Do I have bipolar or what?

DX'd - Sz/SzA
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This is a question for those who know something about bipolar illness.

I seem to be suffering symptoms which sound like a bipolar “mixed state” and or maybe rapid cycling. I have intense self defeating thoughts which represent a mood low. Combined with the sz they seem to always follow certain themes involving non-bizarre delusions. I feel hopelessly sad and discouraged. I don’t have any manic or hypomanic features other than a tendency toward hypersexuality. This manifests as excessive masturbation, sexual obsessions and spending too long focusing on images of pornography.

The really sad part of all of this is that I suffer from sz symptoms alongside for sure. Mainly cognitive and negative symptoms like narrowing of interests, anhedonia and verbal fluency problems.

I’m diagnosed sz officially, but I think we need to consider the possibility of affective symptoms.

I withdrew my medication on my own in late December last year following a tardive dyskinesia scare. I went from 10 to 5mg Abilify. Also, I have taken half a dozen antidepressants in the years I have been ill and none of them ever triggered mania in me.

I have a family history of mental illness, many members of my family were either bipolar, depressed or had sz.

Are mood stabilizers effective and necessary or beneficial? Which one has the least side effects and is most effective for mixed states?

What do you think? Is it possible my disease is schizoaffective and not plain schizophrenia? Are my depressive episodes just a weird effect from cutting my abilify dose in half? What do you think?

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You’re probably sza like me.

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Get an opinion from yourpdoc though.

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I was diagnosed bipolar before my pdoc realized that I was actually schizoaffective. You sound schizoaffective to me. Jumping mood swings, manic one minute the next very low. I always have to juggle my mood swings with the voices. Sometimes I forget they aren’t real and I tell them to take turns it’s to much sometimes all at once!

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I think asking your pdoc about a mood stabilizer might help.

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You can be schizoaffective with only depressive symptoms, mania isn’t a requirement. Talk with your pdoc about the possibility of unipolar sza. Lord, I WISH I experienced some hypersexuality… I’m jealous!

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Yes, Schizoaffective Disorder - Depressive Subtype - is a diagnosis.

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I would take all your questions and present them to your doctor. We have no way of knowing for sure what your diagnosis is so, don’t take it from any of us. We are not trained in psychology or psychiatry.

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