The Most Important Step in Mental Health Care That No One Tells You
Taking ownership of your mental health care can be a game-changer. In this video, we explore a crucial shift in perspective: while mental health professionals provide invaluable support, the ultimate responsibility for leading your care and recovery journey rests with you. This absolutely isn’t about undermining the importance of therapists, psychiatrists, or the mental health care system—it’s about empowering you to become the expert in your own experience.
I share my personal story of waiting for the system to “fix” me and the tough but transformative lesson I learned: thriving isn’t something anyone else can impose on you. It’s a deeply personal process that requires you to take charge, advocate for yourself, and define what wellness means to you.
Timestamps:
00:00 – I was waiting for the mental health care system to save me
02:00 – Shifting from survival mode to actively pursuing thriving and wellness
04:51 – Why self advocacy is a critical skill
06:33 – Practical tips for taking ownership of your care
No matter what treatment path you choose, the key message is this: you have the power to lead your mental health journey. You deserve to thrive, and it starts with you.
*MEDICAL KETO RESOURCES*
Learn more about medical keto for mental illness:
• Metabolic Mind YouTube channel: youtube.com/@metabolicmind and website: www.metabolicmind.org
• My keto coach, Nicole Laurent’s website: http://www.mentalhealthketo.com
• Brain Energy by Dr. Christopher Palmer: http://www.brainenergy.com
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• Schizophrenia Peer Support Community: http://www.schizophreniapeersupport.com
*HOW TO TEST YOUR KETONES* (important for medical keto!)
• Keto Mojo Monitor: Finger prick test for ketone and glucose levels. Save 10% with our affiliate link: http://bit.ly/ketomojolivingwell
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*SPEAKING & CONSULTING*
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#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #schizoaffectivedisorder #mentalhealth #mentalillness #selfadvocacy
42 Comments
JOIN OUR ONLINE PEER SUPPORT COMMUNITIES
Metabolic Therapies for Mental Disorders: https://www.metabolictherapysupport.com/
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Jesus Christ is the answer to all our problems 🙏 you git to believe this. You try everything else. Why not try Jesus 😢❤
We people with mental illness need to avoid substances ..such as alcohol and other mind altering drugs.
I am really happy and feel excited to see more of your content. Your journey is motivating and inspiring it gives hope that we can too live a life that's not focused on just surviving but can and should be focused on thriving kudos to you Lauren
LAUREN UR SO PRETENTIOUS
Hi Lauren, sorry if someone asked you about this already, do you think if you had practiced metabolic therapies before your first diagnosis, you wouldn't have experienced poor mental health in the first place?
Is low carbon diet good in prevention ill mental health?
We should remember that Life is hard and even for people without a MI diagnosis they are struggling daily. Having a “good “ life one has to take ownership and do the hard work. You’re a treasure Lauren for all of humanity! Be kind to yourself. ✌🏽
My doctor told me my only hope was meds. While I am on meds that may be true to some extent, but it's not the only road. I advocated for myself in pushing for a therapist and eventually found out I had PTSD as well as schizophrenia. If I hadn't learned that from my therapist I wouldn't be thriving. Drs just don't have time to dig around and figure out what's really wrong.
Thank you for everything you do. You give me hope. My mother and her twin lived devastating lives because of their schizophrenia. Two of my siblings suffer from schizophrenia. I have children. I live with a concern that they could develop schizophrenia. I discovered your channel years ago. I wanted to know if there were better options for my children should they experienceschizophrenia, I’ve seen your voyage and your recovery. You give me hope that my children will not live to mental illness. I thank you for your hard work, struggling through difficulty, not accepting the lies of the medical community and for keeping me and millions of others informed of options.
"You are the expert in your own experience" 💯
This video is both very right and very wrong. It’s very right in it’s emphasis on self-advocacy. As with the hiring of any professional, let the buyer beware. It’s never a good idea to let someone else take complete control of whatever it is you need. But this video is also very wrong in its pivoting to self-advocacy without diving into the problems within the mental health professions. It’s not just a matter of the client taking charge. It’s also a matter of the client often not being able to take charge in a health care system that regularly displays gross incompetence. (For the worst of the worst jn psychiatry, see Rob Wipond’s book, Your Consent is Not Required. For some of the worst in psychotherapy, see Steph Jones’ book, The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy). One of the ways professionals try to cover up their shortcomings is to put the onus on the patient by focusing on “self-advocacy” and their inability to”fix” their client’s problems, while also holding onto an extraordinary amount of power over their clients. I appreciate Lauren’s desire to be fair and polite about her experiences, but this video is tipping into apologetics for people who she herself said got it very wrong and couldn’t be happy for her when she found something that was right.
What if someone doesn't think something is wrong with them and refuses help? Lots of delusions.
Do you still have thought broadcasting?
My father always told me : you need to help yourself if you want to get better.
Just wanted to say that I find you adorable, the way your tone voice makes and your general expression. It seems that all your psychiatric adventure has provided you a unique layer of modesty, that gives me faith to people.
I have been diagnosed with PMDD, and for the last three years I’ve been trying to navigate but with the goal of being cured, and that if I did enough work and symptom tracking my care team would cure me. Listening to this video was very refreshing and I really appreciate you taking the time to make it.
So if we have to take care of us. WHY DO PSYCHIATRISTS EXIST?????? Why?? Are just staying and getting money doing nothing.
I have the same feeling. Waiting for my appointment to change something and nothing happens. I do not want to go to any specialist any more!!!
Human Given Psycotherapy is awesome but I feel this needs to be in combo with CBT and mindfulness.
You are so BRAVE and great and your words are very wise!! Very, very well done for your achievement!! ❤❤
I can relate to this 100 percent x
THEY WON'T EVEN TALK TO ME!!!! NO THERAPIST IN MY TOWN WILL RESPOND!!! THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP ME!!!!
❤from London
I resonate with this more than ever.. its the only way i got back to a semi working state where I could go to work. Im suffering chronic DPDR, MDD and insomnia there is little help in my country.. i had to work very hard and research my way to where I am now. I've learnt so many chronic mental illnesses out there are so complex and beyond support of what may be available in your local care.. sometimes you got to go find people and get out side of the 'system' to make progress
I think another useful thing is maybe try to look at things from the providers perspective. They have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders and a tough job. For example if they’re not super enthusiastic about your diet experiment, maybe it’s because there are not lots of studies that prove it and it can be dicey to get behind something that might not work in the long term. Or maybe they’ve had a really rough day idk.
I cannot imagine having a patient who went off meds and something devastating happened. What do you say to the family?!?!? And you have to live with that death for the rest of your own life. Don’t get me wrong, I know some professionals are rude, and frankly horrible people, but it’s important to look at things from their perspective sometimes before bashing them online or making a video complaining. It really bothers me that Lauren hasn’t seemingly thought about this. It’s really disrespectful frankly.
This is important. But for people living in group homes, they don't have the ultimate control over their care. As a social worker who works with group home residents, I meet people who don't feel that their choices are fully respected. I suspect that some doctors see a person's need to express their will and choices as being less important, if they live under the direction of group home staff.
Why can’t they?
What team? One psychiatrist?
They provide meds not much more
How can I take ownership when they include abuse as psychosis
Thank you for this. A person that seemingly should be the one on the constant receiving end of support from others rising up to support those around them while still struggling themselves is absolutely incredible. You are truly inspirational, and I hope your life journey becomes easier for you as it goes on.
I have schizophrenia and I feel like I am doing this as well I have been watching you to for a long time I am so proud of you so much
Thanks, it's true that having an appointment with a psychiatrist brings hope and relief in the difficulties
My doctor misdiagnosed me and is now "trying" to kill me with literally 27 medications in 10 months… I say "trying" because I DO do my own research, ask second opinions… So I'm taking only ONE medication (that I was taking already and was stable on it)… Screw him, he doesn't listen to me, I record every session, privately (legal in my state)… I'm meeting a new psych tomorrow and I will be "interviewing" her. If she passes, or I titration myself off the last med, I'm suing him for medical negligence and malpractice. I already have an attorney on hold for that.
2:22 🎯
Hi Lauren😊 I have been diagnosed with paranoid-hallucinatory schizophrenia for 25 years. For me personally, the most important step was realizing and accepting that I have this disorder and that I can't always trust my perception and thoughts. During my psychotic episodes, I always have the delusion that everyone in the world is conspiring against me and wants to kill me. At home I hear voices outside the door mocking and insulting me. On the street I hear people talking badly about me and then I even “see” the corresponding mouth movements. So I also have visual hallucinations. I had my last psychotic episode at the end of May 2023. It was stopped with an injection of haloperidol and I was put on 8mg risperidone per day. I am currently no longer taking any medication due to the side effects (joylessness, weight gain and impotence). At least until the next psychosis. Greetings from Germany😊
"You are the expert of your experience" yet you say "don't modify your medication apart from your care team". I have 2 degrees im sure i can read the research with more motivation than a shrink or a gp. Doctors are not gods, many are ignorant. Most don't care . Certainly not for novel treatments. I will be my own experiment.
4 weeks behind….I've just find myself in asphasic or dysphasic loop…..man it cold a anything here…….big duck hunters and stuff like that hu?………😂….bet they would give me you a gun😊
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ 1:41
The concept of "becoming the expert of your own experience" is transformative yet often overlooked. While mental health professionals are invaluable guides, true healing begins when we shift from passive recipients to active participants in our recovery.
Three key insights I've observed:
1. Self-advocacy is a learned skill – it's about finding your voice and trusting your intuition about what works for you
2. Recovery isn't linear – what works during one phase might need adjustment in another
3. The therapeutic relationship works best as a partnership, not a hierarchy
Your message about taking ownership without undermining the importance of professional support strikes a crucial balance. It's like learning to drive – an instructor teaches you the rules, but ultimately you need to take the wheel.
Question for others: What was your turning point in taking ownership of your mental health journey?
❤
Yes
I have such admiration for you. Your journey is so brave and real. Hold your head up because sharing your experience helps more than you know. Big hug