good day is ability to walk. Complete a sentence, and not mess a diaper. But knowing my colon is not working, I've asked for a psychiatrist to prescribe something for anxiety and depression. My body has built a resistance to all of the options available. 😢

[@stephenlane5139]

@Daniela Ferreira only if those emotions lead to unhealthy actions.

[@rikuruohomaki3230]

The fact that you are actually thinking of these issues, with so much introspection and even humility, means you are the right type of person for your job. I don't claim to have personal knowledge or the expertise to say how good you actually are at your work, but that alone speaks volumes of how dedicated you are to actually helping people.

[@TheSyncos]

A large message of this video is we as humans commodifying everything we can. I think Ren's last few bars are about how even though he can see all of this, he's a part of it. To even spread this message he needs to play the game. For what it's worth, Stuart, I think your question of "Honestly, what can I do to help?" is the first step, and I'm glad you're asking it.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Michael. I am very aware that I highlight lots of problems, yet i don't have any real solutions. But we are all in this together, so between all of us we can probably massively help each other.

[@frostfang1]

Yes. Just telling them that you recognize the system isn't perfect, and you don't have all the answers, and that you are working with the resources you do have sets realistic expectations and makes it feel like it's a team effort, not them against you and vice versa.

[@chriswoolcock8907]

It's all a money game

[@dougblask6279]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial Identifying a problem, and getting others to see it, is step one

[@SoULReapR01]

​@Stuart J Randall the biggest problem with that is most people don't give a shit about other people pain as long as they can get 1 up empathy isn't very popular. I like to see a health care professional like you show that ...Ren has a huge heart and cares about people even with everything he suffered through that's why I think he is amazing and will 1 of the greatest

[@TheRachamuffin]

As someone who has spent their entire adult life under mental health teams and doctors because of chronic illness, I just wanted to stop by and say that I wish I'd had the support of someone like you! You asked what you can do, my suggestion would be to educate your peers! If you see that mindset of "just give them another pill" "have you tried mindfulness?" with no follow up support, call them out. We can't tell the professionals how to care for us, and even if we did, most of them would ignore us and put it down to one of our 'symptoms'. We need people 'on the inside' so to speak, who can actively change people's minds about how to treat a person with chronic health/mental health problems, and who can remind them that even though we feel broken, we aren't a lost cause. We're still people. Thanks for the video, I'd love to see your take on the tale of Jenny and Screech, but I think the story begins with Violet's Tale 😊 hope you have a good day!

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for sharing your experience. And you are right, every meeting I am in I draw attention to these issues and try and explore other ways of doing things. Usually it lands well, what gets in the way at that point are individual services policies, and pathways etc so that needs to be challenged too. I have just uploaded my Tales of Jenny etc so check that out.

[@TrueNorthOutdoors.]

It ends with Violets tale, don't watch it first.

[@Parula06]

THANK YOU!!!!! My late husband was a clinical therapist, and he often said that one of the most frustrating aspects of his practice was inheriting a client that had been tagged with and treated for a diagnosis that was flat-out wrong. An initial misdiagnosis is like an albatross around the sufferer's neck, following them around inescapably because all the other professionals in the food chain just read the patient's record and don't question their predecessor's work. Why does this happen? I recall asking my husband this very question. His view was that it was the medical factory model combined with the endemic hubris of the medical industry. A patient, who may not be terribly articulate in the best of times and is certainly suffering and stressed when seeing the diagnosing professional, has maybe 5 minutes with said professional. And that doctor is rushed, plowing through a stupid workload, and may not really know how to be in the moment and listen. Which leads to the second issue, which is the industry-wide issue of medical professionals not taking patient's views seriously. And this continues on and on, through multiple visits with multiple professionals.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Such good points Marty and I agree with all of them. There has to be some way through this, but its going to have to be a massive shift in paradigm. thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@kitsunelee007]

I sent this video to the psychologist who although helped me the most ended up wanted to use me to further his career and win awards but lost sight of me. .......after 17yrs leaving his care he apologized for his actions. I NEVER thought this man would listen to Ren's words let alone apologize. That single apology gave me more clourse, comfort, reminded him of his loss of empathy and use of me to further his own career then decades in therapy. After decades of misdiagnosis(more like incomplete) and have 20+ major surgeries in my brain, Gastric system, respiratory system, neurological system, cardiac system it was found out a cocktail of 5 heart and digestive meds to deal with the fallout. I never thought I would be able to exposed to sunlight and heat(I live in Florida), digest 95% of most foods, sleep with medication and a myraid of other things. I am still forced to take 5 other drugs that destroyed many of my body's systems because I've been on them so long and gone to the most eminent doctor's in the field said my body was desteoyed so young that I cannot live without them in body despite knowing these very drugs are killing me. My only wish is that no other person should ever go down the same path of hopeless and isolation. I'm sorry to break it to some ppl but most people who have actute, chronic pain/disease would do anything to never have to take another Oxy, Xanax, Ambien, or another heavy duty drug that is use recreational lying if it meant we could get our lives back. I'm terminally now because of the sheer amount of drugs and their side effects. I live every moment on borrowed time and I am grateful because if just 1 person doesn't have to suffer like I have it means everything I've gone thru isn't for nothing.

[@BOJACKARY]

Wow! I wish my doc would apologize to me! He is the reason! He deff used me and my insurance to better his career. Maybe I should send this to him. Maybe he will listen. Or delete it. But u gave me a thought. I dont see him no more but I walk past his office allt and I want to say something. I want him to kno wat he did to me. Sorry or not. I want him to know. Ive thought about leaving a letter. I dont have a direct number. I thought oh it won't get past his staff. He won't read it. But your comment may change that for me. Since your from Florida maybe u kno the area? Delray.. dr Rodriguez destroyed my life! To open a Juice bar! And every time I visit. Want him to see me. I think he won't even rem me. But next time I walk by i won't go with out saying my peace this time. Even if I have to make an appt! I'll put more money in his pocket just to tell him off! I wish you the best thank you

[@wcoasttigger]

​@@BOJACKARYyou can do a certified letter. Require him to sign for it. I would do a few drafts to sort out all you want to tell him.

[@CaraMyBeloved]

🫂

[@sanoraray]

I'm fascinated by this. I was misdiagnosed for half my life, starting at 4 when my parents were told my migraines were psychosomatic for attention. Fast forward 20 years until a Dr finally did an mri and found out that I have a chiari with a 37mm herniation. Finding this out changed everything. I wasn't and will never be clinically depressed(hopefully) but I will get down about being in pain all the time. Those two things are completely different. Dr's need to realize that. They also need to be honest. Why aren't addicts taught exactly what is happening with addiction instead of it all being about the feelings of it for example. When I knew why my brain was acting that way it made me feel less broken.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Wow what a story about the chiari thanks for sharing. Being 4 years old with migraines and not being able to articulate that must have been horrendous. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@Truthshouldalwaysbetold]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial The first thing that doctors need to come to understand is that you cannot know absolutely anything here, none of us can. Nothing is known until we come together and realize it. It is ok for you guys to use Google and take opinions from actually experienced people instead of inexperienced idiots who wrote some words on paper to just be misinterpreted later, then claim authority over the subject because they wrote it down. A person's pain is very real to them no matter how imaginary it is. Death is the only thing any of can say is really real and that topic needs to be addressed more, as death should be celebrated as birth is, people should have the option to go out with a bang if they want to. We need outlets for that and psychedelic therapy is a great pathway for that, but we need a societal understanding, and acceptance of death as a reality first. We try to create a world that never dies with never-ending stories, thus creating mass psychosis. We cannot know pleasure without pain and we do not learn anything until we experience the pain to teach us what it is as pain is a symptom of an imbalance. The most intelligent people on the planet are those who live in pain, the meek will inherit the kingdom of heaven and all as pleasure is all they have to look forward to, they have nothing to lose but pain, they have nothing to share except lessons learned from pain. People like to ignore those lessons though as they refuse to accept that they are in pain as well. Existence is pain and until we normalize that and allow the pain to be felt and expressed by everyone in the room, then nothing gets fixed. We will forever be addressing symptoms of problems we refuse to face the cause of. The very first thing that needs to be addressed is the fact that the world is chasing the man in the pointy hat around in circles chasing the planets, creating insanity as insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, this is the rat race, the mass psychosis the majority of people are under. That you can get somewhere better than where you already are.

[@TheNerdyPengwin]

similarly, studies find that people who are explained to that they have a health condition that causes them to crave certain unhealthy foods, they are more compliant in changing their diet than if they were simply instructed to do so for health reasons. when people are treated with informed consent, it works better than medically treating a person's body as if it's some generic person's.

[@fiatkallesdotter]

Agree to a certain point BUT it also important to talk more about the actual mental illness thats behind the addiction and not just the addiction itself. Just treat the symptoms (the addiction) and not the actual cause behind it wont help someone stay sober in the long round.. To raise awareness about this maybe also can help with the stigma about seeing addicts as bad persons and get treated that way (this happens alot in the psychiatry)

[@sanoraray]

@MYTULLIN I should have stated that I believe in a duel approach would be best. The emotions and trauma are absolutely a major factor but I was just saying that addicts and sick people should be taught what is happening. Most addicts don't understand how dopamine works. They don't realize that with every hit of the feel good chemical it gives a small shot of pain to work as motivation to do it again. After time the feel good becomes less and less and the shots of pain or motivation get more intense to the point that the hit of dopamine is no longer strong enough to overtake the shot of pain. I don't like that people are dumbed down to. Most of us would do better if we knew the science behind what was happening.

[@Kevlar-uz4tb]

Hi mate I'm 52 years old and had my first full-blown bipolar episode at 22 ,that's 30 years of lithium. The description you gave of taking medication & and care was spot on. The first 7 years was horrific for my family, friends and myself. I couldn't come to grips what was happening to me and refused to take the lithium every time released from the hospital witch resulted in me running a muck & raising hell all over the place till police would capture me . I've was locked up more times than i can remember sometimes a couple of weeks sometimes a couple of months at a time. The last 23 years I've only had 1 episode and that was because i was of my meds. So yes they work for me , but my life has been sucked out of me. So i go through life feeling like I'm swimming against the tide with aboat anchor around my neck , but it's better than the alternative. It would be nice to feel free again and get back those 30 years that have disappeared somewhere in the back of my mind. Yes i was lucky enough to have met some nurses like yourself and i still remember the compassion & understanding. To anyone who has family or friends who are going through mental illness please don't abandon them, educate yourself on the issues they are going through and just hang in there with them.

[@jodiwest3534]

Have you seen Ren's song Crutch? It's incredible and it's about the struggle of people in a relationship while suffering from illness, mental and/or physical. The song to me is like crystal glass. So beautiful, so delicate even when it breaks.

[@raquelkirst]

I'm 46 years old, had my first episode at 15, your words made me cry, it is like you were telling my experience. It is so Hard!

[@glitchtulsa3429]

I've got a friend that was treated for over 20 years for schizophrenia, before she was tested for Lyme disease. Two decades of the wrong treatment with serious psychoactive drugs, and why? ...because it was easier to throw some chemicals at the problem rather than test for something else. It should be standard to test for Lyme disease prior to diagnosis of other psychological problems.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Complete agree. Thanks for sharing.

[@kitsunelee007]

Exactly! Same with me. I went from age 3-18yrs with incorrect diagnosis and then when the right diagnosis came my entire life changed. All I needed was a cocktail of 5 digestive and cardiac medications to give me back 25yrs of my life back. Everything I thought I NEVER would and could have as a life. I was put on 30 meds including thorazine and halcyon and some of the most extreme and old drugs in existence as a 10yr old.

[@52392daner]

Easier isn't the reason. More profitable.

[@aelwynwitch9460]

My sister was diagnosed with various schizophrenias. Turned out to be HepC that she caught from a blood transfusion bc she lost a lot of blood giving birth. The Canadian Blood Scandal is well known, but docs didn't want to dig for the info to prove it was Hep C. (She's cured from being in a test study for the new drug for it, but has awful anxiety bc of the decades with schizophrenic symptoms). Doctors need to just run everything that could be possible.

[@leighjohnson1203]

Ren watches a lot of reaction videos and this is one I really think he should watch! Ever since I learned about Rens misdiagnosis I have talked to so many people trying to figure out why lime disease isn’t regularly tested for when symptoms like these surface. It’s not uncommon or rare, and many people suffer from it.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

That would be so cool if REN got to see this. Thanks for leaving your comment.

[@yesherabsal6221]

@@TherapistReactsOfficialfrom what I gather in the US where Lymes disease is very common, the medical industry, and particularly medical insurance companies are reluctant to acknowledge Lymes disease because the treatment of it can be very costly. It boils down to money - 🐷 🐷 🐷

[@singingsam40]

I think that the reason Lyme Disease isn't generally tested for is because, once diagnosed, there are few treatments; the majority of which are prohibitively expensive and unreliable, especially in long-term illness. If an illness initially presents with psychiatric symptoms, it's much more profitable (for the pharmaceutical industry at least) to label someone with a psychiatric illness and put any physical symptoms down to stress/anxiety. Money is usually the reason for why and why not ...

[@Ela3t]

If it's diagnosed early enough it's cheap and easy to treat. I've read it can be difficult to diagnose but I don't really understand this because I got it once, went to my DR, told him I had a weird swollen tick bite, that I was tired and had a nonstop headache and he knew right away before the tests even came back. I was really lucky he had experience with it .​@@singingsam40

[@nancyblubberhead7256]

Interestingly, I know more people that have died from Lyme disease and it's co-infections than I know who have died from Covid.

[@jeffwilson3205]

I hope Ren watches this.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

How cool would that be. I’ve seen people trying to tag @Ren before so not sure if that works!

[@jeffwilson3205]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial he does watch a lot of reactions…he might stumble across this, or somebody might forward it to him. His dad watches and comments too. I said the same thing about Dr Nic’s Hi Ren reaction…I think he would be honored to know that his music was used in a college psychology course especially in light of what he said in the Justin Hawkins interview. When he was talking about having talking to fans after shows and how he can’t really help with people’s individual problems because he’s a mess himself…the help is all in the music.

[@Clarkchapin]

Regarding the pig iconography: The pig imagery is repeated throughout many of Ren’s videos and I believe it is firmly reflective of the pig being the antagonistically morphing creature in Orwell’s animal farm where Napoleon the pig goes from being like any other farm animal to one of the cadre behind Snowball who rebel against the farmer, to the betrayer of Snowball and the revolution and eventually he morphs into exactly what the farmer was, seeking the same society, trapping of success and in turn reduces and “dehumanizes” all whom he originally uplifted. The pig is normal man made separate and superior to normal mankind in his own estimations and thus a dehumanizer. Any of us are capable of becoming that regardless of the original empathy or idealism we may have been motivated by. Credential an avid young man and he can quickly rise to be a right prick who laughs at his patients’ struggles. Give Ren fame and watch as he struggles to keep his own humanity and humbleness. We are all pig-ready material.

[@anjeellen]

I have always interpreted the meaning of the pigs in Ren's videos, similarly to the pig's head in "Lord of the flies" The pig's head symbolizes fear, evil and moral decay. It's associated with mindless destruction by mob mentality. It's represents the loss of empathy and humanity.

[@rw9019]

Ren said in an interview he saw the pig head guy in one of his dreams

[@Caketime2]

I see it at the medical systems being a "butcher" of sorts. Feeding off their own species for gain, not caring what it may do to the human conveyer belt that come before them

[@Caketime2]

Lol I made that comment before this guy says the exact same thing

[@caitlinwaud1347]

Ahhh i thought it was off saw lol. You know how the guys is sick?? And uses the pig mask and plays god with the people that were lucky enough to have second chances but ruiend them!??? I thought it was kind of like that

[@rachelk8937]

I feel this so much. I lost a decade to severe mental and psychological symptoms that were misdiagnosed and, like Ren, once I finally got the proper diagnosis of Lyme and coinfections, my immune system was a mess and I am still dealing with MCAS (which is hell). I still struggle to find forgiveness (for my own healing), which is hard when I still come across so many doctors (including therapists) who can’t/won’t accept my diagnosis and help me cope with living with this. The good news is there ARE good doctors out there, but it’s a lot of work to find them. Hugs to everyone struggling.

[@Fairadez2008]

I have been watching a lot of these reactions to Ren and I would not be surprised if his music ends up as a teaching tool. His ability to offer us a bridge cross that empathy barrier is nearly unparalleled.There is a deep tonal resonance that bypasses the ear and hits you hard in the psyche and it effects each listener in ways both similar and unique.

[@flfl2]

Wow. I've never thought very deeply about this before - you've spurred me on! I'm 46 and have lost count of how many psychiatrists I have seen since my teens, a few weeks as an inpatient too... all pushing pills. Wasn't until I was 41, when a young doctor connected the dots.. All that time treating the symptoms, not the cause. That's a long trip, a lot of lost time, and a lot of damage along the way. The medical profession needs to drag its heads out of textbooks. Biology, diagnoses, and medication aren't the end of the story.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Completely agree FL. Might outlook on these things has changed so much between learning to work in healthcare, to then actually working and talking with PEOPLE - which has taught me so much more. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@allybandy3047]

I hope your life is brighter and you find what happiness there is in this crazy world we live in. Through sharing we may find healing of the soul.

[@Veeliscious]

I beleive one issue is that a lot of their education is both sponsored by and put together by the pharmaceutical industry who want them to prescribe the drugs they make..

[@allybandy3047]

@@Veeliscious Precisely!

[@flfl2]

@Vanessa Wood doesn't happen here in Australia due to universal health care (and is unlawful)

[@renaybrown2767]

You are an amazing human, if only most others felt this way! It's easy to judge and react to something you can't see ( the brain) but to be deep enough as you to actually question is an amazing ability, the world needs more of you ❤

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for the kind words Renay.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Firstly, I'm worried these videos are going to be taken down because of all the copyright messages I keep getting - anyone got any advice for that? About the video - I know this video will be massively divisive. It is not my intent to offend, but to open up a conversation about these issues within the medical system. There was a lot to unpick in this video, and I couldn't touch upon everything I was seeing and hearing. I chose the parts that resonated the most with me, and the parts that I hope my viewers can help me out with which I couldn't quite get.

[@jacks9624]

What you could do as a member of medical profession is push (on any and all available levels) for standardization of testing for physical causes, like you said - Lyme, and anything else that can create psychological symptoms. For any new patients before writing down a diagnose into their file, but also for ALL current patients, regardless of how log they have been suffering for. That would help massively. Thank you for the interest in this matter.

[@nerigalvb8779]

I am not a creator or reactor, so I can't speak to how it is with other artists (strikes and claims seem to be a problem there sometimes), but as far as Ren is concerned: He made it very clear that he absolutely supports reactors and wants to make sure that they don't have any problems when reacting to his material. He said at one point (I am sure someone smarter than me can find it) that if you ever get a copyright claim when reacting to his songs, you should just dispute it and he will make sure that it goes away.

[@wexfordgirl1]

I survived Legionnaires Disease 20 years ago. Misdiagnosed like Ren until I went private in UK, because I thought I was losing my mind. However, after that I had a name - Fibromyalgia and M.E. Nothing but MST and Gabapentin since. I just gave up. Was told no tests for it and crushingly, no cure. I recognise exactly what he is describing. I admit, to my utter, utter shame, being jealous of Ren getting stem cell treatment. It is available now but could never afford it. My life effectively ended 20 years ago.

[@michellereed2070]

Stuart- I rarely comment on videos or anything on social media, but I feel it's extremely IMPORTANT to let you know a few things. 😊 ** However, I must apologize & explain a few things in advance. I'm NOT APOLOGIZING for any of the CONTENT of the ACTUAL MESSAGE. I want to state that clearly! I AM APOLOGIZING for what I'm sure will be a punctuation & grammar clusterf*cking mess though! 😆 I have several major medical issues. The most debilitating one (I.m.o. anyways) is an extremely Rare Neurological Disorder (the NON REVERSIBLE form of R.C.V.S. Which is then seriously complicated due to the Basilar Artery in my brain is collapsing in on itself & doing so in an area that is impossible to (safely & successfully) surgically reach & repair in order to widen & stabilize the Artery to increase blood flow to my brain & the rest of my body. Therefore, I have SEVERELY DIMINISHED Blood Flow in my brain, in addition to the many other progressive (ultimately fatal) consequences of the N.R.C.V.S. 🙃 My cognitive abilities (memory, spatial awareness, control of fine & large motor skills, etc. are drastically affected & progressively getting worse in a fairly rapid time frame. I've already lost about 90% of the basic info/understanding of "Grammar, Punctuation & Writing Rules 101" 😉 These are a few of the main consequences of my Neuro Disorder. 💜 I mainly shared that short snippet w/you about my Neurological Disorder to explain why this message will be rife with punctuation & grammatical errors up the Wazoo! 😂 Having said that now, Here goes: I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR AMAZING APPROACH TO HELPING PEOPLE! I wish there were MANY more kind, compassionate, thoughtful, honest AND properly educated people in the Mental Health/Medical Field that GENUINELY care & want to improve the quality of people's lives! MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, STUART!! 😊 There is both a HUGE NEED FOR & IMMENSE VALUE IN the way YOU (YES, YOU SPECIFICALLY) not only "react" to Ren's videos, but ALSO how you make it a PRIORITY to take the time to share with & teach us: #1- The MASSIVE IMPORTANCE of being aware of any/all internal & external signs of harmful/destructive actions, behaviors & patterns that we often display in our everyday lives that we were previously unaware of.💚 #2- You KINDLY & COMPASSIONATELY educate us on the "How's & Why's" of these core actions/reactions in a NON - CONDESCENDING & RELATABLE WAY. 😁 THEN, you proceed to explain to us the REASONS the aforementioned behaviors came to be an ingrained & automatic part of our daily lives in the first place.👍 #3- You CONCISELY & CONFIDENTLY TELL US that NONE OF THESE ACTIONS WE EXHIBIT MAKE US HORRIBLE, WRONG, HELPLESS, WORTHLESS OR ETERNALLY BROKEN PEOPLE! 🩵🩶🩷💜 🩵*A BILLION "THANK YOU STUART!" FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE KINDNESS & COMPASSION!*🩷 IT IS MASSIVELY IMPORTANT TO HEAR THESE WORDS! 🥰 ESPECIALLY, IN SUCH A SINCERE, KIND, CARING, INSPIRING & HOPE INDUCING WAY!!🥹 #4- You teach us what tools we can learn & implement in our lives to change our current unhealthy responses. Then, you patiently & simply explain how to utilize A.C.T. in our daily lives! 🥰 I STRONGLY BELIEVE that SOCIETY is FULL of human beings that are overwhelmed by the severe & constant physical, mental & emotional pain, trauma, isolation, desensitization, etc...that we as individuals have experienced/are experiencing, but also collectively as a Society, are constantly surrounded by & immersed in daily....as well as being more physically, mentally & emotionally disconnected from each other. I fear the definition of HUMANITY is being forgotten & what it truly means to BE HUMAN is slowly being redefined & NOT in a positive way either. 😢💔 Anyways, that is why I took the time to reach out to you. I FEEL & BELIEVE IT'S HIGHLY IMPORTANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS MAKING a BIG, POSITIVE DIFFERENCE!😊💚 I FEEL THAT IT WILL CONTINUE HAVING A POWERFUL & IMPORTANT IMPACT IN THIS WORLD, Stuart! PLEASE CONTINUE DOING WHAT YOU DO! 🥰 YOU HAVE MY DEEPEST & MOST SINCERE GRATITUDE & RESPECT, Stuart! 🙂🩵🙃🩷🙂💚🙃

[@Veeliscious]

​@@michellereed2070 given all that you suffer with, I imagine that must have taken considerable effort to put together- I just want to say how eloquent and powerful it was and I was so engrossed in the power of what you were saying that I actually didn't even notice if there were any grammatical or spelling errors

[@cathryntruebloood3913]

Thank you for this, just thank you. I have multiple chronic diseases, the bulk of them not easily diagnosed, nor seen, nor identifiable. I can recount the number of times I was dismissed, told it "is all in your head", you are doing it to yourself. I also cannot explain the angry victory I felt when my first MRI revealed over 75 active lesions on my brain when the first diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis came in, nor the emotions when a year later the diagnosis of Auto Immune Thrombocytopenia, or two years after those the diagnosis of an infundibular mass on my brain near pituitary stalk and Hypothalamus, or the final diagnosis of the occluded and prolapsed SVC. I cannot tell you how much listening to Ren's music and watching reactions to it has helped. I can also tell you after watching your very insightful and caring and feeling response to his music along with other Dr.'s and professionals and other reactors, I actually reached back out and put myself back into counseling. You matter, you helped. Thank you.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Hi Belarisha, thanks so much for taking the time to comment and for sharing your experience with us. I am glad that my video has managed to help at least one person and it is great that you are reaching back out for some help. Take care.

[@nyxskids]

US citizen here so things might be different than how things are done elsewhere. My mom was a therapist, social worker, & mental health patient (for herself she preferred patient but called the people she treated clients). Lyme Disease is not uncommon in the US and my mom got increasingly frustrated when that wasn't the first test psychiatrists ordered. Many "antipsychotics" were/are just chemical straight jackets. Many of my mom's psych only clients would say those drugs didn't stop the symptoms, they just make them not care about the symptoms. In fact, the woman that started the Certified Peer Specialist position said the same thing. My mom hypothesized that the dulled emotional response made the symptoms seem less frequent. But when she kept track of rate of occurrence in her clients, she noticed no significant decrease in the numbers. Her conclusion was that's what those kinds of "anti-psychotics" did, induce deep apathy. Mom's big problem mental health wise was that she was brilliant and couldn't help how much she noticed about how capitalism combined with politics and forced complicity is rotting humankind and taking it all with us. There is no ethical capitalism. If you aren't familiar with the Boots Theory, look it up then remember that cheap items are usually made in sweatshops or worse. *My mom suffered major depression, anxiety, ADHD, & ASD. But had been misdiagnosed with things like bipolar and personality disorders. Those wrong conclusions were all still on her record when she died

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

You raise some really thought provoking points there, thanks so much for sharing.

[@nyxskids]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial They weren't mine. They were my mom's but I'm glad I got to share some of her insights with someone that appreciates them.

[@rebeccamcguire2798]

@@nyxskids it would help if drs actually knew much about asd women commonly get missed dignoses with bi polar anxiety depressive disorders body etc before they get a asd dignoses i’m 37 and that actually happend to me

[@foreignthoughts5139]

Thank you for this reaction video, and thank you for the reflection on how to not be like this. I went into the mental health care system when I was 6 years old, and it took until last year to find out 'what was wrong'. I bounced (or got bounced) from therapist to therapist, hospital to hospital, attempting to end my life a few times. I've wasted 27 years of my life trying to get the correct help, only to be told I have a plethora of personality disorders, depression, anxiety and 'a rich imagination'. That I'm 'looking for excuses to explain lack of motivation to get healthy', am overly dramatic in the 'stories' I tell and that my affect doesn't match with what I'm saying so the stories aren't believable. In my teens, I was overdosed on SSRI's because I displayed more and more suicidal ideation - I had been molested by a therapist right before that. Then, 2 years ago, I met a therapist who didn't open a folder. He met me without reading my file. He took the time to sit down, look me in the eye, and tell me he would listen to whatever I had to say - and believe me. He warned me he might challenge my beliefs or convictions, but never my experiences. A year later I finally worked up the courage to tell him I had experienced 7 years of CSA. And then, after his encouraging reactions, I told him more, and more, and more. I was diagnosed with cPTSD: dissociative type (weird, how affect doesn't match when someone's dissociating, right?). I'm going on about 40 EMDR sessions now and, for the first time I can remember, I'm not suicical. The system might be broken, but one individual can make a difference. Thank you for being angry. Thank you for being different. Thank you on behalf of all the lives you're going to change, and save, by not being part of the endless row of file-sharing people doing their nine-to-five and then buggering off home. I know it's asking a lot of therapists to always be human, because they, too, need to protect themselves from the horrible truths they deal with every day. But I'm asking it nonetheless. Keep your heart open, make a connection. Being truly seen can save a life. It saved mine. And, of course, Ren is a bloody brilliant artist, and I absolutely adore how he tackles difficult issues. I can't think of another way to express it but that I think he's got music in his veins, heart and soul.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, I think it can really help people to hear relatable experience and I’m super pleased you found a therapist that you can trust. I use EMDR quite often (In fact it was the first therapy I learned and used for years and I just don’t talk about it on my channel at the moment). I find it a really helpful tool for people and I’m pleased you have had some benefit too. Take care.

[@CallyWasHereOfficial]

8:16 A patient cured is a customer lost. that’s why

[@Mindwalker6]

So so true!

[@nicknice2904]

Awesome reaction. Its crazy to think he went misdiagnosed for so many years. Thats really got to beat u down

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Nick for the comment.

[@kristinekarlson113]

Thank you for this honest introspection. I’ve been on a journey for the last 9 years trying to find the reason behind my symptoms, which affect multiple systems (GI, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, mental, emotional). I’ve had multiple doctors openly scoff at me for trying to get them to screen me for conditions I looked up online in desperation. As though I find it amusing to waste my time, energy and money on these appointments. I can only pursue answers for a few months at a time, because it’s really demoralizing. But such a common experience. I hope Ren’s art leads to a sea change in the medical and mental health industry.

[@ozwaltreacts4709]

I did the same thing and it turned out to be chemical and food allergies causing all of it. I’m actually diagnosed with the same thing Ren is, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. If you look at my old reaction videos I was actually trapped in that room. Never got to leave. The reason I wore one shirt is because I was so allergic reactive I couldn’t have any more clothes, bed, covers. Nothing. It was really bad and I thought I would die in there. I have to eat a limited diet like he does and stay away from fragrances like chemicals and I’m mostly ok now. Took forever to figure it out and I was told it was trauma too and tons of psych illnesses. The diagnostics have to get better.

[@kristinekarlson113]

@@ozwaltreacts4709 good luck on your journey. I’m so glad you found practitioners would could finally at least give you a sense of validation. Solutions cannot take root unless you start from there.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

It's so sad that it is such a common experience. Thanks for sharing Kristine and take care.

[@HilPrime]

I feel like I could have written this myself. Definitely been laughed at too. With whatever I have, I just don't have the stamina to keep begging healthcare professionals to care. It's hard not to give up and just be resigned to this life for the rest of time. I used to be bitter about it, now I'm just exhausted.

[@IratePuffin]

Idk your situation and what you’ve ruled out but, if you haven’t, definitely see an immunologist if you can. I have a friend who also suffered for years until she was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness. She’s still not 100% but she was at a point she couldn’t leave the house without help and could hardly walk to the mailbox.

[@yenee94]

Thank you for this in-depth view!

[@rkoz55]

13:11 perfect lead in for Ren's Chalk Outline, the live (not a concert) version is very nice. Ren is not telling about the pig reference, he likes the suspense. If you are looing for another rabbit hole, start with NF's Mansion is about rooms in his mind.

[@nerigalvb8779]

Very much seconded for a Chalk Outlines reaction, I really would love the perspective on that. Plus it is such a great song that displays the vocal skills of both Ren and Chinchilla.

[@ManneyM]

I'll third that... chalk outlines live is an incredible performance, in the same vain

[@wexfordgirl1]

You have to watch his Chalk Lines

[@GneasYTC]

Absolutely, Chalk Outlines jumped straight to mind when you spoke about those effects of the medication. I think it's right up your alley, Stuart. And as a bonus it's a beautiful song, beautifully sung. Careful, though - you might end up with a second rabbit hole to explore! Chinchilla is awesome. Oh, and definitely do the live version.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

NF keeps being recommended to me, I think I am going to have to check that one out. And thanks for the recommendation for Chalk outline.

[@kristiinakapinen2071]

I wish all therapists were subjected to a mental hospital stay - just lock them up incognito and see how they like being the patient. We NEED psychiatrists like you!

[@retsag9977]

I really love how the "Your mind is making you sick" and the breathing exercices are taken as a "Skill isue" like: "your just too dump to focuse otherwise" or "Have you considered not being sick ?"

[@Mike_H76]

This was likely the most interesting reaction/discussion that I've seen to this song and I've seen MANY! I agree with the others, Chalk Outlines though that is a fairly "simple" concept, spoilers cannot spoil any of the art he makes... but you did mention derealization from SSRI's, that's the overarching theme. NF "Mansion" would make for a far deeper analysis, I love both songs... they both have incredible women singing on them as well. Seems the consensus and my only solution is to do them both, I'll sub and wait for them. Take care and be well!

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for the comment Mike and the kind words. I'll check out those recommendations.

[@macj30074]

I’m gonna finish watching this later… but what you’ve said within the first few minutes is SPOT ON!!! Compassion is necessary, but even more necessary is how the patient views you. Can they trust you? To gain a persons trust can take hours or months. Are we (as counselors) willing to take that time to build a relationship with someone who needs help? This is the question, isn’t it?

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Joe. I did wonder how other people in similar professions would take my video. It felt quite vulnerable putting it out but nice to have a supportive comment like that. Thanks for sharing.

[@ToddWBucy-lf8yz]

4:49 just because its in your head don't mean it ain't real. reality is experienced in our minds. I really do love the way you focus on "experience" as opposed to a "correct" interpretation of reality.

[@Kimmy58]

Thankyou, as a fellow RN midwife ( now out and a massage therapist) I feel very sad when I think back on all the practices we were made to use . Also hearing about past patient experiences while they're on my massage table. Sometimes I feel like I'm a silent therapist of sorts, massage brings out alot of emotions at times.🥺

[@SobrietyandSolace]

The healthcare system couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me after 16 years. I figured out I have Ehlers Danlos syndrome by myself. Physical therapist, orthopedist a etc refused to touch me or give me mobility exercises. I had no pain relief or therapy living with constant daily subluxations, slipping ribs, just debilitating chronic pain It got to the point I ended up inviting a stranger from tinder to my house at 2 am who said he was a massage therapist because I was in so much pain I didn’t care if I had to have sex with this random guy (he wanted it unprotected as well) just for someone to do something for my pain. I cried many times throughout. Partly because of pain and partly because the release had been YEARS overdue

[@Kimmy58]

@@SobrietyandSolace omgosh😲 that is so horrible. I'm so sorry that was done to you and you had to put yourself into a potentially dangerous position to get any relief. Do you mind telling me which country you are from please? It's ok if you don't . I'm just so very sorry this happened to you. I hope these days you are feeling much better, but if not...keep up the fight sweetie, you can do this 🥰

[@SobrietyandSolace]

@@Kimmy58 I am in the UK and have been told so many times that it’s all in my head. I had to do my own research and pens so much money and fight to get a diagnosis then once I had it their attitude was ‘well this can’t be cured so why bother with you?’ my teeth are also rotting because I can’t afford extractions under general anaesthetic or for a bridge/implant to replace them and stop bone loss/my entire face collapsing afterward

[@SobrietyandSolace]

@@Kimmy58 once I saw a respected clinical geneticist he told me after 10 minutes it’s so obvious I’ve had this condition since birth he was also angry no one caught it and instead tried to put me on involuntary hold for mental health when I burst into tears at a rheumatology appointment. I literally showed them that all my fingers bed backward asking if it had anything to do with my mystery chronic pain and never mentioned or acknowledged hypermobility at all. Nope that’s totally normal and has zero bearing on pain Then I waiting years to see physio just for them to tell me to go look up KZbin videos. They didn’t even know what something and simple as ring splints were then when I asked for help getting assessed and measured for them by the hand therapy team they said no

[@SobrietyandSolace]

@@Kimmy58 I can’t even cut up my food without my fingers collapsing on themselves

[@TranquiIAbyss]

I like your reaction on this video. You asked what can be done to help two idea. 1. Based on the comments its clear that psychiatrist need to change from "symptom" focus to "cause" focus, with the patients agreement. 2. Join/Create a group that is looking to change/improve the practice like HealthyGamer, which focuses on extending outreach to groups on the internet without a good healing process.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't come across healthyGamer before so will check that out.

[@wintermoonomen]

Wow! I was blown away by your reaction to this song. You did it so well that I was hooked all the way through AND very, VERY informative. I learned a lot watching you. Thank you! Well done! Bravo!

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for taking the time in letting me know you enjoyed it Rad.

[@clintsummers2704]

Respect for your thoughts, and I’ve meet very good ones in my life. I know they’re out there, but I can only speak for the US here, the mental heath system is beyond broken.. it’s sad

[@salishseamermaid]

Really enjoyed and resonated with your reaction! Thank you. After watching a lot of Ren's videos, especially Money Game 1&2, I interpret the last line as an acknowledgement that we are all participants in this broken system, and therefore partially complicit in the very things that are doing us harm. We consume the very resources that we know are depleting the earth and ourselves because we're inescapably part of this massive, overwhelming, broken system. I see it as a cry of anguish at being in the impossible position of recognizing the harm but also needing the benefits. I'm a nurse in a very different field, caring for newborn babies in withdrawal from prenatal drug exposure...and yet, in some ways it's very much mental health adjacent. It is my observation that every addict is treating pain, be it physical or psychological (and often it's both together). In the interview with Justin Hawkins, Ren describes that desperation to find something--ANYTHING--that might help. It's heartbreaking, and entirely too common. Part of his incredible appeal as an artist is the way he gives voice to that kind of suffering (although he appeals in many, many other ways as well). You might like his song Crutch, which I believe is from before he had his diagnosis of Lyme disease. The depiction of feeling your mind giving way is amazing and heartbreaking.

[@krisdavis3888]

Your a badass. Sincerely mean that so few people have the patience to take the time you do to help others like me thank yu

[@daithi1966]

Ren is kind of like Edgar Allen Poe. They both experienced psychosis that would destroy most people, but they also have both managed to use art to express what they were struggling with.

[@traviskriplean3140]

Wow, would I love to see some Poe-influenced Ren.

[@bethmaheu5706]

I have the opposite experience. I was treated for Lyme for more than 6 months, until my immune system was trashed from the doxycyline and I was hospitalized with a bad GI bleed, only to find out from a different doctor that I never had Lyme to begin with. When I wasn't responding to the doxycyline, I was told it was all psychosomatic. Actually, it turned out that while I did have mental health issues, I had a VERY real physical problem. I am a victim of domestic violence. Apparently, somewhere in the 2 decades with my ex, my spine was fractured, which developed arthritis which compressed nerves. 2 more big assaults later and not only was that fracture broken clean through, but I also had a neck injury with damage to my spinal cord. So, I was almost paralyzed, required multiple spine surgeries, and yes...I have PTSD, severe depressive disorder, severe anxiety, and boarderline OCD (the OCD apparently a reaction to having no control over things...). Ren's music is SO incredibly relatable for me. I greatful that I've found his music.

[@niloofardordahan6915]

The psychologist I go to is the best in my town. There are more famous ones with fancier offices/degrees/accolades but this one was referred to as "the best" by my physician. He was not at all what I expected. He worked at a clinic at the time and I went through a test (some sort of picture association) before I even met him. I sat on the sofa, I asked: "ok, tell me what's wrong with me", he looked at me & said: "Nothing's wrong with you. you're just feeling sad". I started crying. I had been to therapists before and somehow he was different. That was the first and last time he looked at a file in front of me. He never gave me a diagnosis. We just talked. After a few sessions, he asked me: "are you comfortable with medication." I said, "whatever you say that makes me better". He said: "That's not an answer. Are YOU comfortable?" I had no answer. Still, he explained that he wants me on a tiny bit of medication to give me enough relief to be able to participate in therapy. He drafted a letter, asking me step by step if I thought the description of me was fair. He gave me a list of doctors, told me to not buy the medication before I saw him again. Next time he asked me what the doctor's reaction was, how much time he spent, and if I felt they were compassionate. I went through 5 different doctors before I even bought meds. I went through a few more during the years. It was truly a group effort. Different medication was needed through different periods. He arranged for this entire orchestra of different professionals to follow a plan to help me. Yes, it took longer. Way longer. 10 years but I was never foggy, I struggled but I could still learn, study, and work on every tiny loop in my mental space that was bringing pain. He has a wall full of books. In our sessions, he pulls one out, opens a page, and tells me to read and say if I feel that is similar to my experience. If I say no, he brings out another book. If I say yes, he brings another book and we work together until I feel like I am completely understood. More often than not I don't fit in a box. It's a combination. We start new sessions discussing if I want to change my answer from last time. He is like that with everyone. He charges less than the industry standard. He doesn't charge if people can't afford it. I am even friends with someone he literally helped financially to start university. I am beyond blessed. The compassion this man has is unmatched. Now the results. Even though it took me long, I now handle challenges and trauma very easily. Not much shakes me to my core. It took long because we built a new foundation and I am forever grateful. Edit: I'm back after 4 months watching this again. I want to add something. I had major depression and anxiety at 17. 12 years later I am living with dysthymia. I have good days and not-so-good days. I just want to tell anyone out there that it was worth it. If you're at the start it may seem like a long road but trust me it is so worth it. I have got the balancing act down. I know when to slow down, when to baby myself, when to speed up, and when to challenge myself. I know all the signs and solutions that work for me. Yes, my body chemistry keeps me at a constant base level of depression but I experience joy, love, determination and so much more. Go on your mental health journey, be relentless in finding a professional that works with you well. Take it one day at a time. Some periods are hard but just have faith in the process. Tell your therapist if you feel uncomfortable in any way and be aware that there are many schools of psychotherapy that work for different people. Find the one that works for you. Don't let people without comprehensive first-hand experience scare/dissuade you with their "advice". You deserve to take care of yourself at whatever pace or form that is needed. You should not feel at the mercy of your doctor. They should empower you and let you be involved with the process. Again, I guarantee you, time passes quicker than you might think and you will get out of the crappy feelings. Regarding meds, give it 3 weeks, if you don't feel better, it's off. Go back and try again until the doctor finds what works for you. Go to doctors who are willing to start small and get you there with trial and error. When things change, the meds should change as well. Don't tell yourself "That's just the meds". They should be helping, not hurting. You take them to feel, function, sleep and work better. If any of these get disrupted,, the meds are wrong. It's tedious but better than living a hazy zombie existence. Good luck and I wish you all the safety, happiness and comfort in the world ❤

[@HelenaDaydreamer]

Compassion and love. That’s the answer.. having compassion towards ourselves, other human beings, animals and nature, only then we can truly start thriving ❤

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Absolutely

[@stevenpeet5009]

I believe that Rens videos/message and yours will both inspire many health professionals to correctly diagnose sufferers. And consequently prevent further suffering, god bless you both.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for taking the time to comment with the kind words Steven.

[@jenniferedwards9005]

Welcome down the Ren rabbit hole..lol. I think Money Game pt 1 and 2 by Ren,will answer a couple questions about what he's singing about. He's so talented so any song won't disappoint, but money game has another message.. honestly any song will be great. Most ppl do the Tales of Jenny and Screech Trilogy, next. Then Chalk Outlines with Chinchilla. Anyway great reaction. Liked and subscribed!

[@dbmyrrha]

How can you help? By continuing to ask that question. It is obvious that you are thoughtful and compassionate, putting the person first. Thank you for that, and for this insightful response to this song.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for the comment dbmyrrha and thanks for the kind words.

[@ndavey7777]

I appreciate your introspective approach in response to this reaction. It shows you care, and are less likely to be a medical robot pushing pills. Am I part of the problem... it's a healthy dose of reality that Ren is helping all of us to ask ourselves. Whether it's Pharma, mental health issues, money game issues we're all bleeding it somehow. Ren has a way of cutting through the noise and spitting facts we all need to hear. I've experienced the good and the bad in the medical/pharma world with a "Specialist" taking a total of 30 seconds in a room with me, reviewing my chart and then and pushing an prescription for anti-depression medication at me. Zero questions asked or words spoken. And having not accepted that, I've experienced the good with a different specialist spending the time and getting me off a different medication that eased the pain but left me in a constant fog (think Chalk Outlines/ and Diazapam songs) and then eventually figure out and solve the physical pain issue with IMS treatments. There was no actual depression or mental health issues only symptoms from having to deal with the effects of undiagnosed debilitating chronic pain. My take away is there are no easy answers, but awareness helps.

[@loganyarborough7783]

What a great prospective! "Rapping with a slit throat" I always took it as the industry pushing artists to death regardless of their mental health and also Not being able to push songs with substance, not just party, money culture. Much love from TX(USA)❤

[@michaelanthony8752]

Genuine answer from a Cal psych major: What do we do? We reevaluate the funtion of psychosis within the context of transcendental emotions such as awe. Level up my dear brother. You are wondrous. We're here to mutually assist.

[@MattsLockPit]

It's refreshing to see a healthcare/medical professional not let their ego get in the way of, or cloud their retrospective thinking! 👏👏

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Matt. We need to loosen up on our 'expert' opinions and have honest conversations with people.

[@SandraP3796]

So very true what you are saying. You become what’s in your file. I’ve also been misdiagnosed for what I have and I’ve never trusted the medical industry again

[@luckisalady1]

As a therapist, I keep myself real for others, being genuine, use active listening skills and really get into whatever my client is relating to me. While I cannot "be" my client, I can seek to understand what they are relating to me and to assist them in finding solutions that fit for them, not for myself. To be willing to actually help others in their journeys is to be willing to put aside our own paradigms and adjust ourselves to others' paradigms. I enjoyed your response. And I certainly enjoyed Ren's song. The frustration Ren went through along with the suffering he endured is permeated throughout the song, so much said in such a short track, and eventual realization in his journey that somehow he too was a part of something he didn't want to be involved with at all was where that journey took him, yes, it always comes down to what is within ourselves that needs a change, love how he moved into that introspective dynamic at the end.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for sharing your experience as a therapist. In my experience, as someone who supervisors other therapists, it feels as if the art of 'listening' is being lost and instead the therapist is hearing the words and working out what model is best to fit the person in to, instead of actually hearing their experience.

[@bob2shred894]

You had me worried that you were about to make me question you with you caveat at the beginning of this video. This video just made me more interested to what you have to say. Thanks and we appreciate your work

[@susannamiscera2401]

I think the last lines are Ren acknowledging that, as much as he could point the finger and call other people hypocrites, he's a part of the system too (since it's virtually impossible to divest from in this day and age) and therefor is to some degree complicit. Loved you reaction! You have so much compassion and you give me hope for the future of mental health care.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Susanna. I think you are right, I think we are all to some degree caught up in a system. Thanks for sharing.

[@jasonbuckley4118]

i appreciate This video, as it is an ultimate understanding of the video and Ren, The video and Spreading this message to find a way to help, question 'What can we do'!.

[@rosetintedglasses72]

Thanks dude I've had some bad experiences in the mental health system and I really appreciate this eye opening and compassionate video. Well said! ❤👏🏾

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for the comment Mel.

[@MsMegF]

I loved hearing your analysis and especially your self questioning. I’m betting you’re a hell of a good therapist! You certainly care…..

[@NaomiKFCHutchin]

I have far too many things to say. Thank you. I have always struggled with my mental health, and in 2020 I fell down the stairs and developed Functional Neurological Disorder. I am so fed up with being told that the excruciating pain, lack of limb control, seizures etc are in my head. I was a careworker with a lot of clients suffering from serious mental health issues, physical issues, dimentia etc. I KNOW that my brain is converting stress into symptoms. I do not need to be reminded

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for sharing Naomi.

[@MissHaotic]

Did you hit your head or hurt your neck when falling off the stairs? If yes, I’d recommend checking Craniocervical instability and Atlantoaxial instability.

[@NewView638]

Outstanding commentary. I walked with my teenager through a similar situation as Ren’s and so many of your thoughts sync with our experience. EMDR and neurofeedback were the most impactful, but much harder to access in the medical system.

[@pennytipp]

Yes, I used to teach kids like you’re describing - sent to us to help, usually by a judge here in the US, but it’s hard to help kids who’ve been abused their whole lives and have seen and lived through unspeakable things that even adults would have a hard time dealing with. I usually found that if you show them respect and compassion, they responded so much better.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Absolutely. That is the main group of people I currently work with. I think Ren has a song (Violets tale) that seems quite similiar to this but I haven't heard it yet. I might make a video about that as its a real area of interest to me.

[@nerigalvb8779]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial Yes, Violets Tale is absolutely great - but please, make sure to watch the whole trilogy. It is called "Ren - The Tale of Jenny & Screech (Full)" and you really, really should watch all three songs in that order. Otherwise, you will miss out on an incredible experience. 100% worth a watch! But with your perspective on things, I believe that "Ren X Chinchilla - Chalk Outlines (live)" is the best choice for your next stop on the way down the Ren rabbit hole. Love your reactions and looking forward to both of these!

[@pennytipp]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial yes, you have to do Jenny’s tale, screech’s tale and violet’s tale full, all three together in that order - but yes, it describes and paints the exact cycle of abuse in all of it’s gritty sad truths. A real eye opener for some who haven’t dealt with it. I applaud you for your work in trying to help these “forgotten” throw away kids. Not many can handle it.

[@ashley_7]

I was in a massive car accident at 17, my pelvis was broken into 11 pieces, the largest shard twisted and tore/damaged the nerves in my left leg and side. They actually had to invent a new surgery for repairing pelvises because my was so damaged. One of my earliest memories in the hospital was being told I was feeling such immense pain because I was depressed(they didn't discover the nerves had been so severely damaged until I went to a physical therapy rehab.) They put me on anti-depressants. I actually had an undiagnosed thyroid condition and undiagnosed autism...not depression though. It took my parents fighting hard for them to look closer. They found a blood clot from my groin all the way to the back of my knee. The reason they missed it was because it was so big. I was nearly killed so many times during that whole time, I was lucky...I had a nurse for a mother and my dad had worked at a nursing home in charge of state inspections for years so he knew exactly when something was being done wrong. I have to wonder though, there are so many people who don't have that kind of backup...what happens to them?? 😢

[@ricci8497]

Loved listening to you talking about this including seeing just how animated and think introspectively hard on yourself as well on how you've looked after others. There are quite a few within the psychiatric system as you are likely aware now that have reacted to to a few of Rens tracks. Many express the same disgusted at just how poorly the acted out health professional is in interacting with Ren in the video is. But many confess to having seen such things happen and cite the fact healthcare be it in NHS system and globally is under funded and staffed with many leaving. Job retention more staff more funding better training better protocols for reporting problems and issues all need to be in place. I had a relative who was a psychiatric nurse many years ago until one of the patients during one of their violent episodes actually broke my relatives neck making them rethink their career path. As for more tracks to react to when it comes to Ren I'd pick Diazepam, Depression and his duet with Chinchilla for Chalk Outlines.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for sharing your experience Ricci, and thanks for recommendations, I'll check them out.

[@Blessed_Be_1111]

I am so elated to hear your personal and medical evaluation of this song/video. Every Continents Healthcare and Psychiatric Healthcare Systems need a major overhaul. Burnout in all aspects of the medical field is at a paramount high. The lack of empathy and motivation has been an ongoing issue. Instead of searching for answers especially if testing comes back "normal" whatever system is affected they slap on a genetic suffix of itis or osis (ie: Gastr-itis) and discharge patients with meds or pawn them off to a Specialist. Especially if it's a Gastroenterology issue and blood work, endoscopy and colonoscopy are all normal. It immediately becomes a mental health issue since the renowned connection was made between (Brains and Bowels). Physicians take a Hippocratic Oath to Do No Harm. Over time it has changed to Physicians Harm because they Do Nothing! When I first saw this video it gave me flashbacks. She played the part perfectly from the condescending tone, slight eyebrow raise, pursed lips and smirk and feigned compassion. I began having physical health issues when I was 8 years old. Nobody ever really thought much about it and brushed it off. I was a gymnast so I was told that was the reason. I would tell the Dr that NONE of the other gymnasts had my issues. At 10 years old I heard two phrases for the first time that would follow and haunt me. "You're Too Young to Have These Problems" and "It's All In Your Head"! I never bought that explanation but I was a kid so what did I know. Still I knew what was going on was real, I'm not imagining it nor am I lying "for attention". I saw multiple psychiatrists and each one immediately diagnosed me with Bipolar 2 because of my paternal family history or they started to combine Borderline Personality with Psychopathic Bipolar Tendencies, whatever that's supposed to be. They never offered any advice or solution they just jotted away on a clipboard pretending to listen until the times up buzzer, hand me scripts and follow up appointment card. I was put on every psych med out there from Depakote, Prozac, Lithium, Seroquel. Each one of them made me suicidal. So instead of taking me off of them I was prescribed what they called a cocktail that was continually increased every week until I was taking 100mg Zoloft, 400mg Seroquel, 1200mg Lithium, 800mg Topamax. I felt nothing and all I did was rock back and forth asking people "What time is it'? Upon their answer I would quickly respond with "I have to take my medicine at _:_". These Dr's feel like if they can shut you up it makes yours and everyone else's life easier especially theirs. Despite going to the psychiatrist as per my Dr's orders. Unsurprisingly, I was still having health issues. Throughout my life I saw countless specialists and underwent numerous tests. Every time I would hear we got your test results "Good News, Everything Came Back Normal". When I would get upset I'd get hit with, I see here in your chart you were diagnosed with Bipolar and not taking medication, this is most likely a result of that, it's All In Your Head, I want you to schedule an appointment with a therapist! Feeling more murderous each time especially since even my family and friends believed the Dr's over me. I finally saw an amazing psychiatrist who was first a Pathologist then Family Care Physician for 20 years. She didn't look at my family history or DSM-IV results she asked me about my physical health! I told her everything and she sent me for blood work and found I had Hyperparathyroidism with severe Vitamin D deficiency. I was placed on a high dose of Vit D and had a parathyroidectomy to remove the 2 tumors. Oh yeah and also I never had Bipolar or Borderline Personality but had one of the worst cases of ADHD she's ever seen. I was placed on a low dose of Adderall and it reacted in the same way an antidepressant claims and is supposed to work. But despite these findings I was still sick. Each day of my life it was always something different. One day my stomach would be distended 3 times its normal size vomiting and passing blood. The next day the bottom of my feet would be covered in hives. Day after blinding migraines. Followed by kidney pain and fever, etc. Just bizarre symptoms with no explanation. Despite most being very visible to others even some developing out of nowhere right in front of people and the Dr's it was All in My Head, (MY MIND WAS MAKING ME SICK) I swear on all that is Holy, when she said that in this video my heart fell into my feet and it was like all the oxygen in the room was sucked out. I couldn't believe it, I knew 100% Ren was subjected to those soul gutting words and I just sobbed. So much of the same indignity, unrelenting physical and psychological pain unnecessarily. I would always say nobody will find out what I have until my autopsy and then it will be too late. I even made out my will and attached a list of all my Dr's instructing a copy of my autopsy report to be sent with my letter stating, I Told You I Was Sick. Frustrated and resigned to the fact that this would be my life. I decided to go into the medical field to give people the empathy I never received. It wasn't until 2015 when I obtained my new Primary Care Physician that I was finally heard and taken seriously. He and I worked together connecting the dots and found my diagnosis or should I say multiple. I have suffered from Ehlers Danlos, Systemic Lupus, Sjogren's, Hypogammaglobulinemia, Recurrent Active Epstein Barr, MCAS, Dystonia, POTS, PNES, Radiculopathy C3-L5 Spine, T6-11 Thoracic Spine Syrinx, Peripheral Neuropathy Arms, Hands, Legs, Feet, Barrett's Esophagus, Gastroparesis, Hepatic AVM, Chronic Vit D Deficiency and High Parathyroid Levels, Osteoporosis plus many more. There are no other known cases where all of these conditions coexist and especially in someone so young! Finally after constantly trying to find an answer for 30+ years I got them. Along with many apologies for not believing me. Unfortunately in 2017 at the age of 42, I became fully disabled, housebound and reside in my bed 24/7. As with many people that suffer with chronic illnesses we get to see the truth in humanity. All of those apologetic people vanish. When you are no longer fun or able to go anywhere or fo anything nobody wants to be around you. Yet on social media these same people are telling others who are sick, If you need anything don't hesitate to call me, Ha! Then it makes you wonder did they mean what they said and it's not the illness that's the problem it's You, they never cared about you, it was only you that cared about them. I have social media accounts but I'm never on them anymore. I have no time for Fakebook or anything else. I've only recently began commenting on KZbin and it's mostly associated with Ren. Such a Altruistic, Empathetic, Intelligent and Talented Musician. When we bond together with misic the world is a brighter and better place! May each of us be blessed with many healthy and happy years❤ Namaste🙏

[@Alan-lt6us]

I'm a mental health nurse of 20 years, many of those years in forensic inpatient units. The longer i worked there, the more I felt we as staff become too focused on the process of maintenance and not on recovery, whether recovery is relief of symptoms, recovery of emotional connection or more "real world" things like a safe place to live, having some form of role again, feeling they have a sense of worth or agency in their life. I saw some very well meaning staff become effectively autocratic guardians, and not focused on preparing a person for a life outside the system. Also, the blindness to only seeing things through the lens of medications, albeit that they have their place, but certainly not the be all and end all. Taking time to talk and find out what the real meaning of a persons life is, their values, their aspiration, is more pertinent than merely symptomatic treatment. One of the things staff would talk about in the staff room or office were like" they aren't engaging, they wont work with us" was mainly because we never really listened to what was important to them, . I for you want any human being to work with you, probably best to work on the things they place value in instead of purely coming from a position of "we know best". I left the wards in 2016, worked in triage and now as an educator for health care professionals, and this is a hill I will die on......TLAK to patients before you dive in with what you think is best (exceptions being when the chaos is too high and the danger to self and others is acute of course). Loved your reaction, you echoed sooooo much of what I believe in so strongly these days, thank you!

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Urgh 'they aren't engaging' is the worst! I am currently working in the justice field (14-18 year olds) and problems like poverty, lack of hope, poor education which leads to frustration and anger then gets medicalised as oppositional defiant disorder and treated with an antipsychotic - because that is going to solve all the systemic problems, and it just puts the problem as one inside the person. I'll be making a video about this soon.

[@brianpharris917]

Absolutely love your breakdown of this, and hi Ren. Helped me I'm immensely.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Brian

[@amandacollins2854]

Chalk outlines is a great place to go after this ,another song about the affects of medication. You could possibly reach out to Ren himself for an interview .He has arranged them with other reactors . It would make a fascinating conversation. ❤

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

I would love if @renmakesmusic joined for a chat. Imagine that. It would mean so much to me to learn from his experience first hand.

[@AutumnsFlameDances]

Well said, it would be a very interesting conversation.

[@westbank5436]

I've came across Ren not even 2 weeks and now I'm the hospital and I keep telling these Doctors to put down your clip board and fucking listen to me!!!! Rens music is getting me thru this.

[@simonhornby5382]

So for fifteen years I worked in the NHS as a 'psychology practitioner', it was great to start off with - I provided counselling and support and was able to 'see' people/fellow humans in all sorts of situations, medical, sociological, psychological, and, I hope, to help them with their difficulties/issues. Having had psychological experiences of my own, I know what it is to be a 'human', and I really thought/believed that I was making a difference, a positive difference. But then things began to change, eventually 'we' were unable to see a person for any length of time, sometimes only once, and not only did the person loose faith/heart/belief, but so did the therapists... It ended up with different therapists seeing different people, yes, with clipboads and banalities. I was trained to listen, to give support, to help with the 'process' of living, and then we were just being asked to fill a role, to tick boxes (literally) and to refer-on. The indifference of the therapist is something I recognise, the anger of the 'person' I recognise, the lack of empathy/congruence I recognise. I'm not sure who is to blame but I couldn't do it anymore, just saying the words, ticking the boxes, knowing that I wasn't helping any more. And Ren, whose expression I admire greatly, has every reason to be 'angry' to be untrusting and to feel patronised and, actually, let down and abused! Agree with your comments, well done, and good luck.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Hi Simon, thanks for sharing your experience. I think people are coming round to this now, and certainly within my own circle of colleagues there is a real push toward something different. Its just hard being so few in such a large machine.

[@LilRedWitch]

A lass who is going to uni to be a trauma therapist like you. I have ren’s experience and it is so refreshing now to have found not only a therapist but a psychiatrist and and entire team of specialist that genuinely care about me as a person not just another patient. We need more people like you in the healthcare system and considering what I have gone through personally is what has driven me to pursue being one of those therapists as well so I just want to thank you from me personally and just thank you in general. 💜

[@jkinney0420]

Sir, you got yourself a new sub! I really enjoyed this breakdown and the Hi Ren also. You asked about what can be done, or what you can do to try and fix the "system". I think the first and most important step is exactly what you are doing. Realizing there is a system, and then that the system is broken? Or maybe it isn't broken? Is it set up and working exactly as planned? I think that question needs an answer also. IMO I believe it is working as intended. To keep the majority of us either numb to everything or making us believe that somehow we are to blame for what is wrong with us. And then outside the medical system everything we are fed causes more division compounding our sickness further. But I digress haha. I respect the fact that you are willing to ask yourself if you have been part of the problem, which I think we all are in some way. But being able to ask the question and honestly look at yourself/ourselves and have these conversations is a huge step towards fixing things. Respect and love always.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks so much for your comment Josh. Your question of whether the system is actually set up as planned (when we factor in the powers at play that actually maintain the system) is a really intriguing one, and one I will ponder.

[@MissMeKate]

I haven't had a single 'healthy' (debilitating symptom free) day in over 25 years. I've been on the receiving end of wonderful medical care and a traumatic lack of it. I don't say that for pity, but to say with a little authority and experience that what matters is that you are listening to people and challenging how and why you interact the way you do. Thank you for wanting to contribute in the best way you can. We can't always be cured, but sometimes just knowing the medical teams are actively listening helps more than you know.

[@MissMeKate]

To address the testing issue you mentioned, the other issue is that even if folk have tests done in Germany or somewhere that is better at testing and treating Lyme, the NHS then won't recognise the positive result. So most patients are then stuck knowing they do have Lyme but with no way to treat it unless they are well enough and solvent enough to pursue private treatment. This includes all the comorbidities. ME/CFS research has been monopolised by psychiatry despite being a biological dysfunction that is classified by WHO as a neurological disease. Patients are currently starving to death in hospitals in the UK because they are too weak to eat but being treated as if it is a choice. One girl was thrown into a swimming pool to 'force' her mind to override the paralysing weakness confining her to a wheelchair. (It didn't work, obviously, but the people who treated her still hold very senior positions of influence in healthcare today, shaping research and directing funding.) Ren's M.E diagnosis was also a big part of why he was denied further treatment. M.E is often shorthand for "we don't know what you have and can't fix it so go away and suffer quietly". Hundreds of times more money is spent researching male pattern baldness each year than trying to help the millions of people missing from the lives they should be living. I don't know what the answer is. I just have to hope there is one. Ren made a video at his lowest that he re-released just before Hi Ren. You might find it interesting as it shows where he came from compared to where he is now. It is distressing, though, so only watch it if you are in a headspace where doing so will not be detrimental. You will have seen the like of it many times.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for the comment and you raise some really interesting issues that I am going to think about further. Thanks for sharing.

[@Mrs.Fezziwig]

I have a condition called Ehler-Danlos Syndrome that has some autoimmune elements in it. My Dad has had persistent and pretty badly managed bipolar and major depressive disorder since I was a kid. After my diagnosis, the rest of our family got checked out and 13 members of my father's side have the condition in one of it's forms, ranging from Marfan's to Joint Hypermobility Syndrome, essentially the worst to least when it comes to collagen defects. I have depression that is well managed but instead I have the dislocations and joint pain. At 40 I need a left hip replacement. The rheumatologist treating me mentioned autoimmune psychosis in passing, remarking that my scores from some sheets of paper I filled out were low risk, although he asked if anyone in the family had mental health problems that just wouldn't resolve. No amount of therapy is going to fix my Dad because his bipolar isn't related to trauma, it's related to poorly functioning brain cells, just like me. In the 80s he almost had Electric Shock Therapy until my mum stopped him and thank God she did.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience Rebekah. Take care.

[@roxannem2208]

Those are all Lyme symptoms. I hope you all have been properly tested for Lyme and coinfections.

[@Mrs.Fezziwig]

@@roxannem2208 Thank you but yes we have. Too many members of my father's side of the family have it to be anything else.

[@roxannem2208]

@@Mrs.Fezziwig but what if everyone really had Lyme? I have 15 family members, yes 15, with chronic Lyme. Several of them are congenital. They were born with it from my sister who had Lyme since she was 14 but didn’t know it. We didn’t know about Lyme until 3 years ago. And that’s when we started testing with proper tests. It’s a crazy thing.

[@Mrs.Fezziwig]

@@roxannem2208 We did genetic testing. All of us have the defective C1A1 gene that controls collagen production so the collagen is weak and brittle. I know there are people out there who have undiagnosed Lyme or had it and are now disabled, I wouldn't know how to term it once it was found. We did everything to triple check. We are in the UK and paid for private testing in the USA to be 100% sure as the NHS genetic testing labs are backed up. There are more than a dozen different defects that cause EDS, mine is known as Type 5, Classified Ehler-Danlos Syndrome.

[@barefootalien]

Shocking. I can relate to this story fairly well. My mother, even more. From birth, periodically my entire body would lock up, and I'd shake, sometimes whining, sometimes totally silent and holding my breath. Again and again, doctors told her she's just a young first-time mother, she was imagining things, he's perfectly healthy, everything is fine, it's normal to worry about a baby's behavior but it's all perfectly normal. Almost three years of this went by before finally, thank the universe, I had one of these 'episodes' _in front of a doctor._ It took him less than a second to go wide-eyed and say, "Oh, you're right. That's definitely not normal!" Weeks of tests and scans later, they put me in an MRI machine. The first one installed in the state, so it's understandable it wasn't their first choice. I'm sure it was expensive, and I'm sure there was a ton of demand. In any case, the MRI revealed a tumor in my spinal cord... a lipoma extending from L1 to L4, fully interwoven into the nerve fibers and locked into the bone as tethered cord syndrome. If it'd taken much longer to find, my body's own growth would've slowly torn my spinal cord apart. I had another first... the first open-spine laser surgery in the state. They managed to resect about 40% of it... not a ton, but enough to untether my spine-most of the time, anyway; it still 'catches' occasionally, which is a super-fun experience I can assure you. They said I had a 10% chance of being able to walk after the surgery, and a 50/50 shot of retaining bowel and bladder control. I _can_ walk, and I don't wear a diaper, so that was my life's allotment of luck spent, heh. In order to access it, though, and make space for the tumor, they had to permanently remove the spinous processes of T12, L1, L2, and L3, permanently exposing my spinal cord to potential external trauma. Ask me how fun it was growing up unable to play sports, take karate lessons, knowing that as I was bullied, if one of the bullies happened to punch me in just the right spot I might never move my legs again... Anyway, as you can probably imagine, that kind of structural modification to my spine has had consequences over the decades. I have eternal lower back pain, I can't stand or walk for very long... I was wheelchair bound for several years as another misdiagnosis failed for a decade or more to figure out why I was deteriorating so quickly. I had "dandruff" and "nail fungus" starting in my teens. It wasn't until the autoimmunity got so bad that the "dandruff" had spread to 40% of my skin, and I'd had both big toenails removed and the growth matrices destroyed for the "nail fungus" and was looking to have the rest taken, along with both thumbs' nails, that someone finally thought, "Oh, I wonder if this is psoriasis..." It wasn't until I started treatment for psoriasis (which, I had to try several cheaper drugs fruitlessly before they'd let me take the one that finally helped: Cocentyx) that suddenly one day a few weeks later, I walked into the kitchen. I'd been in a wheelchair for three years by then, so my mom nearly passed out when she saw me on my feet. Much of my deterioration, it turns out, had been psoriatic arthritis, the darker and lesser-known side of my particular brand of autoimmunity. My immune system wasn't _just_ attacking my skin... it was attacking other tissues as well, including the bursae of most of my joints. It's too late, though; I already have osteoarthritis of nearly every joint in my body, but still, being able to walk and move like an eighty-year-old at 40 was a vast improvement. (continued in reply)

[@barefootalien]

(Part 2) A few years before the autoimmunity put me in the wheelchair, I was in the hospital for a nasty MRSA infection in my left elbow that, at one point, was about half an inch from the decision to amputate at the shoulder, close enough that they'd started to discuss the possibility with me. This was the heyday of opioid prescriptions here in the US and before the current vast overreactive backlash that's made it _impossible_ for me to get any help at all for the pain I live with every day, so I was already on about 300 Vicodin a month, just so I could sort of keep working a crappy part-time job at a bank typing numbers onto checks for later scanning. I'd already lost my career to the progression of my various diseases and conditions, and would soon lose the ability to work at all. See... I was _born_ already in pain. I'd been subject to unconceivable tortures even inside the womb, thanks to my tumor. I still get the pains that locked me up as a baby, though they're rarer since the surgery. Since I was born in pain, and I've _always_ been in pain on some level, I don't emote it much. People who know me well can tell when it's bad, but strangers can't. This has made the terms "drug-seeking" appear in my charts more than a few times. Anyway, so here I am, in the hospital (well... first I was in the insurance company-owned medical center for a 24-hour observational hold before they would _allow_ me to go to an actual hospital, because 'Murica, during which the MRSA spread from about a one-inch infection to almost four, so that ridiculous insurance-owned nonsense very nearly cost me my entire arm). I'm in _unbelievable_ pain-not from the MRSA; having my elbow being eaten away by bacteria, even extraordinarily painful crystalizing colonies like MRSA, is relatively mild for me. No, I'm in pain because I've been sat in a hospital bed for nearly a week, and my back is absolutely catastrophically bad, my entire body wracked with pain originating from my spinal cord. At first, they believed me about the pain I was in, because I had a great big infection that looked like it definitely hurt. But as the infection faded after the first surgery to remove the core and clean out the abscess, the source of the pain became less obvious, and the few pain meds they'd give me started to grow quite scarce. They wouldn't even let me take my own Vicodin from home. It apparently never occurred to them that someone who needed ten Vicodin a day just to sit in a nice office chair and type numbers five hours a day, might actually be in pain. On about the fourth night, I overheard the nurses' briefing at shift change, as my room was near their office area. I heard them talking about how I'd beg for pain meds, but not to listen to me. "He's just a big baby." All hope vanished. My body started to shut down. A few hours later they came in for a routine vitals check... and couldn't get a blood pressure. It was too low for the machine to read. The vein the IV was in had shut down, so they had to start a new one. They tried over a dozen times... both elbows, both hands, both feet, both wrists, both ankles... and finally, as a last resort, tried a jugular IV. They missed. For the next two hours, a full banana bag and a full bag of Vancomycin drained not into my jugular vein, but under the skin of my neck and upper chest, inflating them like a balloon bigger than my head, so big I could _see_ it in my peripheral vision. I moaned and cried begged for help. They shut the door so I wouldn't disturb other patients. I pushed the call button so many times, and they ignored it. Two hours later, they came in to change out the IV bags. I was clenching the bed, drenched in sweat, white as a sheet, panting in agony, sort of half-conscious in a sort of meditative state to tolerate it as best I could. The nurse screamed and dropped her clipboard. "Oh my god, why didn't you say something!? That must be agony! Hey, I need some help in here right now!" I just laughed bitterly. How many times had I 'said something' but they couldn't hear? Because I'm a big baby and a drug-seeker, right? They took me in for an emergency PICC line installation under twilight sedation, which let me get a little rest. The next morning, everything changed. Suddenly I wasn't a big baby. I was the badass who'd just gritted his teeth through having over two liters of IV nutrients and medication pumped into the skin of my throat like a human balloon. If I could handle _that_ pain with mostly just some panting and moaning and sweating, maybe I wasn't a big baby after all. Pain meds came right on time. Not just pills... IV pushes of hydromorphone. The feeling of a drug that powerful being pushed through a line that ends just shy of your heart is... indescribable. Like frozen electric fire spreading through your entire body in seconds, starting at your heart. And then, in the wake of that shockwave of coldfire, the pain receded. Not just the pain in my neck and elbow. _All_ of my pain. For the first, and last time, in my entire life, I felt _no pain at all._ I couldn't even have imagined what that felt like until that moment. I struggle to imagine it now, even though I have the memory of it. I giggled. I laughed. I sobbed. I ugly laugh-cried for about two minutes solid, with the nurses looking at each other worriedly. "I've just never felt not-pain before..." I explained breathlessly before I finally passed the fuck out. I got to experience that no-pain about ten more times in the remaining days I was there. (continued again)

[@barefootalien]

(Part 3) So, yeah... I've had a few experiences with misdiagnoses and preconceptions and confirmation bias inflicting unspeakable torture on me in the medical industry. The insane for-profit American medical industry. I wish I could say that since then, I've been taken more seriously by doctors... but it'd be a lie. I have to 'audition' doctors. It's a slow process. After moving to my current home in Arizona, it took over a year to finally find a PCP who actually listened, who showed compassion. Several previous ones had rolled their eyes and not done anything. One even _fired_ me as a patient, banning me from his practice. I have no idea why, other than that I suspect "drug-seeker" was on my chart, and once that was confirmed by me asking for drugs, he was done with me. That or it was when he found out I'm gay, I dunno. Neither explanation is okay. It wasn't until I once again found myself in the hospital, this time barely alive from pulmonary edema and cardiac edema, that the ER chief recommended my current GP to me... and he's been a miracle. He listens, he's compassionate... he remembers every time we talk that I play Kerbal Space Program, and asks about it. He hooked me up with over a dozen specialists, and while I'm still a wreck, biologically speaking, things are quite a lot better. Now, I don't think any of what happened to me was the product of malice of any sort... I get that doctors-and therapists, too, I'm sure-are humans. That they have their own lives, their own shit they go through, no small part of it at work, where I'm sure they _do_ run into drug-seeking patients sometimes. In the past, they were able to just shrug and give out the drugs because the harm done by that was outweighed by the good done by giving them to patients who really needed them, but now that doctors can go to prison in 'Murica for helping people, pain meds are basically impossible to get. The only way is to go to a dedicated pain clinic, which in this state, means you get treated like a criminal, but... heh, this post is more than long enough so maybe I'll save that for another time. Anyway, point being, right now, the system simply isn't set up to help patients. It's set up for profit and ass-covering, full-stop. The compassion, wisdom, and emotional fortitude of doctors and nurses are all that stands between a sick or injured person, and absolute hell, but... like you said, they're just people. They have bad days. A very good person, who got into healthcare because they wanted to help people, who genuinely still do want to help people, can have an off day, be in a bad mood, and roll their eyes at one patient out of thirty they see that day, jot down a couple of words in that patient's chart, and ruin that one patient's life without even realizing it. The _system_ needs to be set up to catch those when they happen. A safety net to make sure lives aren't demolished by well-intentioned people having a bad day. Even in the UK, in Europe, in places where they've recognized that profit incentives that go against the good of the people are a bad idea, at least for healthcare, mistakes are made and result in stories like Ren's, and like others' shared here. So imagine what it's like in a place where profit margins are legitimately a major deciding factor in healthcare decisions... it's... inhumane.

[@Shastmerson]

As someone going into mental health counseling, I would watch a three-hour rant about it. Because I am also on that other side, being very sick with NO answers and nobody who will listen. Both mental and physical health. You're already doing what you can, you have compassion and a desire to help others, as well as an anger that many are unheard.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Shastina, good luck with your journey in mental health counseling!

[@chrisreynolds1733]

Thank you. You should be in charge of a hospital. You know what's up. You renewed a little bit of faith in health care. I would definately invest in you any way i could. You make me feel like there can be something done about this failed healthcare. Makes me want to be more involved

[@ellesee7079]

Thank you for your reaction, and your compassion. If there was one thing I would wish for from health professionals, it would be for them to understand we are not all looking for pharmaceuticals or procedures, but a diagnosis and treatment path, whatever it may be. I would imagine the frustrating thing for health care professionals is that a lot of illnesses have the same range of symptoms, therefore diagnosis is not always easy. I am currently suffering with 3 apparently different issues, all of which have multiple symptoms, the majority of which overlap! All I want to know is the best way to proceed, and help myself heal, not just fix the symptoms. I think you probably do a great job for your patients.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Hi ElleSee - yes I completely get where you are coming from. it feels like each diagnosis has its own pathway and waiting lists, but then if there is a change to diagnosis then its back on another waiting list. it doesn't feel like a very connected system at all. thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@wallen308]

I've loved all your reactions so far precisely because you ARE human and not afraid to show it. Even when you called yourself out when you apologised for being sad and sharing your tears. I wish all therapists could be more like you, I wish more humans were more like you!

[@newpairodimes]

So many stories like his. I was walking across my apartment floor, and had a fainting spell. I freaked a bit, then had another 5 minutes later. Called an ambulance, the ER said nothing was wrong with me. It happened again 3 days later. Same result. Then they started pushing xanax on me, it calmed what I later learned was panic attacks, but it wasn't until I lost 50 lbs and a year had passed, dropped out of Uni, because I couldn't deal with it, that they tested my thyroid. It was causing the dizzy spells. It took years to calm down the panic attacks. But I learned so much about mind body. And the misdiagnosis of the mind causing the body issues sometimes instead of the reverse has devastating lifelong effects on people.

[@emmamadocs5180]

What a beautiful human you are ❤. X

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Emma

[@LeeKennison]

One interesting note on the reoccurring pig and animal images in his videos can be found on his website. There is an image of a bulletin board, when you click on it, it has a patient report that describes his symptoms. I don't know if it is based on a real report or is a spoof, but one of the things it says is, "Often complains about visual and auditory hallucinations involving figures in animal masks, which seems to have an Orwellian origin due to his affinity for dystopian literature." When asked about the masks in live streams he says he wants his audience to interpret it for themselves.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Lee, it never even occurred to me to see if he has a website so I will check that out, great advice thanks!

[@LeeKennison]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial Glad to do it. The link to it can be found on the "About" tab of his KZbin channel. Not sure how much of the symptoms listed are from an actual patient report, but they all ring true with things he has said about his condition before, including suffering from hallucinations. He is always very open about his condition and treatments in interviews and other comments. He even posted a video he took of himself when he was suffering the most around 2014, pleading for help. He released it just before "Hi Ren" premiered, saying in the comment he wanted to forget about that time, but did so to provide context. It is heartbreaking to watch.

[@richardpruen8247]

Having had a few years stolen by a psychosis related to childhood stuff, basically digging into the past and dragging stuff into the light again while in hospital means I’ve now had years of therapy for something that wasn’t a problem except on one single occasion. Sometimes these people do more harm than good, now I have PTSD symptoms as a result of‘treatment’

[@vikkihumble2227]

doing the trauma group therapy via the NHS at the minute as ive got CPTSD and all 3 dissociative disorders, im on the verge of giving it up as it really does help me tear myself apart as im being told im basically doing all this to myself. Ive been medicated since i was 12 yrs old, i have to fight to not have tablets forced down my throat and its taken me 32 years to stand up for myself. Nice to see a therapist who gives a pooh x

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

That sounds really difficult Vikki. I don’t know much about the NHS group programs (as all NHS trusts operate differently), I do think some of the compassion has been lost somewhere though.

[@ananda-b3u]

You are the type of provider we all need! Thank you. It’s so validating to hear someone within the healthcare system acknowledge how flawed the system is and how it fails so many of us.

[@amyduncan7242]

I'm so glad I ran across these videos, my dad suddenly began having paranoid schizophrenic symptoms in his late 40's. Not one Healthcare worker ever suggested testing for viruses or parasites, unfortunately he ended up killing my mom, was in prison and is now in a nursing home.... Our Healthcare industry is failing humans.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Sorry to hear of your experience Amy.

[@kristinabradshaw]

I’m so, so sorry. 😢

[@amyduncan7242]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial thank you. I've been speaking out about the Healthcare issues since 2013.

[@rovcanada1]

Almost a "Hi Stuart" by Stuart. Thank you for giving us your perspective. The fact that you have a level of discomfort over 'Sick Boi', shows that his message may very well see a progressive attitude on the horizon for the whole field of mental health, especially where it is 'commoditised' and 'monetised'!

[@protarget1]

Great reaction, an insight to the medical problems. Ren did a Twitch Reaction to Knox Hill's reaction to "Animal Flow" which of course is a reference to George Orwell's "Animal Farm" In the final scene where Ren's' outside. The animals are in a triangle shape Ren in front and the 2 pigs just behind him. Knox Hill referred to the 2 pigs as Napoleon & Snowball from Animal Farm. Ren said Knox was right but is more like, they represent, Generals, Authoritarians, people with the power over others, being Autonomous 🤔😊

[@lonesapphire]

I love what you say about how writing something down can make something "true". I have Myasthenia Gravis (and other junk unfortunately) which is neuromuscular. So many of us are told it's all in our heads and are diagnosed with conversion disorder or a functional disorder. A friend of mine even stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated and was told for years she "faked it". She's on hospice now from the damage it caused. She's only in her late 20s. I was fortunate and learned from others who came before me to run when conversion disorder or FND was brought out because once it's in your chart, no one will listen again. I suffered from early respiratory failure myself but I'm stable now. No thanks to the dozens of people who didn't listen. I can't even count the amount of times I started off appts hopeful only to give up 5 mins in when the doctor wouldn't even attempt to make eye contact with me before deciding I was crazy.

[@j.6756]

REN ... as incredible as he is.. would be nothing... like he is... if not for his isolated upbringing, mother's voice training... sickness... and its exploratorty treatments... mostly failled, but a, scary, learning experience, non the less... and for him, one that Ren could channel into his artitistry of song... Success... if he has not achieved it... awaits him... because he is singing about what... HE KNOWS... his life... Our empathy into his pain, is sympathetic with our own PAIN, no matter how brief, or how excruciating, we recognize it... and WE make it our OWN... he sings our song... for us Yes , his breathing exercises helped make him great... as the result of his illness and treatments... he can rap and hold a breath for over 3 minutes... going on 4... because of the... " in... out... in... out... " which he repeats in numerous songs, his smeagle voice and conversations in Hi Ren... his Orwellian references in songs.. his fight for "Marley justice"... his joy to be alive... his work ethic.. to explore his vision and share it to the best of his abilities... these are Olympic qualities my friends... and hopefuly... he may inspire many folk who suffer in their own life... to never give up... rage against the darkness... and attempt a path that celebrates the travails of their existance... so that finally... they too may relax... and take a breath.... and live.... ❤❤❤

[@skeepth7598]

speak normally mate

[@TheDeacon0429]

Hey. I'm glad you got to do this when you did. Sick boi was taken down because of false copyright claims

[@vivienneclarke2421]

It's not just about testing. I live in north eastern America,tested positive for Lyme 20 years ago. It was advanced but hadn't reached my spinal fluid yet. At one point,I was in so much pain I walked like a 90 yr old woman,had brain fog and fatigue so bad,couldn't get out of bed, and all the drs wanted to do is give me antidepressants. I said nope.....I've never been depressed in my life, lol.....I now just get on with life with Lyme,without doctors😔sometimes it's easy,,sometimes it's unbearable

[@Ak-hz1kh]

YOU ARE WONDERFUL, AND HAVE SUCH A WARM EMPATETIC KIND SOOTHING WAY ABOUT YOU TY THE WE NEED MORE THERAPISTS LIKE YOU , HELL, JUST MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN THIS WORLD NOT AS A THERAPIST TY, GET YOUR SHINE ON

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks for the kind words Ak47

[@strangeone3834]

My personal favorite analogy for why unempathetic doctors don't test for things and just give meds to cover it up is this: If you're getting paid for painting over water damage, why would you want to fix the leaky pipe even if you can? Then you'll be out of a job. This is admittedly a negative view but it's from my personal experiences from years of struggling the medical and mental health systems. I really appreciate your input and it is giving me hope for good doctors.

[@fordguyfordguy]

Well this was incredible. Love the song and Love your commentary. new subscriber.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Andrew, glad you liked it.

[@elenhin]

This was brilliant. Thank you.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Thanks Cheos

[@kfluharty]

lol... the word you were looking for was humanity. love your reactions!

[@Ole_Woodworm]

Disgusted with the broken system, psych nurse Anne Clark left her job and wrote 'Killing Time' (1984). Not much has changed since then. I appreciate your honesty.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

I've not come across Anne Clark, I'll check out the book, sounds right up my street. thanks for sharing.

[@Ole_Woodworm]

@@TherapistReactsOfficial It is a "Song", although she does not sing. ;)

[@BOJACKARY]

You are doing everything you can! I feel like the world will not change untill we all come together and make it change. Pple dont realize we have power. Maybe not as one but as many. There are more of us then them. We need to stand up and do it! But I dk how to make pple come together anymore then the next person. But what u are doing does make a change. It does to me. I know u can feel alone but what u are doing makes a difference! Please don't stop helping others. You are the change. I think it starts with u. Reach out to others u trust to spread a message make a movement. Thank you!

[@AmmoBoks]

As sad as Ren's story and mind blowing bad his experience with regards to the healthcare industry is, it has led to extremely creative and genius masterpieces. Obviously I don't want anyone to experience anything bad at all, it's just that in some cases (like with Ren) those experiences are the catalyst for beautiful pieces of art that touches many people.

[@glasweedgian]

Their will be millions of story's like this all over the world.. but maybe don't think they have the voice or talent to be heard due to their illness ? .. Why Ren should be shown to as many ppl as possible that it can be done and you can make a inpact for the greater good.

[@TherapistReactsOfficial]

Yes I can't argue with that! I think Ren said something along the lines of he wouldn't be writing in this way if it wasn't for his experiences, and I guess we will never know what he would have produced, or the path he would have taken if he hadn't. It's still heartbreaking though to see people suffering. Thanks for commenting.

[@Microplancakes]

My goodness!! I have to apologize to you wholeheartedly!!! I starting thinking is Ren fans should start calling ourselves RENegades, but it was after I’d seen this video of yours for the first time!! (This is my second view…) I give full credit to the RENegade name to you!! Rock on, my friend, and please forgive me for accidentally taking your idea