I can't thank you enough for making these videos. They are EXACTLY what I needed in researching the book I'm working on, and I appreciate so much the careful detail you went into about every aspect of your experience working in psychiatric care facilities. So glad to have found these!
loved the series, it answered all my questions and calmed me down alot because i may have to go to a mental facility and it was nice to hear someone sit down and just explain everything. thank you so much, hope you make some more vids soon.
Thanks Addydawn, your knowledge and compassion are evident. My grandmother and uncle were both in psych hospitals at various times and underwent ECT for severe depression. It would be great if you could do a segment on ECT, if you have that knowledge. Anything about weaning off benzodiazapenes would be helpful too...my GAD was only diagnosed 5 yrs ago (about 10 yrs after my depression diag), and I'm on a low dosage of Xanax, but if I miss a day, I get even more anxiety. Thanks for your candor.
I'd like to apologize that I haven't answered some questions, here. I have been busy working, at another psych hosp, in another state. I enjoy all of your comments. The important thing is to take the stigma out of mental health care.
My son is on Lexapro 20mg. but he is having bad mood symptoms. he may have to be changed up? He will see his Pych. next week. He needs something for sleep too. He was on Resperidone but one dr. took him off. he needs to be put back on for sleep at night! Great series! Thanks for them!
i dont know if this is true or not, but i thought i might ask you.
at most hospital they won't tell you what you are taking even if you ask. or was that how it used to be before like way back when when people were there and they had to take drugs they had no idea about like being held against their will type of thing.
way back when like hospitals in one flew over the kukoos nest. type of thing
Thank you for your information on pychaiatric hospital! My son, 17 is in counseling for depression. He has Pychotic disorder and may have to go to one. thanks for the info.
if a doctor prescribes medication do you have to take it or can you refuse?
and with me i cant swallow tablets no matter how small they are, i have to have dissolvable ones so if i had to take medication what would they do with me?
You have to take it. Some psychiatrists are more negotiable than others and take the patient's concern into consideration. If the patient refuses, they can be injected or even restrained on the ground until the pill goes down their throat.
that actually sounds good, which is weird. it wouldent bother me, they could inject me if they wanted but no matter how much they tried to wouldent be able to swallow the tablet.
Many people use illicit drugs to self-medicate an illness. Often, if the diagnosis is correct, many different meds can be utilized and may prevent the need to self-medicate. Thank you.
You can refuse if you are there voluntarily. Many times, you discuss it with the doctor and you can negotiate a better plan for different medications that have less side-effects. People there involuntarily often gets an injection for longer-action of the med. By nature, with older typical antipsychotics, tardive dyskenisia and dystonia can occur. Cogentin or benadryl prevents that.
People have asked me that, from time to time. No. It's a North Jersey accent with a lot of South Jersey and Philadelphia influences. Thanks for asking.
AD, Thanks so much for the series, it was very informative and accurate with what i experienced. I am someone who has had one disasterous encounter and one extremely positive one with psychiatric hospitals. It's very encouraging to hear what it's like from the other side so to speak. I've worried that it was a huge imposition or unnecessary step to gain some perspective at times when things were spiraling out of my control. Thanks for your passion and dedicated commitment to the profession!!!!
Hi Addydawn, I hope you do a vid about biological tests for mental illness but before you do please could you not talk about alzheimers, dementia or delirium. These shouldn't even be in the DSM they fall in the realm of neurology which has been hijacked by the psychiatrists to give the DSM credibility.
Alzheimer's disease - a form of dementia with neurofibulary tangles and plaques on a brain scan. Delirium is an altered mental status due to numerous medical causes: Urinary Cath of the urethra can cause E. Coli from a bacteria infect and is treated with Bactrim DS (unless sulfa allergy). Rifamon aso works in sme areas depending on resistance factors. Otherwise, ciprofloxin is used, if not otherwise contraindicated.
Thanks so much, these videos were great! I watched all of them because I'm doing some research on what it's really like and it's nice to get a staff member's point of view.
Thank you. I have since moved from the Philadelphia area to a much smaller, more rural area. I am getting the chance to learn more about the medical conditions that can cause psychiatric symptoms. You can never learn enough in psychiatry. You either hate it or love it, but those of us who love it are a lot of fun to work with.
secondly the DSM has over 300 illness and its not like each "illness" has a different chemical pattern. Its not like the psychiatrist gives you a brain scan and says "we found a serotonin level of 2.1 this means your depressed or your level was 5.2 so your bipolar" and each illness has a different biological make up.There is no biological test for any mental illness and sometimes they don't even do any test. How can you be so blind? Just apply some basic common sense.Its so obvious whats going.
Caketheory, please go to your local hospital. Ask to spend a few days with the psychiatry service on consult to the medical floors. You will see that a majority of psychiatric symptoms are related to medical causes. These conditions can be found on blood work and radiologic studies. Can you please give me the differential for deliruim and how you would find the exact cause?
If not, then hang in there until I get a chance to do a few videos on medical causes for psychiatric conditions.
Hi I've had a history of severe mental illness and I'm against psychiatry. In my case I couldn't handle the pressure of modern day life and very stressful working condition and I ended up with a breakdown. The psychiatrist doesn't explain to the patient how being overworked and stressed affects you. They just treat you like you've got an illness that came out of the blue. Thats why people are against psychiatry. All the medication does is sedates you.
That is a shame, because the first thing that I always ask my patients is: "What are your current stressors?" From there we decide if it is situational event or fits a diagnostic criteria (both medically and psychiatrically) for neurochemical imbalance. I always urge my patients to receive psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. Meds alone do not do all of the work. There needs to be cognitive restructuring and reframing, as well.
Ok. with older antipsychotics give up TD. On the other hand welcome to the pill rolling shuffling gait 50lb weight gain and last but not least diabetes with Zyprexa. Hooray for Lilly they co-released Zyprexa and a diabetes med, coincidence?
Yes, indeed, I am aware that Zyprexa is the worst one for increased glucose and cholesterol, not to mention weight gain.
I am involved in the medical and psychiatric care of patients, so I am very much aware of and concerened about side effects. This is especially a concern in individuals who have diabetes and high cholesterol or heart disease.
I enjoyed them as well. I thought what you had to say rang true for my experience with the system. Very professional, and well articulated. I'd be interested in hearing more. Maybe on what is being learned overall by the methods currently being used, and what some goals are as far as triage is concerned.
Thank you for the great suggestions. I may do some more videos, shortly. I am in the process of a major relocation for an excellent job. Once I settle in, I will do more videos on topics such as why what are the medications, why are they used, how do they workm hwat are the side effects and others about the system in the new place where I will live. I am going from Philly to North Dakota! They need Physician Assistants.
I have enjoyed your videos, I have been prescribed xanax, lexapro and citalopram, I have anxiety,OCD, Agoraphobia, Panic attacks and the doc thinks maybe BPD....but I am scared of the meds...they terrify me...thanks for the videos
Thank you SO much for these videos. :)
N33rDow3ll1998 1 month ago
you did a wonderful job, very educational. thanks :) one of my friends went to a psych ward so i was curious.
missemsnitchesss 1 year ago
I can't thank you enough for making these videos. They are EXACTLY what I needed in researching the book I'm working on, and I appreciate so much the careful detail you went into about every aspect of your experience working in psychiatric care facilities. So glad to have found these!
Synaesthete7 1 year ago
Addy, your a robot. You obviously have been doing this way to long.
Damagicus 1 year ago
loved the series, it answered all my questions and calmed me down alot because i may have to go to a mental facility and it was nice to hear someone sit down and just explain everything. thank you so much, hope you make some more vids soon.
Jace6136 1 year ago
Thank you so much for doing these videos <3
xIasgx 1 year ago
Comment removed
xIasgx 1 year ago
Thanks Addydawn, your knowledge and compassion are evident. My grandmother and uncle were both in psych hospitals at various times and underwent ECT for severe depression. It would be great if you could do a segment on ECT, if you have that knowledge. Anything about weaning off benzodiazapenes would be helpful too...my GAD was only diagnosed 5 yrs ago (about 10 yrs after my depression diag), and I'm on a low dosage of Xanax, but if I miss a day, I get even more anxiety. Thanks for your candor.
vgoth100 1 year ago
Comment removed
vgoth100 1 year ago
they wouldnt tell me the meds i was takeing
misshughlauriewannaB 1 year ago
Comment removed
anewunderstanding 2 years ago
Comment removed
anewunderstanding 2 years ago
will you ever make any more videos?
bpdgirl7 2 years ago
I'd like to apologize that I haven't answered some questions, here. I have been busy working, at another psych hosp, in another state. I enjoy all of your comments. The important thing is to take the stigma out of mental health care.
Addydawn 2 years ago
My son is on Lexapro 20mg. but he is having bad mood symptoms. he may have to be changed up? He will see his Pych. next week. He needs something for sleep too. He was on Resperidone but one dr. took him off. he needs to be put back on for sleep at night! Great series! Thanks for them!
LYNXVAL 2 years ago
hi, i will start working at a psych hospital and a new grad LVN. any advice on what i need to know... any books to read..
brianlovescod 2 years ago
i dont know if this is true or not, but i thought i might ask you.
at most hospital they won't tell you what you are taking even if you ask. or was that how it used to be before like way back when when people were there and they had to take drugs they had no idea about like being held against their will type of thing.
way back when like hospitals in one flew over the kukoos nest. type of thing
isabellaannerose123 2 years ago
A good practitioner will tell the patient what he or she is taking and why. Every patient has a right to know the meds he or she is taking.
Addydawn 2 years ago
Thank you for your information on pychaiatric hospital! My son, 17 is in counseling for depression. He has Pychotic disorder and may have to go to one. thanks for the info.
LYNXVAL 2 years ago
is that a gigaware headset you're wearing?- bonzai
supraomen 2 years ago
They have liquid meds and injections
Addydawn 3 years ago
if a doctor prescribes medication do you have to take it or can you refuse?
and with me i cant swallow tablets no matter how small they are, i have to have dissolvable ones so if i had to take medication what would they do with me?
fernibear 3 years ago
You have to take it. Some psychiatrists are more negotiable than others and take the patient's concern into consideration. If the patient refuses, they can be injected or even restrained on the ground until the pill goes down their throat.
coldfire957 2 years ago
that actually sounds good, which is weird. it wouldent bother me, they could inject me if they wanted but no matter how much they tried to wouldent be able to swallow the tablet.
fernibear 2 years ago
I did the videos before moving to ND. I have been told that I have more of a NY accent.
Addydawn 3 years ago
actually sounds like a North Dakota accent
supraomen 3 years ago
Well done. Thank you. I'm sure this has helped both the mentally ill and their families.
What's the difference between God and a doctor?
God doesn't think he's a doctor. ha ha
( I am aware that some doctors are caring and compassionate people, just a little joke. )
freejeffsamples 3 years ago
cool man i gave up weed cost of this series
lesleykbarnes 3 years ago
Many people use illicit drugs to self-medicate an illness. Often, if the diagnosis is correct, many different meds can be utilized and may prevent the need to self-medicate. Thank you.
Addydawn 3 years ago
Do you have the right to say no to all medications while in there?
shelleyt35 3 years ago
You can refuse if you are there voluntarily. Many times, you discuss it with the doctor and you can negotiate a better plan for different medications that have less side-effects. People there involuntarily often gets an injection for longer-action of the med. By nature, with older typical antipsychotics, tardive dyskenisia and dystonia can occur. Cogentin or benadryl prevents that.
Addydawn 3 years ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it!
shelleyt35 3 years ago
Nice series. Well done!
RevDogg 3 years ago
Excellent videos fantastic.BTW are you from ireland you have an irish/american accent?
lizb233 3 years ago
People have asked me that, from time to time. No. It's a North Jersey accent with a lot of South Jersey and Philadelphia influences. Thanks for asking.
Addydawn 3 years ago
google Peter Breggin
acausalakarmic 3 years ago
AD, Thanks so much for the series, it was very informative and accurate with what i experienced. I am someone who has had one disasterous encounter and one extremely positive one with psychiatric hospitals. It's very encouraging to hear what it's like from the other side so to speak. I've worried that it was a huge imposition or unnecessary step to gain some perspective at times when things were spiraling out of my control. Thanks for your passion and dedicated commitment to the profession!!!!
joneschic04 3 years ago
Hi Addydawn, I hope you do a vid about biological tests for mental illness but before you do please could you not talk about alzheimers, dementia or delirium. These shouldn't even be in the DSM they fall in the realm of neurology which has been hijacked by the psychiatrists to give the DSM credibility.
caketheory 3 years ago
Alzheimer's disease - a form of dementia with neurofibulary tangles and plaques on a brain scan. Delirium is an altered mental status due to numerous medical causes: Urinary Cath of the urethra can cause E. Coli from a bacteria infect and is treated with Bactrim DS (unless sulfa allergy). Rifamon aso works in sme areas depending on resistance factors. Otherwise, ciprofloxin is used, if not otherwise contraindicated.
Addydawn 3 years ago
I like to r/o medical causes using labs, previuous docs notes, radiology reports, current meds and evaluation and examination of the patient.
Addydawn 3 years ago
AD, you're beating about the bush. Me too, I'd like to see you do a vid about biological testing for "mental illnesses".
shadeofteal 3 years ago
Thanks so much, these videos were great! I watched all of them because I'm doing some research on what it's really like and it's nice to get a staff member's point of view.
howie456789 3 years ago
Thank you. I have since moved from the Philadelphia area to a much smaller, more rural area. I am getting the chance to learn more about the medical conditions that can cause psychiatric symptoms. You can never learn enough in psychiatry. You either hate it or love it, but those of us who love it are a lot of fun to work with.
*smiles*
Addydawn 3 years ago
secondly the DSM has over 300 illness and its not like each "illness" has a different chemical pattern. Its not like the psychiatrist gives you a brain scan and says "we found a serotonin level of 2.1 this means your depressed or your level was 5.2 so your bipolar" and each illness has a different biological make up.There is no biological test for any mental illness and sometimes they don't even do any test. How can you be so blind? Just apply some basic common sense.Its so obvious whats going.
caketheory 4 years ago
Caketheory, please go to your local hospital. Ask to spend a few days with the psychiatry service on consult to the medical floors. You will see that a majority of psychiatric symptoms are related to medical causes. These conditions can be found on blood work and radiologic studies. Can you please give me the differential for deliruim and how you would find the exact cause?
If not, then hang in there until I get a chance to do a few videos on medical causes for psychiatric conditions.
Addydawn 3 years ago
Hi I've had a history of severe mental illness and I'm against psychiatry. In my case I couldn't handle the pressure of modern day life and very stressful working condition and I ended up with a breakdown. The psychiatrist doesn't explain to the patient how being overworked and stressed affects you. They just treat you like you've got an illness that came out of the blue. Thats why people are against psychiatry. All the medication does is sedates you.
caketheory 4 years ago
That is a shame, because the first thing that I always ask my patients is: "What are your current stressors?" From there we decide if it is situational event or fits a diagnostic criteria (both medically and psychiatrically) for neurochemical imbalance. I always urge my patients to receive psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. Meds alone do not do all of the work. There needs to be cognitive restructuring and reframing, as well.
Addydawn 3 years ago
Ok. with older antipsychotics give up TD. On the other hand welcome to the pill rolling shuffling gait 50lb weight gain and last but not least diabetes with Zyprexa. Hooray for Lilly they co-released Zyprexa and a diabetes med, coincidence?
Alprazolam 4 years ago
Yes, indeed, I am aware that Zyprexa is the worst one for increased glucose and cholesterol, not to mention weight gain.
I am involved in the medical and psychiatric care of patients, so I am very much aware of and concerened about side effects. This is especially a concern in individuals who have diabetes and high cholesterol or heart disease.
Addydawn 4 years ago
I enjoyed them as well. I thought what you had to say rang true for my experience with the system. Very professional, and well articulated. I'd be interested in hearing more. Maybe on what is being learned overall by the methods currently being used, and what some goals are as far as triage is concerned.
Hoodluminthenight 4 years ago
Thank you for the great suggestions. I may do some more videos, shortly. I am in the process of a major relocation for an excellent job. Once I settle in, I will do more videos on topics such as why what are the medications, why are they used, how do they workm hwat are the side effects and others about the system in the new place where I will live. I am going from Philly to North Dakota! They need Physician Assistants.
Addydawn 4 years ago
I have enjoyed your videos, I have been prescribed xanax, lexapro and citalopram, I have anxiety,OCD, Agoraphobia, Panic attacks and the doc thinks maybe BPD....but I am scared of the meds...they terrify me...thanks for the videos
ncnikonguy 4 years ago