Let’sTalk About Mental Illness

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#depression
#anxiety
#panicattacks
#mentalillness

[@RVDebsJourney]

Thank you for sharing your true self with us. It is rare and appreciated. You might just be the thing someone is needing. Good video

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Thank you Deb. My favorite quote is “Be kind. Everyone you know is fighting a hard battle.” Plato I think that is very true and when you have to keep your battle hidden it makes it worse, a heavy burden. Everyone has got something going on much of the time. I will see you tomorrow night at your “live.”

[@grtex-tk1ok]

Thank Carol for sharing. May you be blessed in all that you do. You do not realize the courage you have within yourself. You are a survivor. Keep up your self esteem when it that. 👌

[@bostonterriermomakasandy9722]

Hi Carrol thank you for being so open about your mental health. I really enjoy you channel.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Thank you so much Boston Terrier Mom. I really appreciate you leaving a comment.. makes me feel like I’m not just talking to myself. 🙂

[@KimberlyCreates]

It is so refreshing that you are tackling this head on... thank you for the conversation! Hi Toby & Molly!

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Hi Kimberly, How are you? I hope you have a wonderful weekend. If we talk about it maybe there won’t be such a stigma and more people get help.🙂. I’m glad you visited me today?

[@KimberlyCreates]

Plain Vanilla Grandma I know it! It’s awesome of you to do! So happy to meet you as well ... I appreciate you visiting my channel, too! You are very sweet with your puppies 🐶 ❤️ happy Saturday!

[@sandip2287]

I was a cutter. I did it when my due date came around after our miscarriage. It was our first anniversary and mother's day all at the same time. I wrote a letter to the school nurse where I was working and told her. She got our principal and she took me to the emergency crisis center. There, he determined I wasn't trying to kill myself. For me, the physical pain made the emotional pain almost go away. They set me up with therapy. I started going 3 or 4 days a week. Eventually, twice, then once, then every other week and finally once a month...after a year he released me. I was never declared depressed, because I wasn't. He determined I have severe separation anxiety, and that there really is middle child syndrome, and I'm a "perfect" example. We handled everything without drugs, but was taught coping mechanisms...#1 being...talk! Tell people how I feel!!! This got me through so much through the years. Who knew that years later I'd develope this lovely anxiety that I now deal with.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

That is how my kids’ psychiatrist explained it to me... that the physical pain gets their mind away from the emotional pain. I’m so sorry you were a cutter but hallelujah that you had people at school who immediately got you help. You were one of the lucky ones who had people taking charge to get the help you needed. I’m so glad you were able to get therapy. Most people don’t understand the value of talk therapy. I’m glad you could talk to me. I definitely understand anxiety. I am very familiar with the “fight or flight” mode. 🙁. Hang in there, Sandi.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Sandi P Sandi, I am also sorry you lost your baby. I have miscarried too. I can understand why your emotional pain was so devastating. It is just wonderful that you were taught coping skills. I know nothing takes the pain away but at least you have tools to cope. I’m sending you hugs.

[@claudiarobinson9888]

You are amazing! The more I get to know you, the ,more we have in common.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Hi Claudia, How are you? I know things aren’t easy but keep hanging in there. Thank you for playing the brain games with me. I especially like Word Blitz. 💕

[@claudiarobinson9888]

@@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol i,enjoy playing with you. Mark and I play scrabble. We used to play daily. I am having a headache that lingers.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

I’m sorry you are having headaches. Rest all you can.

[@claudiarobinson9888]

@@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol I'm proton to migraines, but I have degative disk disease in my neck. I wake up after I hear pops in my head. On my last MRI, my MS doctor said looking at my neck, that it looks like 2 different people. I use a frozen water bottle or a ice bag. Do you like pomergraints? I know that is misspelled. Did the child that was a cutter, did she ever tell you why? I was biter. I would bite my thumb so hard I would leave teeth marks. I never broke the skin. When I was 11, I would hit myself in the stomach or head because I was frustrated.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Bless your heart. You have so many trials to deal with and I wish I could ease your burden and your pain. I care. Actually I had two kids that cut. Both are bipolar. They went through incredibly hard times before we got the right medicine combination and enough in them to help. The psychiatrist told me they do it because their emotional and mental pain is so horrid that they cut as a kind of release and that takes their mind off of the craziness in their head for a moment when they feel that pain. The problem was that they had to cut deeper each time to get the same affect. He told me that with medication and therapy and time either they would stop or one day they would cut way too deep. It was a scary scary scary time for me and for them. I used to eat pomegranates but I haven’t had one and oh 30 years probably.

[@tidbitsofmylife2367]

Thank you for speaking about this. I have anxiety problem but my son has the same diagnosis as you. Started 9 years ago out of nowhere at 19 complete bipolar schizophrenia episode. Thank God after much medication and being in hospital several times he has done well the past 2 years. Proper medication is a must, counseling is great to be able to speak to a professional that sees mental illness patients. There are so many that suffer with suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety that I think it’s getting better that brave people like you are making people aware. Thanks again sweet Carol. Love your pups I’m a major dog and animal lover. I think they help with my depression. 😀

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Dear Marnie, Thank you for your comment. Anxiety can be so difficult to live with- I understand. I also understand how you feel as a mother when your child is so sick and it is beyond something you can make better with a kiss, chicken soup and Tylenol. It is scary to watch your child go through something so horrible. 3 of my children are bipolar. Our family joke is that we should just have a suite with our name on it at the local mental hospital. I am glad that your son is doing so much better. When my son was about 15 his therapist told me if we can just keep him alive until he reaches 21 or 22 that is when the medicines work best. Before that age there’s just too many other things going on with your body. I pray your son just gets better and better.

[@nova8538]

Hi Carol, I love listening to your stories

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Nova Hi Nova! How are you doing? I would love to hear about your home in Ireland. Do you live in a city or in a little village?

[@nova8538]

@@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol in a small town Carol. It's about 30mins from Galway city.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

What do the houses look like? I’m picturing cute little cottages with lots of flowers around them.

[@mollymcgregor6379]

Carol, thank you so much for sharing this...I, for one, did need to hear this. You're a sweet lady that I will for sure keep visiting. :-)

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Hi Molly, Thank you for your comment and especially for telling me you needed to hear this. If you ever need to talk just let me know.

[@resellingandthrifting]

I grew up with mental illness too. My mom schizophrenia. And for the last 25 years I've had panic attacks and anxiety. Horrible. So i feel ya.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Then you know exactly. There are a lot of us.

[@resellingandthrifting]

@@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol yes

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

I always forget things so let me add: 1. I may have already told you my mental illness story but I didn’t think to go back and look in my previous videos and you know how my memory stinks! 2. I knew my friend that passed away was on a generic drug because after she passed her mother told people she was taking this medication and it did nothing for her. 3. I decided not to make my thumbnail a picture of me preparing the soup because Duh! A photo of chopped up veggies with the title of let’s talk about mental illness would be crazy!🙄

[@darlenegillespie1883]

I just love your channel. I think you are so sweet, but sincere, and you keep it real!

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Darlene Gillespie Hi Darlene, Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how much comments like yours mean to me. I never really expected anyone to approve, want to watch, find any value in whatever I say. Thank you so much, Carol

[@yocelin1087]

Thanks for this informative video. It came just at the right time as I am experiencing this for the first time with a very dear family member. I want to help her but I just don’t know how. It’s very heartbreaking seeing someone you love suffer like this.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Just love her, be there for her, pray for her. When my kids first started treatment a psychiatrist told me something very important... you can’t be rational with an irrational person. It will only stress you out. You can’t change them but you can be a friend to them, hug them, be there for them if they will let you. It is a very isolating disease. One of the things that touched me the most was a card and a note from a friend.

[@dancingrabbit5842]

I am so sorry you've had to deal with this. I had an aunt who was given electric shocks at the state mental hospital years ago, and more recently my sister (who has made several serious suicide attempts through the years), well, she's finally on disability with two very serious psychiatric diagnoses - and denies she's sick, refuses to take her medications, and only sees psychiatrists when she's forcefully hospitalized. Let me just say I have some understanding of how difficult a road you've been on. It's very important that you've talked about this. Thank you.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Hi Reluctant, Just love your sister as best you can. Unfortunately her story is way too common... not taking meds or believing they are ill. I am sorry it is this way for her. 🙁 It is not “her” thinking this way, it is the effect of the diseases taking over. Pray for her to have peace and a clear mind so she can get treatment is probably the only thing you can do for her. Thank you for leaving a comment and for watching my video.

[@loiscampbell3510]

Mental illness is so devastating, Carol. My mom was mentally ill (undiagnosed in the 40-50's). I'm unsure of the type. All I know is she never showed me (the youngest of three) any affection. Maybe that's why my dad fawned over me. Mom left one day when I was about nine - leaving us in the care of my dad and it was never spoken of. My older sister (deceased) was also mentally ill and hospitalized at one time. Her daughter who I raised as my own is bi-polar and has severe self-harm episodes when her meds need adjusting. She's under psychiatric care and then there's my older brother who is bi-polar and has been most of his life. I suffered much abuse at his hands when I was little. He didn't get help until about 10 years ago. I thank God every day that it skipped me though I do have a mild depression that comes and goes.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Oh Lois, I am so very sorry. I understand about your mother. My dad never ever said one kind thing to me ever, nor ever, ever touched me in a nice way. No one ever said “I love you” to me until a 15 year old boy. I am thrilled that it skipped you but actually it didn’t... you have suffered the effects personally by living with people with it and by raising your niece. Thank God she has you.

[@loiscampbell3510]

@@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol What a sweet thing to say, Carol. When my brother met his future wife (1956 or so) and she began interacting with our family (including my grandparents), she said, "What's with you guys? No one ever says they love each other or hug or ANYTHING!" which was the opposite from HER family. It took years and years but Dan and I now say, "I love you" whenever we see each other or talk on the phone. He's 82 now and in poor health. I doubt we'll ever see each in person again because we live on opposite coasts. I've ALWAYS been the one to do the traveling and I'm not up to it anymore. So, I call him now and then.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Lois Campbell i have told you no one said “I love you” but I failed to include that there were no hugs or anything. I had to learn to become a hugger. 🙂I have a brother 16 years older than me so that would make him 82. I haven’t seen him since our mom’s funeral in 1992. The only contact I have with him is that we play Words With Friends together and an occasional email. I know I will never see him again as he had cancer. We do, however, always say I love you but that didn’t start until a few years ago.

[@MemphisMower]

You made a good point with the generic medicines. I thank you for telling your story, because it helps others. Thank you

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

MemphisMower Hello MemphisMower! What is the weather doing in TN? I watch some other KZbin channels and see videos from TN. It looks so pretty. Where I live we don’t have trees like that.

[@MemphisMower]

Plain Vanilla Grandma I live in the Memphis area. The winter has been very mild this year, no snow yet. Looking at all the KZbin videos of snow up North makes me want some snow.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

MemphisMower I am glad you are having a mild winter. I’m sure plenty of people would like to send you their snow.😁. We haven’t had much snow either. Where I live in Texas it seems to be feast or famine... no snow or we are snowed in with a couple of feet. I like snow except it always causes so many wrecks. Have a good weekend!

[@randomtammy1444]

I've dealt with depression most of my life myself. I'm surprised that counselors at my high school didn't pull me aside because when I was taking a speech class that's all I would stand up and talk about was suicide. And when I was 19 I believe, I found my mom. She had taken a lot of her pain medication. What set her off was her illness that caused a lot of physical pain and the fact that some people are saying some awful things about her where she lived. That's not something that you want to come across.. it's horrible. But I really believed that she was supposed to live longer because when I pulled up into her apartment complex, I did not see her car and almost turned around and left but something said to go up a little bit further and I saw her car parked between two other cars. I found her in time. So it can be a very devastating experience and yes my mom was always smiling and laughing even through her pain but I think she just had too much at one point in time.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

TamTam's Crafts and More Oh Tammy, I can not imagine finding your Mom like that. I am so sorry. I am also sorry a teacher or a counselor didn’t reach out to you. That is crazy that they overlooked it. 😯. You are a very strong woman to have had so many things to deal with and turn out to be the wonderful person you are. If you ever need to talk I’m here.

[@randomtammy1444]

@@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol Thanks 😊... I'm glad you talk about a lot of personal stuff. We all go through our difficulties but yet we feel so alone. This world would be a much better place if we all supported each other.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Exactly -- we feel so alone.😞

[@mariacastillo3090]

Hi. I’ve suffered from anxiety, depression and severe panic attacks since I was about 11. Im 55 years old now. A loooong time. But you know I never had any suicidal thoughts. If anything I was terrified of going crazy or dying from the illness. I too love reading books but my memory is getting really bad. Uuugghhh. I too can only afford generic drugs.

[@NonaMaryGrace1952]

Hello Carol, I've been watching your videos because I needed to catch up and this one was a really good video I like the longer ones and I'm crocheting as I listen to you and you did a great job thank you for sharing your experiences💕. NonnaGrace

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Hi NonnaGrace, I wish I could show everyone your LEGO afghan. Oh wait... I can! In my next video I will ask everyone to go to your channel.

[@BadAss15-60]

Hi sweetness Carol. It’s me Ann in east coast Canada. It’s supposed to be very frigid here today (the 17th). And one of my dolls turns 9 months old today the 17th.

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Hi Ann. Happy birthday to your doll. My birthday is at the end of the month. Stay warm up there. 💕

[@BadAss15-60]

Plain Vanilla Grandma carol, may I email you?

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Yes. My email address is in the description

[@BadAss15-60]

Thanks carol. I’m put my KZbin name in the subject line so you’ll know it’s me.

[@resellingandthrifting]

You can do lives now. Just use the streamyard app. 👍🏼

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

I will see if I can figure it out. I tried to do a live but I got a message that under new guidelines I am not yet qualified or something but I don’t know what I’m doing and as I said my comprehension abilities are not good. I will try to check it out. Thanks!

[@tamsondarland8951]

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕😇

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

💕💕💕💕💕👍

[@darlenegillespie1883]

[[[hugs]]]]

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

Darlene Gillespie Hi Darlene, Hugs right back to you. 🙂

[@grtex-tk1ok]

You said that you crashed. What were you referring about. Was it attempted suicide?

[@PlainVanillaGrandmaCarol]

No, not attempted but I had a plan. I started bawling and cried for hours that day. I was afraid of myself. Went to the Dr and they said they were going to have someone take me to the hospital (I don't remember if she said police or ambulance) but I told her I had to go home first and get some things... 3 of my kids have been patients in the mental hospital so I knew what I would need) and she tod me if I didn't check in at the hospital within 30 minutes the police would come find me and take me. I was there 7 days. Usually they send you home after 3 days.