 My name is Claire Carmichael. I'm a second year adult student nurse and today we are going to raise the awareness for mental health. And here is Taylor Smith. And that's all I do. It's my name. I should do art. I can say that I'm an artist in some will. She's a very good artist. Thank you. I don't think you're very good at that. She needs to make a book with all of that art. Don't be pretty cool actually. Ym hyd yw hwnnw'n fy nghymru. a mae'r hyn yn gwawdd o'ch ddoedd. Wellawd-, boblwch yn gwawdd, ac mae'n gweithio'n gweithio. Gweithio yn gwawdd. Fe o gweithio'n gwawdd. Felly, felly gallwch chi'n gofio ar gyfer mynd sianol, ond yn erylltu y cyfaint o ysgrifennu ei hyd o'r�orydol. i'w ddifnwys. Fy fyddwch yn ei wneud y gweithio'r hefyd yn ymgyrchol sydd wedi cael 13, 14 ac yn ymgyrchol 30 yn y 29. Fy ddim yn gwneud y dyna'r cyd-bwylliant yn bwysig, ond mae'n rhan o'r ysgrifennu o'r gwaith yw'r cyd-bwylliant yn ymgyrchol a'r cyd-bwylliant. Fy ddim yn gwneud dyna'r cyd-bwylliant, ac mae'r rechysgau a'r hyn o'n wnaeth o symud o'i'ch gwaith i gynllenfaith sy'n rhywbeth sy'n dod. Oen menyn, eu gweld unrhyw diwylliant ganناith b XYnau Fylltu Abergrifodol, ond roi'w'n gwelio ni'n mynd i ddysgu, bod oes eu gwelio unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw ond rhyw wedi gweld y termyn i sylfaenol. Rwy'n meddwl am gwyaf? Rwy'n meddwl am gyd, Mae'r bwysigwn wedi wedi cael ei gweithio at y bwysigus, nid ydych chi fod yn fwy ymddangos fel dysgu'r ddweithio. A dyna'r ddiagnosis iawn i chi ddiagnosisu wedi'i'n dwylo'r ysgolio. dygnoses is unspecified schizophrenia so it's, I don't fit a subcategory of schizophrenia, it's kind of like a spectrum disorder so there's not actually much about it online like I've looked it up, I found one page that has some symptoms but it's kind of, they don't know much about the illness yet so they can't really judge how it's going to affect you for your life. And in what way it's going to affect you but you will have some of the similarities of kind of hearing voices or seeing things or having like paranoid thoughts or delusional thinking and things like that. And someone explained it to me of like when you have schizophrenia you have positive and negative symptoms and the positive are things that kind of added on to you. So like hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and then your negative symptoms are things like depression, lack of concentration, not looking after yourself, things that have been kind of taken away from you. I think that's a good way to kind of how to describe it because it's split into two things so it didn't mean positive with like good things, it means just things that have been added to your personality. So then, I mean those two diagnoses were only recently diagnosed and it's taken me that long to even get there. And I had something called a Milan test and it obviously diagnosed that I have like, it was like 100% like an anxiety disorder. And then there was another one which was called Schizotypal personality disorder which is not actually schizophrenia itself. It's kind of, you do get like paranoid thoughts but it's kind of like withdrawing from people, you know only having a few close friends and relationships and just kind of being quite, another actual symptom is being quite wacky and eccentric and I was like, it does definitely do. But in a good way, in a positive way. So that's kind of a brief description of what's going on with my body. It's really interesting that they call it positive and negative. Yeah, I think it is. Who do you kind of think or how's that a positive thing that you're hearing things? But yeah, it just means things that are added on and negative things that have been taken away. That makes sense, yeah, that makes sense. I suppose it's positive in the plus sign, isn't it? Yeah. Okay, that makes sense. So, it's merely a nutshell. Okay, so how do you, with all the information you've just told us, how do you think people view you like healthcare professionals? If you're going to see A&E or something, if you've done an episode? See, I think A&E, they can be, it very much varies on who is there, if that makes sense. I mean, nowadays when you go down to A&E they will let you see the mental health liaison team if they feel like you need it. And they basically just sit you in a room and kind of say, well you have, like the last time I went I'm kind of basing it off of that. They kind of sat me in a room and just spoke to me about how I'm feeling and they said, well this is part of your illness. There's nothing else we can do for you because you're not at immediate risk of killing yourself. Or because I went there because I threatened to jump off a bridge and they were like, well we don't think you're a risk. That's not a risk. So they sent me home and they're like, bye. But like previous experience with the A&E, they've never been that great at kind of helping. I think some nurses are nice but then some of the doctors can be a bit... Do you think they judge you though? Yes. I think another thing is because I have a lot of piercings. I know it sounds silly but I do think I get judged on that the way I look. I think because I look different they just assume that I'm someone when I'm not that person. I feel like they judge you especially if you have a diagnosis of emotionally unstable person. You do get judged because you're seen as an attention seeker. That is one of the biggest problems with that diagnosis. You are seen as someone who wants attention. I guess in a way you do want attention but you're not meaning it in that kind of way if that makes sense. You just need help. I remember once when I self-tarned once I went down to A&E and they left me for nine hours because they just said, there's nothing really wrong with you so we'll just leave you. Nine hours later I had my cuts glued up and they started to give me a tetanus shot and the guy doing it said, you're not going to care to look at the state of you. I was just like, I don't need that right now. I know what I've done. I didn't mean to waste their time and I wasn't going to go to hospital but an ambulance got sent out and they're the ones who told me that you need to go get them glued because they're deep. Doctors I think view me okay. They always have been quite like GPs. They've always been quite understanding. That's good. But I think A&E, see A&E I don't think is the place for people with mental health problems to go but there is no other place for people with mental health problems to go. It's kind of, you ring up these helplines and if you're immediate risk the only thing you can do is go to an A&E. But it'd be better if people didn't judge. I think it's just the stigma of people are still viewing it as like I was saying a minute ago. If you're like other people who want doctors or in the healthcare, if you mention the word schizophrenia a lot of people might think oh you're dangerous but that's not always the case. I go to a re-think group and pretty much everyone in there has schizophrenia and they're lovely people. They're actually quite shy and vulnerable. They're not. And you're not that sort of person? No, like I wouldn't. Ten years now. Yeah, I'm not some weird axe murderer, do you know what I mean? I don't have that in me to do that. I think it makes you more vulnerable and I think that's how people view you. Some people either view you as being dangerous or they get to know you and they see you as being vulnerable so they know they can take advantage of you. Yeah, that's a good point. Yeah. Learning kind of who to be friends with and who's going to stick up for you if you are in a vulnerable position. But it's good because you've got your friends. Yeah. It's just the healthcare system that needs to be better. Yeah, to some extent, yeah. I mean there is some nice people. I'm not going to say everyone's been horrible but the majority is being quite bad. Like some of the CPNs. I had one CPN meeting me up and she was like, how much alcohol do you drink because I don't drink and she laughed. And I was like, why is that funny? She was like, everyone drinks Taylor and I was like, well I don't. Did you? Yeah. I was like, how is that professional for one? That's no. Then they were like, we need to drug test you all the time. And I was like, I understand they need to rule things out. Yeah. The amount of times I've said I never do drugs and my piercings are another thing. Like I've been in there. I haven't thought I was a man. They wrote down here a lot of times and I was like, does my voice not give me away? I am a woman. But they do drug. In their reports they're like, Taylor has facial piercings. What does that got to do with my mental health state? I got asked if I was in a tribe because I have ear stretches. The psychiatrist said she believed you were in a tribe. And I was like, no I don't. I'm not in a tribe. People need to stop judging these things. And as healthcare professionals, I was a student nurse. We've always been told never to judge somebody. If you listen to your patient and then you go on from there. It's good. I think that needs to... But everybody needs to be on that same page. In my opinion. So what has been your best treatment received from healthcare professionals? I'm hoping there's something in here. That's what I was trying to think. That's why I laugh because I was like... Anything to put it up. Actually, recently I have a new therapist. She's really nice. She's very understanding. She'll listen and she will really take on board what I'm talking about. And if I am struggling she will be there to listen. She's very good at advising what to do. She recommended I make one of those self-care boxes. Of self-serve box. The bits in that I like to calm me down. Before I think I need to help myself I need to do this. Try using that. And then see how I feel in 5 or 10 minutes. She's been amazing. I've only met her four times. She's helped. That's good. I feel a lot better that she's on board now. So it is good. Some doctors have been nice. The doctor I have at my GP surgery. She's very understanding. She will listen and try to get me the best treatment she can. Another thing I want to mention is there's a helpline. I don't know if you want to put this in your link down below. I think it's called papyrus. Or it's either called Hopeline UK. And they're like a suicide prevention line. They're open 10 to 10 every day. They are really good. They'll set up a safety plan with you. They'll listen to everything. Even if you're just having thoughts. But you don't have a plan. They'll sit, they'll listen. They'll talk you through it. They'll ask other questions. Not even related just to talk to you. That's the only helpline I found that are really helpful. And they're so understanding and so caring. So I definitely do recommend them if you are struggling. Because they are really good. I don't know, to be fair. They're a really good service. So use them if you're struggling. So what is your worst experience of healthcare? Probably going back to when I went to hospital and that guy said that. The crisis team are... It might be different for other people. I'm only going from my own personal experience. Obviously in Milton Keynes. Our crisis team numbers the one for London as well. They cover some areas of London and Milton Keynes. But they're also the helpline for the Grenfill Tower into them. So they help other people who have been through that as well now. They are just so unsympathetic. It's almost like they don't actually want to be talking to you. All the times I've rang them up and I've said I'm really struggling. I need someone just to listen, to talk back to me, to calm down. She's like if you feel bad in two hours ring us back. And it's like I feel bad now. I need help. That's not okay. And it's the same thing. And they've done it several times. If you feel bad ring back in a few hours. But in a few hours? Yeah. You could have done something. You're still going to be feeling worse. You're sat there for two hours just feeling crap. Feeling worse because she doesn't want to speak to you. So I rang up and it was like eating something. It's like you just had a chewing down the fire and I was like... Probably on a lunch break. I was like... It's ridiculous what people say. It is ridiculous. I was just like what is wrong with you? Oh God. So as a patient what do you think healthcare professionals can do to help? Listen. That's it? We can all do that. I think that is the main thing is to listen more and to communicate. And not be aggressive in what you're saying. Don't say pull yourself together. Get over yourself. Everyone feels down. Snap out of it. Those kind of things. It doesn't help. It makes them feel really invalidated. Because you feel like everyone is getting fed up with me. Feeling like this. I think the best thing to do is be caring and listen more. And just kind of understand that this person is struggling. I think a lot of people who have mental health problem would say that someone listening to them and communicating in a nice manner actually helps them more than most other things. Obviously medication again is something that if you do need to take it I do recommend taking it. Because some people are very anti-medication. And if that's the choice they want to make that's fine. That's their own personal choice. For me personally I have to take my medication otherwise I can't function. But I think listening and communicating is the best thing that professionals can do. And it's simple. It's something simple. It's something really simple. Everybody can do. But more people need to do it. And I think just understanding people's concerns and not judging them for it and accepting what it is and trying to work out ways of how they can make that person feel more comfortable. That makes sense. How can nurses improve to provide the best care for their patients? I think it would be the same. It's the same solution isn't it? It would be just listening. Listening. Better training I think. I think there isn't enough money in the mental health system is there. And everyone knows it and it's all over the news but still nothing's actually being done about it. You're right. A lot more needs to be done for people. I won't go into politics. We're not all about politics. But there is no funding. There's no services. I don't know. Why don't they have like a 24 hour... This is what I wanted to do but it would cost too much money to do it. But have a centre that is open 24-7 so people could go in talk to someone talk to each other have a cup of tea, have some biscuits and just have a chat. And obviously smoking, I'm not saying smoking is great. But a lot of people with mental health problems do have a cigarette. Why don't they have a little area 24-7 so you can... Hello Skye, Skye wants to be in the video. Come on then, come here. This is Skye. My first child. But it's just getting the funding to do that. That would be very difficult. But I think if there was a centre like that I think a lot of people would benefit from it. Because they would know that 24-7 there was people that could just listen and talk to you and kind of go to someone that feels safe but I'm not in an A&E where there's all this stuff happening. Something that is designed just for people with mental health problems. I think it would make a lot of difference. Yeah. Another thing I wanted to talk about is like male suicide because I don't think it gets spoken about enough. I mean there is more stuff now like in the media talking about like male suicide and there's more help for it. But I think it's difficult because obviously men don't tend to speak out and I mean it's difficult because I can see that it is harder for males to kind of explain how they feel and I think there should be a lot more campaigning and help for I mean there should be help for everyone who commits suicide, don't get me wrong but I think there needs to be more attention on male suicide to kind of understand it better and you know let them know that it is okay to talk to someone about how you feel and that you are not alone in it but obviously men have this thing where they just kind of keep it all bottled up and it's sad you know because they probably don't have anyone to talk to and I think definitely you know more attention does need to come to light to that. I mean there is a new I don't know if it's new but there is a line now especially for males I know it's called calm I'm not sure what that is down for but it does down for something but there is just a line just for men to ring which I think is really good I'll get you the links I was going through your bag but no definitely because I was reading up the statistics and like I was saying to you earlier I think three quarters some suicides are males three quarters 75% I didn't think it was that hard to be sure 75% of men and it is the single most common killer in men between the ages of 20 to 45 gosh which is really sad that it's got so bad that people feel like this is any way out is to commit suicide but if I give you the links if you are a male and you want a line that is dedicated to male suicides there is that number to call I think men do have it tough like you said I think just personal opinion don't shoot me but I think men they've got more pride I think the women I think they feel they have to be a certain way they have to be a big strong one because that's what society has told you but that's not true if you're a man and you're struggling please talk to someone exactly because no one's going to think any differently of you like you know it was the same with like borderline personality disorder everyone was saying it's more of a common in women which actually isn't true but because men don't talk about their symptoms it's not diagnosed and then they don't get the real facts because it's never publicised because it goes on a diagnosis it's like the whole anorexia thing it's very centered around women who have anorexia men do have anorexia too same with like this is very deep but rape it's not just women who can get raped it's men as well and they need to be safe places for men to open up and talk about these things and making it more aware making people more aware talking about it I think it's quite important to mention obviously we spoke about doctors and nurses and mental health professionals I think a lot of people leave out that people like paramedics and the police because they do all have an input of mental health and all the paramedics that have come out to me or taken me into hospital and I've had quite a few because of my mental health have all been so nice there was one that was quite rude but when we got to the hospital he did explain the only reason why he was like that was because he was worried about my safety so that's I completely understand that but literally every paramedic I've had has been so understanding they haven't judged me they've always reassured me several times if I need it like I had a paramedic out actually last night and because of my breathing and stuff and he was so nice to me he said do you need any reassurance to ask me some questions and he really did reassure me so well and they've always been so nice and caring I've had to have the police involved a few times because of my mental health obviously at risk of being in danger and stuff and they've all been so professional and so nice to me and like there's a lot of bad media around the police but all the police I've had have been like so understanding I mean one of them sat with me because I couldn't get any ambulance because I was so anxious and he sat and he had a chat with me and he goes do you want me to come in the ambulance with you because I don't mind because I'll sit there and he goes I'll even you know just talk to you about anything you want and he goes I don't want to leave you really because I'm worried about you and he was so nice and obviously the paramedics took over from them and like obviously I had to get searched and stuff I had to be searched twice and then I got searched actually it was embarrassing but I know it wasn't there I thought I had to get searched at the shopping centre because I had one of these forms to fill in about like suicide and you know how likely on a one you know a scale of one to five you're going to kill yourself and things like that and then the police got sent out and they were coming to search me and he goes I know that you have your friends and you're in the middle of a public place like do you have anything honestly I don't have anything and he said would you like us to drive you to the hospital and get you seen or anything and they were so nice and he actually said that police are now having to be trained in mental health because a lot of the mental health systems if they don't know what to do with someone they send them to the police and it's sad but they do have to do that now and they're having to get extra training to kind of understand this and they're already understaffed and you know exactly and I think they don't get enough credit for it same as paramedics you know they're the people that are the first to call exactly you know you ring up and they send guide because obviously yesterday I ran 111 and if you explain that you're having breathing problems their automatic thing is to send an ambulance but like I said he was so nice and they always have been and I really do praise them for doing that like they've been so great so it's good thumbs up to the paramedics all of them they're really good to be fair the ones I know are really good it is good that there are really nice people out there who do care and understand another quick thing I wanted to mention if you're like me and you forget your medication obviously you can set like timers and stuff but if you're on Facebook there's an app called Blink and then you basically write to them what you want to be reminded of so it takes a drink of water and then you can say take medication and then you can set times of when it will text you my doorbells just rang hello is that a reminder from your app it could have been so that is it from us hopefully we've raised some awareness about mental health and from somebody that actually has mental health which is always good to come from the person I think rather than just reading online and surveys and things like that I think it's better to get the real experience I think so thank you it's actually really hard for Taylor to vlog and do things I act normal on the outside but inside I'm going no this is like a massive achievement for Taylor to actually sit and do a vlog with me so thank you thank you for coming over and if you need help then I was going to say is like my channel I'm going to start making more vlogs about mental health so if you want to discuss it more or if you want to talk to me like I've always said to people if you're struggling with mental health I'm always open to talk to you and hopefully you'll be able to put the links below there's also another one called Sane Line as well that are very good there's Sane Line hope on UK and there's the calm one for men and also Rethink are very good as well the Rethink charity are very good and if you can refer yourself to them they're very very helpful because that's who I'm going to you know when you can do a donate button now on Facebook to charities I'm going to put Rethink as my one that's good so yeah thank you everyone for listening and see the details below because I'll post all of Taylor's YouTube channel and all the links and things and look at her vlogs because they're really good now we're going to have a cup of tea goodbye