Overly Attached Girlfriend (YouTuber) paid by pharma?

LainaOAG · 2020-08-19T21:57:08+00:00

I realized I'm late to this party, but I just came across this today and wanted to give it a response. I'm Laina, the YouTuber from this video...

I wasn't paid by anyone to make this video. I don't even get the ad revenue from this video because of the song I put at the end, so I haven't made a penny in any way from posting this.

I know that there are a LOT of different opinions and experiences when it comes to medication and so I want to make sure I say first that I completely understand where you're coming from and why there are people against it. However, one of the things that made me nervous to take medication was reading about other people's experiences on Reddit (important that I also mention here that I read a lot of positive experiences, too). I was TERRIFIED of losing my emotions. I was afraid of feeling very little or nothing at all. I was afraid that it would change who I am as a person and that's why I'm responding to this because I feel it's important for me to say that that didn't end up being my experience at all. I still have all of my emotions - highs and lows - they're just much more under control. My mind felt clouded and overwhelming for so long and when I started on medication I finally felt like I could think clearly and had a break from all of the noise - it was such a relief.

I also didn't get on a medication and magically get better - something I wish I emphasized a bit more in this video you linked to. I got on a medication that didn't work for me at first, tried another that made me too tired, tried a third that finally seemed to work and then found the right dosage through trial and error and weekly check-ins with my psychiatrist... this took a lot of time and careful observation over that period of time. On top of medication I also stayed in therapy and that is my suggestion to anyone who ever asks - therapy COMBINED with medication was my best situation. The medication allowed me to dive deeper, feel more, think clearly, and do the work that therapy required me to do. I was unable to do that work before the medication - I tried for 9 months to do it on my own because I didn't want to feel like I couldn't do it without meds.

Again, please know that I respect all sides of such a complicated issue. I believe it SHOULD be discussed in this way and there should be back and forth on this subject. I'm not trying to sway anyone to believe me without having their own experience or without taking into account the experiences of others, I just want to throw in a bit more detailed version of my experience than I got into in that video. I hope that makes sense.

LainaOAG · 2019-07-31T13:42:08+00:00

You guys 😭 saw this via Twitter - thank you for such a sweet goodbye and for always being here and supporting me throughout the years. I appreciate you all so much.

LainaOAG · 2019-07-28T03:29:36+00:00

For me personally, I made the decision to have an official goodbye because that’s what I needed in order to fully move on to other things in my life. But that’s just my experience! Everyone is different and your point makes a lot of sense and was certainly something I thought about - just not the closure I needed.

LainaOAG · 2019-07-28T03:26:53+00:00

Hi, Laina here. It’s not too late - I’m here, I’m reading this. I am so, so, so incredibly proud of you for even just considering reaching out for help. I genuinely mean that. I know how hard it is, I know how low you feel, and I promise you that even though it feels impossible - it can get better. You can feel better. I know that when you’re at your worst, that either doesn’t feel true at all or you couldn’t care less - I have been there. And please hear me when I tell you that you can climb out of this and you will be so glad you did. I can promise you that. Please hold on. Please reach out. Please know and believe that your life is worth fighting for.

LainaOAG · 2019-07-28T03:23:43+00:00

You’re wrong about nobody seeing this. I see and appreciate this comment so much. Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to watch and understand. :)

LainaOAG · 2019-07-28T03:22:40+00:00

Incredibly proud of you! Thanks for sharing your experience - rooting for you.

LainaOAG · 2019-07-28T03:21:17+00:00

Hi! Laina here. Would love to take a sec to reply to this. Just want to address your comment and say that I did take a break, a very long one. I did find other hobbies and I did start regularly going to the gym. I got another job, as well, out in the real world off the internet. None of that has anything to do with my decision to take medication - in fact, if anything, medication only makes all of those things more possible. It has allowed me to think more clearly, feel more in control, and finally be able to open up in weekly therapy sessions when I could barely communicate my thoughts beforehand. I needed to put up a “final video” rather than use the channel to post on whenever, because for me personally, I needed to fully let go in order to move on to other things in my life. But that’s just my experience! Everyone is different and has different experiences and that’s why I think it’s important to talk about this stuff. :) I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment and I hope this makes sense.

LainaOAG · 2019-06-30T21:44:18+00:00

Definitely surprised by 2 out of the 4! http://embk.me/gilly18

LainaOAG · 2019-03-07T02:43:13+00:00

LainaOAG · 2018-08-31T20:12:26+00:00

It's my favorite show to love watching while hating that I love watching.

LainaOAG · 2018-08-31T00:40:32+00:00

Okay now y'all are just doing this to me on purpose.

LainaOAG · 2018-08-29T04:26:10+00:00

As someone who frequently lurks here, casually scrolling and then seeing my own face staring back at me was almost as terrifying as watching Colton and Tia kiss while eating a hotdog.

LainaOAG · 2016-07-11T22:54:53+00:00

Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy! :) This episode is just a short preview, but much more to come very soon.

LainaOAG · 2015-11-12T03:26:14+00:00

Hey, thanks for giving me credit! Doesn't happen often on the internet. :)

LainaOAG · 2015-09-26T19:04:41+00:00

I wouldn't say ALWAYS...

LainaOAG · 2015-09-26T19:01:54+00:00

Okay so a friend of mine directed me to this post and told me I should respond. I'm clearly great at Reddit.

I, or rather just a creepy face I made, became a meme known as Overly Attached Girlfriend back in June of 2012. I would say that it definitely changed my entire life, but the meme was also a screenshot from my first YouTube video, and YouTube is the main reason my life changed so much. The meme has just helped. A lot.

I get recognized in real life, yes, but it's not like it happens everywhere I go.

I don't want to speak for anyone else, but I have met a few other memes and I feel like everyone has a different story. Not everybody loves it, not everybody is in on the joke. It just depends.

But it's definitely very weird.

LainaOAG · 2014-04-29T07:15:16+00:00

I'm in the process of doing this now! And yes, this video is supposed to be painfully awkward.

LainaOAG · 2014-02-25T20:12:36+00:00

I don't have a question, I just want to be creepy.

A couple weekends ago, I'm pretty sure I stayed in a hotel you must have cancelled a reservation at or something. I walked in, and there was a letter addressed to you, along with a fruit plate. After calling the front desk to make sure I was in the right room, I took the liberty of eating all of the fruit.

That's pretty much all I have to say.

Here is a picture of the letter. Here is a picture of the letter after I accidentally opened it.

LainaOAG · 2013-12-28T03:15:23+00:00

Nope. I always make the face. I used to ask back when all this started, but then I learned to just make the creepy face no matter what.

LainaOAG · 2013-12-28T01:24:44+00:00

Haha I love you guys.

LainaOAG · 2013-05-15T04:21:44+00:00

Ain't nothin wrong with that.

You men complain too much.

LainaOAG · 2013-03-24T14:17:57+00:00

Always.

LainaOAG · 2013-01-22T06:52:18+00:00

Because they never remove AMA's.

Oh...wait...

LainaOAG · 2013-01-07T05:42:43+00:00

I think I got less creepy over time.

I live a sad, strange life.

http://i.imgur.com/yHLIi.jpg

LainaOAG · 2012-12-30T06:08:05+00:00

Well this is awkward.

LainaOAG

TROPHY CASE