Reacting to Schizophrenia Memes!

Rob gave me schizophrenia memes to react to. I think there can be therapeutic value to finding humour in difficult experiences like navigating living with schizophrenia. Let us know your thoughts on this video in the comments below!
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#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #schizoaffectivedisorder #mentalhealth #mentalillness #memes

[@LivingWellAfterSchizophrenia]

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[@sunflowerspirited4974]

Once a nurse told my schizophrenic friend that she should just put headphones on if the voices are too loud. I have schizophrenia too and we both laughed about it when she told me😂 I feel like this applies to the “psychiatrist suggests ignoring the hallucinations” meme lmao

[@gonderwoman]

To be fair, I work with people who have schizophrenia and some of them find music/loud headphones to be a coping skill when the voices get really loud or are being really mean. On the flipside, I've had a couple tell me music makes it worse. I have bipolar with psychotic features (always wondered if it's schizoaffective) and music can help my auditory hallucinations. But if I pick the wrong music, it can send me spiraling.

[@LAnimeMaster]

@@gonderwoman If you don't mind me asking, is it specific types of music that helps or make it worse? Or does it depend?

[@gonderwoman]

@@LAnimeMaster I think it's probably individual. I have seen that hardcore music, like metal, tends to amp people up which is generally not ideal depending on the type of psychosis they have. It tends to be anger based and not core feeling based (sad, scared, lonely, etc). When I'm hearing voices, which are generally really, really mean and commanding when they come on full fledge, I have found that sadder songs ironically help me the most. I know that also has been the case for some clients. Those kinds of songs are relatable and can normalize the emotions we, as humans, feel. I love some angry "fuck you!" music too but have found it does not help my clarity. On the flipside, when I would self harm, I had go to albums I would play as I broke down. Sometimes what works one day won't work the next either which is where it's helpful to have a toolbelt full of coping skills, at least 1 person you trust to reality check with, and even learning to talk back to the voices to leave you alone. I have had many clients screaming and crying in their rooms to "leave me alone" and I remind them how strong they are for sticking up for themselves. I think it's especially hard because we all experience the array of symptoms so differently. My baseline is seeing shadow people, hearing my name being called, and music playing. Others constantly have nonstop talking that gets exhausting, especially if they're not friendly. With all coping skills comes trial and error though.

[@julianstanev3772]

Feels the same when people say to me (who has ADHD) to just try to concentrate or just socialize and look at the body language (I am with Asperger’s). So kinda relate.

[@LAnimeMaster]

​@@gonderwoman Thanks very much! You're right that it will differ from person to person as everyone is different, but I found this very informative as well. I think music can be a powerful tool which is why I was curious as to how it worked for you. It's not as straightforward as you said, but this was enlightening. I agree that you need a toolkit. I tell this to my clients as well. The fact that the symptoms can vary from person to person is why it is so important to take an individualized approach. There is no one-size fits all. And just as you said, what worked one day may not work the next. Thank you again.

[@1219monique]

My daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia this summer and you give me hope that she will have a normal life

[@therockmannorl]

We don't live normal lives and honestly I'm glad. I'd love to not have to deal with a lot of these symptoms, but my life won't ever be normal and I'm happy about that. I really hope you find a new perspective on this before you seriously hurt your daughter emotionally.

[@realrafafan]

@@therockmannorl ughh why so nitpicky on the wording choice. I think she just means her daughter can have a productive life

[@miglek9613]

@@realrafafan you give too much credit to the parents of mentally ill children (and most parents in general) if you think that's likely to be what she meant

[@liv0003]

@@realrafafan productive?? what the hell does "productive life"mean? I think HAPPY is the right word to use here. I hope her daughter can find happiness in life which is all that matters after all.

[@iwishiwasamyduncan4797]

@@realrafafan if u are a child w mental illness you know that there’s a part of this comment that really means palatable to the parent and others

[@Twinkie989]

The nurse costume trauma is real. I was coming out of anesthesia after surgery, and I had trouble breathing so I was gasping for air. One of the nurses suggested giving me something to relax me and I snapped out of anesthesia to scream, "No! I'm not anxious. I just can't breathe. No meds." Then I passed out for another 4 hours.

[@shalacarter6658]

I had opposite problem. I kept begging for more meds after I had my knee replaced and the nurses kept saying they did not want me to stop breathing. Choice, choices.

[@Twinkie989]

@@shalacarter6658 It's all about self-preservation. This was actually huge for me to fight for my life. Shows how far I have come.

[@marlenebtagelman2451]

!

[@kingmasterlord]

sounds like you were sedated to the point of respiratory distress and that nurse tried to kill you

[@steeal_wizzard4399]

While I do understand making fun of the illness is bad, I like to look back at past episodes and kinda laugh. I just recently had a delusion that I was to find out a plan to fight the dark elves. Its much more fun to laugh at my crazy (sorry bad word) than look at it and ruminate over what happened. I'm really happy it is a skill that I learned before my symptoms became psychotic.

[@หัวหอม32]

I think laughing at ourselves really help, I have a "friend" who can't laugh at themselves and they keep spiraling into darkness and self hatred

[@sav2823]

Sometimes laughter really does help. I don't have schizophrenia but I have OCD. My junior year I was really struggling with school so I'd be up for hours doing homework. I accidentally deleted a t, then retyped a new t. I then controlled z until the old t was back because the new one "felt homophobic". When I realized what I just did I laughed and I still find it funny. OCD sucks but it can lead to some amusing moments occasionally. Honestly probably how it is with most disorders

[@SilkyLew]

@@sav2823 I'm not going to lie. The t being homophobic made me actually laugh out loud 😂

[@sav2823]

@@SilkyLew Good because when I usually tell this story everyone just looks concerned 💀

[@justachannel8600]

Must ... resist ... pretending ... to ... be ... a ... dark ... elf.

[@Velvet_wings908]

I don’t live with schizophrenia but I have OCD, depression and mood disorder and I can still relate to these things. Sad and funny at the same time. Thanks for sharing

[@JanniGuldeIversen]

Yeah, with depression and anxiety, some of the memes were relatable for me as well. Especially the "Have you tried just not.." theme... The amount of people I've had to tell "If anxiety listened to logic, it wouldn't exist" is already to many to count. I'm guessing it's relevant for most mental disorders, mental illness, neurodiversity, personality disorders etc.

[@Velvet_wings908]

@@JanniGuldeIversen yes. Or my favorite question with depression: ‘why don’t you just cheer up a bit and have fun?’ I don’t even have the energy anymore to answer that…

[@EddVCR]

I don’t have schizophrenia either, but I suffer from severe chronic depression and I’ve been hospitalized for it. I too can relate to a lot of these memes. To me, it’s comforting seeing them because although a lot of them are sad, it makes me feel seen and less alone. Plus, it’s always good to have a little laugh!

[@emilily6513]

Same

[@janefuller1737]

I gained 40 lbs.

[@AL-fl4jk]

A lot of these are depressive reactions to just coping with a mental illness, not just schizophrenia. I’ve suffered depression for a long time and was always trying to as good as my high powered friends’ careers and one of the most impactful things a counsellor ever told me was “if getting up, showering and brushing your teeth feels immense and you do it, you should feel good about having done something immense”

[@KssN27]

I’m mentally ill from an immediate family of mental illness & am becoming a psych nurse practitioner. I’m already beaten down by the system as a client and provider & scared that I can’t make the idealistic difference that drove me to get an advanced degree in the first place. I didn’t realize HOW uninformed people with whole ass medical and related degrees & tremendous experience could be regarding what it’s like and how to respond. I’m really grateful to be trucking along, thank you for the insight and vulnerability ❤ Edit: I’ve absolutely LOVED reading all your comments I feel so seen and have laughed real good

[@CaseyWatchin]

I'm doing the exact same thing. I try to educate coworkers who are receptive to it. I was also shocked at how ill the people IN the field are and unaware of it. Wild.

[@kingmasterlord]

@@CaseyWatchin they're drawn to it. "I'm not crazy, _you're_ crazy!" meditation and self-reflection should be mandatory for practitioners in this field.

[@andynonymous6769]

@@kingmasterlord I thought you said medication at first 😅 Like yeah now you know what it feels like!

[@nicholaslandry6367]

@@andynonymous6769 🤣🤣🤣

[@youareallalonenobodylikesyou]

My mom has schizophrenia and I'm prone to schizophrenia. Both me and my mum take seroquel. I take seroquel for anxiety amd OCD and she takes seroquel or more specifically sequelia and I unfortunately could also relate to some of the memes because I've been put in a children's psych ward. Learning about my mother's life and potentially my future life, is very interesting and I find it comforting. I find it comforting knowing what to expect and that we're not alone.

[@shalacarter6658]

amen

[@iramage2235]

just throwing in a random bit of info: quetiapin/seroquel are DAO inhibitors or Histamin liberators, I don't remember what mechanism is activated, but that's one aspect of the meds that makes people tired on it cuz the histamine levels rise on it.

[@youareallalonenobodylikesyou]

@j whatever happens, make it your number one priority to take all the right medication that your psychiatrist has prescribed you and limit stress. As long as you take your medication and you don't have much stress in your life you'll feel better and it can be controlled more easily!

[@youareallalonenobodylikesyou]

@j I wish you the best❤️

[@sabbynim]

I just love seeing Lauren so happy.

[@marlenebtagelman2451]

The person I know with it is an alcoholic. I want to be happy.

[@Youmadfornoreason]

When I found out that the positive symptoms weren’t good I had the same reaction

[@shalacarter6658]

I was so excited in Lauren's video when she talked about positive symptoms. Well, at least I did not have to wait very long to find out what they really were!

[@bestBroLuigi]

I really liked most of the memes. One of the best things about my husband is he taught me how to laugh about my disorder. My parents freak out about it, which is normal for worried parents, but that made me feel stressed and self conscious that I was different. Now with my husband we will just make jokes about things like, oh no that show might have given me another idea of some delusion, for example, and he'd say something along the lines of how he'd just say something back to me to put me in a "better" delusion. That might not make sense, but basically during my last episode, I kept thinking I needed to hurt myself, which I never did, I would just ask if I should do it. This was while I'd been up for at least 3 days I think and wouldn't fall asleep even with the meds they gave me in the er. My husband finally said something to me like, let's go on a fun spaceship ride together, and I finally fell asleep. I had been fighting sleep on meds from 10ish am to like sometime around 5 pm and my husband was able to calm me down in a funny way we laughed about later to finally sleep. Anyway laughing is very healing!

[@OG-Capo---]

My Wife deals with schizophrenia.. I never knew how bad it was until I seen her go threw it. Honestly I wish I can take it from her. It's Sad what people go threw when having schizophrenia. She was on meds but stopped because those meds jus bring you down. Love my Wife and will never give up on Her! You could definitely see the difference in the memes that you talk about. Actually enjoy watching your videos cuz it helps me learn a little bit more about it.

[@kurootsuki3326]

both of my parents have schizophrenia, and im a fourth year medical student. i try to encourage people to understand about what it means to truly have schizophrenia and humanise the experience. I will definitely be recommending your channel.

[@nicholaslandry6367]

I have one parent with it, and also try to humanize it whenever situations arise. Remember as someone with a higher risk of developing psychotic symptoms it's not a bad idea to have a reality checking method that's reliable before anything has the chance to fully develop I use visual pattern recognition usually with things like wood floors that I'm familiar with Ik what the marks are supposed to look like to me at baseline so when extra detail, faces, eyes, bodys, etc start showing up ik my mental state is questionable at best I tend to take things as easy as possible, and keep my dog close by (no matter how bad the paranoia/paranoid delusions get the bond I feel with her is unbreakable ik I can trust her actually the worse the paranoia get the more intensely I've been feeling the bond as of late (I tend to get depressed at this time of year for trauma and maybe SAD reasons and that on it's own is bad enough but sometimes a bit of substance gets added to the mix that makes it worse faster) I don't typically have hallucinations (except very rare occasions[like handful throughoutmy nearly 27yrs]) so not sure what kind of reality checks help with that

[@Tetrahex_uk]

As someone that has schizophrenia I found this video very relatable, provided some much needed laughs to, love your channel and all the work you do for ending the stigma around the illness, stay safe!

[@machinegurlll]

Im glad you called out the offensive ones too. But the good ones made me laugh. I keep getting a little bit triggered by people sending me tone deaf schizophrenia memes now that it's popular..

[@Ashlyn-333]

EVERYTIME I PAUSED THIS VIDEO TO SCREEN SHOT MEMES YOU STILL LOOKED GOOD. Honestly it's youre smile. You're pretty anyways liked the video!!❤🎉 Keep making videos I love them!

[@KarenMScream]

I have bipolar disorder with psychosis, and this was such a validating and cathartic thing to watch. So much of this was so relatable and the way you presented it was so soothing and authentic. I needed this today- thank you!

[@laurieberry162]

I had a hateful nurse who may who committed a hate crime. She said that schizophrenics and bipolar people are violent. Like we all belong in jail or she belongs in jail for hating people who don’t deserve to be hated for something that is out of their control. Think about it really hard.

[@MelanCholy2001]

Nurses should know better, but it's also really hard for normies who have to exist with an undermedicated person with schizo who is indeed violent. You can't complain because you don't want the loved one to be hospitalized, but you're getting maimed because the sick person refuses to take meds regularly (and hardly acts like Lauren and most schizophrenics). My loved one with schizo has hurt people, apparently "to feel something" and without an understanding of the damage she has done. No, that makes no sense to me, and it's hurtful to hear. But really a nurse should shut her trap about "hate crimes": under-treated schizos can't think well enough to form a particular "hate" so there's no hate crime. They just get really confused if under-medicated. That could be a nurse deficiency if you think about it really hard. I say, blame the nurses. They should get out of the business if they can empathize with the schizo person, for real.

[@gigahorse1475]

Some people are violent, most are not. What a shame the nurse has that attitude and feels free to say things like that. It’s traumatizing. When I was going through mental illness I saw a TV program where a mentally ill person killed another person. After that I was dissociated for over half a year. Back then I was a little ignorant and I was afraid that I would become violent against my will.

[@Србомбоница86]

​@@gigahorse1475I swear most are violent , literally most of them ,only on meds they are normal

[@reinaldopereira1268]

Thank you for this video. I'm new to schizoaffective disorder, having been diagnosed this year, and your videos are very comforting. Thank you.

[@shalacarter6658]

This is the best place to learn

[@MrsbVSG]

That 3:26am one was so spot on it's scary lol. I wake up (usually from a nightmare) EVERY NIGHT at 3:22am and I feel like it's the "witching hour" for me, like something evil is causing that every night. One of my providers found that interesting like it's a muscle memory type of thing to wake up at the exact same time.

[@shalacarter6658]

I watched a 6-part series a week or so ago where the lady woke at 3:33 a.m. every morning . She called it the Devil's Hour.

[@heatherbatchellor2666]

Maybe something bad happened to you in childhood at 3.22am and it still gives you nightmares?

[@endogladry]

This is pure speculation on my part, but I would hazard a guess that it has to do with sleep phases and the various times of night you're most likely to dream or have nightmares in. Lots of people tend to have similar sleep schedules, so this may explain why it's a somewhat common experience. I need to do more research though.

[@thetruthhurts9220]

You need to rebuke that spirit that is tormenting you. You have authority over it. Command it to leave and cast it back to hell.

[@zephyrinne1]

Oh that 3 am hour lol. (More then likely it’s a common time to hit a certain sleep cycle that is optimal for dreaming and waking causing lucid dreams/sleep paralysis/false waking)

[@imodd123]

My son has schizoaffective disorder and I am so thankful that I came across your channel. He has had symptoms since birth, he is 25 and has come along way in his ability to communicate his symptoms. But it’s still hard for him and having your channel gives me a window into his mind. It also helps me to have conversations with him around his symptoms and help give him the words he needs.

[@PerksJ]

This was fun. I love how calmly you say “that’s quite funny “

[@tcort]

Thanks!

[@ThePragmatist839]

I think the one about Jesus and the psychiatric patient is supposed to be a criticism of religion. It’s a fairly popular meme in atheist circles, criticizing the American right in particular that thinks mental health patients just need to pray the crazy away (and often oppose medication and secular therapy), but at the same time follow a religion that centers all around a man identifying himself as the son of God. :)

[@shalacarter6658]

Huh. I thought of it more as sarcasm

[@libbyhyett6625]

Yes that was what I thought. I'm schizophrenic with grandiose delusions 😭 and yep, I just think it's having a go at religion

[@gigahorse1475]

I hate those kind of memes because they show ignorance about psychology and religion. Religion is actually correlated with better mental health, and psychology does not consider religious beliefs delusions even if some are strange. FTR, I would say most Christians aren’t anti-psychiatry. There are some who think mental illness = demons, but I don’t think that’s common.

[@americanbookdragon]

@@gigahorse1475my mom was threatened to be put in psych ward for being an atheist in Tennessee. All of her friends also shunned her for switching churches to her husband’s. For myself, my room was broken into with a chair blocking the door and I was dragged on the ground to go to church after I decided that I wasn’t religious. I was consistently bullied into it. Don’t assume religion always helps people’s mental health.

[@umcarafilipino]

Our religion advocates medication and secular therapy. I have gone through therapy in which my therapist combined Psychology with concepts from Christianity to help me deal with my unhealthy thought patterns from time to time. It worked out really well for me. I do have an aversion to psych medications, but that is just me being me.

[@andreasjansen1678]

So I'm bipolar and I spent time in a psych ward where I met a schizophrenic girl and I feel for you guys because I just saw how confused she was and there was nothing I could do to help her other than listening to what she had to say.

[@perkinsdearborn4693]

Laugh, cry. Wow, this was good. But hard, too. I appreciate you sharing everything.

[@jraxreviewsxcosplayxmore6934]

The first meme hit me like a freight train. I’ve been sedated a few times now and almost died my third. They gave me so much my vision was black and white & cracked. I sounded a million miles away and almost choked on my own Thr-w up.

[@lagranmariachi]

I don't have this condition, but I do tend to have 'music playing' in my head non-stop for many hours on end. Interesting that it happens to people with this condition, too.

[@metanoiate]

It's so soothing to listen to you talking just about anything. You seem really sweet. I hope you're coping well. 🦋

[@benjamin9901]

I do not have schizophrenia but I am bipolar and I have been on many antipsychotics and I relate too many of the medication memes: weight gain, noncompliance, sedation... I also relate to the grandiose delusions and psychotic behavior. I appreciate you analyzing the memes and I have learned so much from your channel. I feel your channel has made me more empathetic and create more understanding for others with different kinds of mental conditions. Thank you so much

[@Lissyhead2]

This was fun and educational at the same time! Also, your makeup and hair look amazing today!

[@EddVCR]

10:00 I almost got misty-eyed at the empathy, compassion, and encouragement you’ve shown here.

[@mistyrochelle4213]

Lauren! I LOVED this. It was so relatable. This is how my friends from treatment talk. This was also surprisingly insightful, too. I loved the delivery. ❤ 10/10 Would love more of this content.

[@victoria_m13]

i met a new friend, and he happens to be schizophrenic. i know nothing about this condition, but these memes and your reaction helps to understand it a little bit (many bits i heard from him, for example, a reaction to pods, a “chosen one” mode). i will watch your other videos, it’s so helpful. thank you!

[@shieh.4743]

😂😂❤ Lauren! You bring so much value to the important advocacy for people living with mental illness.

[@mosaic.owl.studios]

This was extremely cathartic. Thank you.

[@chrisallen877]

Thank you so much for making this. I have suffered from hypomania and other mental illnesses that included psychotic features a lot of these hit very close to home and as you so rightly said, it's nice to feel seen.

[@woodpigeon7776]

Well done for making this channel. It’s beautiful to accept yourself as you are and in turn helps others to accept themselves. I don’t myself have the condition but I can definitely relate to mental health issues . 💗✨

[@clintpatty]

I have never chosen to get off my meds on my own because I think I'm better now, and I find it weird that I haven't. I heard about people who do that, and I knew that it was a thing. So I always kept that in mind. I think it also helped that my meds were so strong at first. I had to get the dosage increased 4 times before I was stable. And I knew about it never being over, kind of like the what color do you want your dragon meme.

[@ohmoflife1]

I have students with schizophrenia and your videos are really helping me understand, appreciate, and be more sensitive. Thank you :).

[@clegs8356]

i have music ""streaming"" in my head 24/7 but for me it's just an ADHD symptom lol - didn't know it was in common with schizophrenia! i've been meaning to learn more about the disorder because unlike others, it's not one i've ever knowingly interacted with irl (vs most people close to me being neurodivergent or mentally ill in some form) and i've always felt really ignorant of the actual symptoms and mechanisms. your channel looks really interesting! im glad it showed up on my feed :))

[@1Dishonorable]

Thanks for that, Just recognized my thoughts from that, The chosen one and thought broadcasting

[@Eeyesablous]

Fun fact: In Poland, positive symptoms are called "wytwórcze" which could be best translated to something like "generative"/"creative". It is interesting that the same thing in different languages can be perceived emotionally upon hearing it so vastly.

[@FM-st4yn]

I can't describe how inspiring and wonderful you are. Thank you

[@Igor_lvanov]

Thank you I don't have schizofrenia, but I do have bipolar disorder, and lots of memes are so relatable and brought me to tears All my life I was alone with my struggle, and felt so lonely because of it. I feel so much warmth because I am not the only one going through this

[@sinceritynature202]

Akathisia IS torture, but other people, even MH workers, just cannot understand how horrific it is without experiencing themselves. It doesn't make sense to them and there's no way you can word it and nothing you can compare it to that'll convey what it's actually Like ;;

[@stretchkitty21]

I've only had it for a few months from compazine but yes, it is torture. I had some bad thoughts about how to get away from that feeling ☹️.

[@junkiejesus5594]

I’ve been on seroquil and risp (for PTSD and BPD? Lmao?) snd had a horrible experience with this as my amazing /s also prescribed adderall for my adhd. I also am a former heroin user, which I did later in life after I wasn’t taking antipsychotics or anything really- but one comparison that kinda comes close is the withdrawals. I got clean basically because I had to- just had no access to my plugs or any money and was slone staying with my dad for the summer, had just lost two friends, didn’t drive.. so I just had to detox and I was too ashamed to tell my family and detox at a rehab clinic. So I just had to detox secretly. I’m glad it happened because I don’t know if I would be alive today now and it was a super empty and sad part of my life. But during like day 3-4 on top of puking, shitting my brains out, that gross crawling out of my skin, restless feeling void of any motivation or “normal” energy and sense of lethargy despite feeling like I was going to seize at any second.

[@dataexpunged93N15]

A little gross, but the way I put it is that it's like you have the runs and are exhausted, wanting to sleep, but have to keep getting up out of bed frequently. It's like that, but on the inside.

[@sarshrimp1476]

I appreciate this video. I recently had to cut contact with a friend with schizophrenia because she wouldn't take treatment seriously, and didn't respect my boundaries as her friend. This video gives me hope that maybe she'll find something she can stick to, and that we can be friends again.

[@PaulBenares]

You're so great. I learned so much about the subjective experience of psychosis from this

[@Mayakran]

Thank you for sharing with us. I myself have struggled with mental illness for over 20 years, but something a lot of people don’t realize is that there can be a HUGE difference in the experiences of people who suffer from things like schizophrenia and someone like me with bipolar type II. I can relate to the memes a lot (they’ve put me on antipsychotics and I’ve gained 80 lbs and ohhh the stigma and loneliness and difficulties with dealing with everyday tasks that comes with mental illness) but I’ve not dealt with psychotic episodes, not personally. However, I HAVE had friends and family members who have suffered psychotic episodes and it’s truly heartbreaking to watch. I hallucinate from time to time, but I can’t imagine how intense it must be to live in the state that schizophrenics find themselves in so often. My heart goes out to you ❤️.

[@rosalindannwebb685]

Thank you for helping people to understand what schizophrenia is like . Take care best wishes. Love your vlogs. ❤️🙏 regards to your family hubby and you tube family.x

[@mosaic.owl.studios]

There is nothing harder than wanting so badly NOT to believe something is true, and being completely unable to do that

[@rect7840]

Thanks for these. I like putting up some memes on my unit for the patients to lighten the atmosphere a bit.

[@lenlanglois42]

My 35 year old son won't accept he has this affliction....He used to take the needle every month but complained about a rash so we switch to a pill once a month....It's just an exhausting process to get him to take them...I'm at my wits end...We are 65 and 61...

[@brandiminor1632]

Some of these felt true and validating without making me feel bad. I like it. Thank you.

[@shalacarter6658]

Hi Lauren and Rob!!! These were awesome! They all made us giggle; but a few of them we were laughing so hard that they heard us one town over. Our favorite was the one about not having sound and having our own to fill in. Just wanted to let you know that my husband also thinks you are great! You are so fun and smart and explain things soooooo well. Hoping for a Part 2 Blessings

[@bostonterrier2976]

This was a fascinating perspective! I felt like partway through the video I could already guess which ones you would think were the sort of lazy/making-fun memes and which ones hinted at a real truth. I'll be more educated when I see these sort of memes out in the wild now!

[@MikeMatthews369]

Wow. These were so fun to hear and hit home a lot. Your smile really showed your connection as well. Thanks for the laughs. 😂

[@neurodivergentnetizen4535]

My mom, who is a nurse practitioner, encountered a caseworker who couldn't distinguish between an earworm and an auditory hallucination. My mother, who has mild developmental dysmusia, had to evaluate to distinguish that. I also have a relative who has entire albums as earworms; not to go into details, but they're not neurotypical. I'm kind of wondering if you hearing Taylor Swifts album is an extreme earworm or an actual hallucination, but I feel as though it'd be rude to ask directly.

[@shalacarter6658]

As long as it is Meatloaf; I don't care

[@vanessawilliams3854]

Y’all laugh but y’all could have parasites eating your brain. Maybe I misunderstood the lingo.

[@vanessawilliams3854]

I probably shouldn’t reply because I have no idea what to reply but you should definitely do a detox

[@neurodivergentnetizen4535]

@@vanessawilliams3854 Earworms are a metaphor for songs stuck in your head. It’s not a literal thing. I take things literally all the time, so no judgment. 😊

[@Chordata-flyer]

I am recently diagnosed as SchitzoEffective and...honestly, really, i had no idea that having full conversations with your internal voices wasn't normal? I have a number of characters -for lack of a better word- in my head that each have their own complex motivations and personalities and we all talk. I call them my Peanut gallery. No one's violent, but they can be sarcastic assholes sometimes. I also have an 'internal radio' that the peanut gallery can mess with to play music in the back of my mind. It's like getting a song stuck in my head but i can ask them to change it, please. I'm unmedicated, but i still work without issue and really am not too affected by it aside from talking out loud a lot and the nightmares.....those are terrible.

[@sunongral5605]

To me that's more than normal. I encourage everyone to have conversations with themselves. It's the most intelligent and loving way to process intense emotions like anger. Instead of suppressing it or projecting it onto other people, we can channel it internally by having a conversation about it amongst our selves. As long as we have the willpower to keep the conversations constructive, we can immensely benefit from talking to ourselves, more so than someone who do not. I believe everyone has that ability and the only reason people with schizophrenia suffer is because most people don't have the proper linguistic tools to help them take back control over their peanut gallery. (adorable name btw)

[@MeerCatt_]

That's not normal????

[@karin1636]

I have the regular talking with myself in my head but rarely, sleep deprived, i am having a convo w someone who does not feel like me at all. Also the brain radio seems like a normal thing tbh

[@enoch4499]

I admire how organized your experience sounds in regards to the interactions "in your head". Mine are not nearly as fleshed out or have as much agency. I'm lucky if I can clearly hear a full sentance from one of them.

[@Chordata-flyer]

@@sunongral5605 it's not with myself. The peanut gallery are individuals. They have their own personalities, voices, and speech patterns. They're each unique.

[@wanderingfool7136]

This channel has been so helpful.. I've been going through a major episode the last few months and this community has really helped me know I'm not alone.. Thank you and please keep the vids coming 🙏🙏🙏

[@stellaancimer8505]

I have ocd, and people say just let it go, dont identify with thoughts..like wtf, it is brain disorder, it is so sad, that people think it is spiritual stuff..

[@Miguel-xd8dd]

I've been prescribed seroquel for sleeping, so I kind of get the one with Seroquel.

[@dyrefate]

A lot of these are really funny and relatable. Thanks for the lolz.

[@vanessawilliams3854]

This video is so relatable, So glad I watch this vs song lyrics. You give me faith that everything is going to be okay.

[@blinkythe1]

I don’t have schizophrenia but I empathize a lot because I am on Seroquel to treat my bipolar disorder. I felt like I could relate to some of the memes you shared.

[@libbyhyett6625]

Bipolar's heaps similar to schizophrenia, I think (I'm schizophrenic)

[@blinkythe1]

@@libbyhyett6625 yes, the two share similar symptoms. I heard somewhere that bipolar and schizophrenia are on the same spectrum. Don’t remember where from, but I find very interesting!

[@Nomarcaper]

@@blinkythe1 yes! Especially type1 due to mania. Type 2 can still experience hallucinations and psychosis, but the mania is not as “severe”. I heard that they are thinking about calling bipolar a spectrum, which I don’t know how I feel about that, but there definitely is an element of it.

[@kristinhall7574]

I needed this video. Thanks

[@elizabethkilstrom5409]

I usually get way too bored watching videos that are informational even if it’s a topic I am interested in. But this woman makes me so happy to watch her and I love when she teaches me things.

[@Kittyinshadows]

I've got OCD not Schizophrenia, but a lot of these memes I can relate to. The voice in my head is my own intrusive thoughts and obsessions/compulsions, but I've found it very useful to treat it as a pesky annoying stranger. Also on seroquel for mood swings and I actually love the horse tranquilizer side effect bc I have insomnia lol It's really interesting to me how different mental illnesses have so many crossover points, so thanks for the video and teaching me about it!

[@sarahthenacho]

your ability to be so sweet and empathetic while just looking at memes warms my heart ❤️ i love your channel!!

[@ashleycnossen3157]

I love your new hair! It works well for you. I haven't seen any of your videos since your hair was long

[@nerotheenby]

I have psychotic symptoms due to my BPD (those symptoms increase with stress). I definitely saw shadow people. When I first started seeing them, I thought it was a spiritual thing; that i was "seeing ghosts" but then I had my first full blown psychotic episode that made me realise (not at the time, but after) that this was very much a mental health thing. I still see them sometimes, usually when I'm very stressed, but they're usually in the corner of my eye as opposed to fully in front of me like they used to be. I also find I'm paranoid of seeing them as well cuz that'll be a sign that I'm not doing well, so sometimes I really don't know if I'm genuinely seeing something or if I just think I am.

[@Jcarr250]

Not schizophrenic but I occasionally watch. Need the handshake meme for ADHDers/schizophrenics having an endless firehose of music / thoughts playing.

[@fart63]

I’m confused because I thought this was normal? Is it not normal to have music playing in your head all the time?

[@Jcarr250]

@@fart63 It's normal to occasionally have a song stuck in your head. It's not if it's excessive

[@lifeisabreathingpoem6378]

My adhd brain has a constant soundtrack when I’m not on meds.

[@darthszarych5588]

On the topic of roasting the voices in your head, I knew someone who told me she named the voice in her head Blake cuz according to her "no one takes crap from someone named blake". My boss's name was Blake. He layed me off. (I apologize to all the Blakes this comment may have offended)

[@AabluedragonAH]

My best friend has a frankly pathetic, near-incel brother named Blake so I think y’all are onto something

[@GlassHalf-full]

Good to laugh at it. Newly diagnosed. Looking for more people who are like me and am surprised by how many are. Deff helps.

[@Claudia-zu9wu]

I have Bipolar 1 disorder with schizoeffective disorder and I feel it's good to try to have a sense of humor about your illnesses sometimes 😋

[@ZiaBenoitAsh]

Omg u are so cool. I have ADHD and some things I can relate to or empathize on symptoms or the memes like the sponge bob and the Dora one. The Dora one is an exact replica except on stimulants not antipsychotic. But with all said I will never understand or comprehend schizophrenia but I like to be educated on it by your videos so, that I can help people I met with schizophrenia. U are a rockstar keep on making these educational videos.

[@ellenblasi3118]

I did the med records thing before the internet. I just wanted info about what was going on. Thanks for the video.

[@danielcarney3487]

That was really good especially the meme about trying to find secrets in the news. Done it in work . Great video 🤟🙏🙏

[@9897431]

its so nice to see someone with a true compassionate demeanor

[@NeonCicada]

It's not often that I get to laugh about my mental health...so this was really nice.

[@vanessawilliams3854]

Agree❤

[@isavs6452]

These are so good and relateable!!! I feel validated aswell :)

[@Phoenix-md8sh]

I live with bipolar disorder with psychotic features. Although Lauren is diagnosed with a different condition, we share many symptoms. I relate to her and these memes so much. This video was right on time because I needed some light hearted relief from the stress I've been going through.

[@missrabidfox5943]

Oofff I really feel the trying to tell my therapist the truth while without getting put in the psych ward meme. I don't have schizophrenia, but I have had boughts of psychotic depression. After my partner spent almost 2 months in involuntary commitment this year and had probably the worst experience with nasty staff and incompetent Drs I have buttoned my lip even more.

[@PaigeLovesPumpkins]

I loved my time in the psych ward. I felt safe there. I cherish the memory.

[@shalacarter6658]

I agree to the first time I was there. Not the second. But, boy howdy so some ppl have trauma just arriving there! Like in handcuffs!

[@nikkij4873]

I’ve checked into mental hospitals 14 times for suicidal depression. Had a couple bad days but most of them were fantastic. They really kept me safe when I couldn’t trust myself.

[@nikkij4873]

*couple bad STAYS. sorry

[@Tetrahex_uk]

Same, I went in on a manic episode, smoked loads of cigarettes, played pool and made a bunch of new friends, too time, 10/10 would recommend

[@danicag.1310]

Same, I was abroad in Europe (Luxembourg to be specific) and it was a very good experience so now I’m scared that if I ever end up hospitalized here in Canada it’ll be such a drastic change and it won’t be good, I’ve heard too many negative stories from North American psych wards

[@michelleford7392]

You are lovely and delightful! I always enjoy your videos!!

[@ZestySea]

Enjoyed this video, thanks

[@3niko]

I think that schizophrenia is different for both genders because ive seen both female and male experiences of people going through schizophrenia and I can kinda tell that both genders experience things just a little bit differently. Of course there are others who experience different things with schizophrenia.

[@JamesTagumasiJr]

Great vid! Love this...can't wait to see this with my loved one:) Your content is awesome at providing perspective! Keep up the great work!

[@redvelvetrose]

I’m not schizophrenic, but I am on Seroquel. I take it at night precisely because it knocks me out. It’s one of several reasons why I’m on it. It’s one of the few things that break through my insomnia.

[@youareallalonenobodylikesyou]

Yep same!! I understand how you feel. I take it for anxiety, ocd and insomnia. It has also helped me with ptsd but yeah seroquel in larger doses is used for calming psychotic episodes!

[@Violet-nh9xi]

Please continue this series 🙏🏻

[@susanne4028]

Thank you. That was informative as well as very funny too. You're doing such a great job with your channel. Being the mom of a son with Asperger's I wish there was such a nice channel too....

[@pokeydex]

I’m so glad I found your channel! Immediately subbed. God, some of these memes were so relatable that it almost hurt to laugh at them 😅 Edit: the seroquel one specifically.

[@MandoCrypto]

Thanks for sharing, I am learning how to support my love one with Schizophrenia. Love your videos!

[@steeal_wizzard4399]

I just recently found out that my docs think I have Schizo-affective disorder. I've had most symptoms at least a few times over the last 7 months or so but, something I noticed is that my hallucinations aren't really scary or bad. I smell gourmet food/home cooking and I see pulsating shadow flowers that are quite pretty and I get a sort of reassuring pat on the back every so often. Am I very early in onset? Just super lucky?

[@teehee4096]

Lauren says her earlier symptoms were related to smell, putrid or rotting smells. It seems that you detected it early, which is a good thing.

[@uatcgfhdhu]

Early and lucky! Also, I love Reigen too!

[@ericsparkman3645]

That seroquel got me in the feels, coming off of it and changing medications finally!

[@lizard8749]

I am not phycotic but as someone with anxiety and depression from a traumatic early childhood I weirdly relate. Can't speak for any spesfic experinces but my own. Life dose get better. It sounds cheesy but there is always love out there. Take you meds when you can, it's okay to falter, you don't have to be perfect, you just need to try to give 100% every day. If that means your 100% today is yesterday's 40% that's okay. We only can do are best. You are doing wonderful if you make every day just a bit better. It takes time and the journey never stops.

[@joshuataylor3550]

4:35 I think this is actually a critique of Christianity/religious beliefs in general.

[@KPsychRN]

Can confirm as a psych RN that the numbers thing is TOUGH. Had a patient a few years ago who had to have exactly a certain number of pills at med passes and wouldn’t take meds on odd or even days. The poor person was completely debilitated by the obsession and really didn’t improve much with meds.

[@KateCarew]

I can’t figure out what’s worse with antipsychotic meds…the blunted feeling or the weight gain. It’s awful. I referred to risperidone as “risperiDUMB” and Risperdal as “risperDULL” I couldn’t connect a dot to save my life. Seroquel was a much better fit, to each their own though.