Hey guys so officially I’m diagnosed as Schizoaffective Bipolar Type, originally diagnosed as Bipolar 1 w/ psychotic features. However, I feel doubt and as if I’m being “dishonest”. See, I feel like I can’t relate with a lot of what people talk about. I know I’m bipolar, there’s no doubt in my mind because my mania has caused me to do crazy stuff that I still haven’t come to terms with. But see with the schizoaffective diagnosis I’ve only ever had hallucinations when I was high on marijuana (I saw the spongebob flower all over the floor and everything looked cubed).
Besides that, the main point of contention is my delusions and maybeee negative symptoms. I accept that yes, I’ve had delusions while manic, some really ridiculous ones like Truman Show stuff. And I’ve had delusions outside of mania, but the difference is that I’m self-aware about it and I know it’s wrong, it’s just uncomfortable having these weird thoughts. Hence why I thought maybe I had Bipolar 1 w/ psychotic features and Delusional Disorder.
However, the other problem is that I may or may not have experienced negative symptoms, the ones being avolition, anhedonia, and cognitive impairment. The main problem here is that they could also be the result of bipolar depression or the meds. But my mood is good so idk about the bipolar depression thing. The unique negative symptoms like alogia and flattening of affect have never occurred with me. Some people have told me recently that I have a really bad resting b*tch face, but if needed I can make a big smile so would that even count as flattened affect? Basically there’s no really good way of telling, to me the only thing that makes my diagnosis possibly correct is that I’ve had delusions outside of mania.
I’d say whatever your diagnosis is, there are elements of schizophrenia and elements of bipolar. The key is while taking medications to stabilize, to fix the underlying problems.
Doc diagnosed me w sza even though I don’t get negative symptoms. They’re mainly looking at if you get psychosis all the time or just during mood episodes. If you get it independent of mood like I do then they say sza but if it’s just during mood episodes then bipolar or depression w psychotic features.
Thanks, I guess I might be sza then. I have paranoia and delusions outside of mood episodes. Mania makes the psychosis much worse than normal I’ve noticed, the lack of self-awareness makes me believe it much more strongly than normal, which is why it’s kinda weird since normally when I get a delusion I can say “that’s dumb”
You took the words right out of my mouth @anon55830100
I think I am bi-polar, also. With psychotic components. And drug/alcohol abuse. I also have OCD and PTSD.
So I have a whole array of symptoms and stuff going on. It doesn’t minimize your struggles. Bi-polar is a serious illness. That’s the revelation ive recently come to. Only god can judge me. Not some diagnosis…
Another reason I think im bi-polar is because I had an onset at about 14 years old…while sz tends to be more around 18 on average. I like to think of myself as a typical bi-polar case rather than an early onset sza. I also completely lose insight during depressive episodes… and have psychotic thinking during mania, not much when im stable, and have no negative symptoms too. And I just seem bi-polar now that I think of it that im sober and all. Cheers!!! And good luck!!
This is my problem as well, I “Know” my so called delusions are very ‘not’ normal so I tend to keep it to myself.
But it was real, and that makes me ‘psychotic’?
I don’t care for my Sza and Dissociative Disorder (DID?) , but I guess it fits, I just don’t like the label and stigma it comes with.
Awesome my friend! I wish I could say the same for me, I haven’t gotten any sleep recently though I’m trying to get 8 hrs. How about your diet if you don’t mind me asking? In not trying to be mosey I’m just asking to see if I can help in any way.
I have the same thing happen to me sometimes. I think it’s partly because I spend a lot of time in the sun so in the days I’m energetic but then when the sun sets I sometimes get depressed. If the same is true for you is say try having a small snack and just before sunset to keep your blood sugars a bit higher as it sets.
My diet’s pretty bad haha I eat lots of unhealthy foods. I take a lot of supplements though. I’m also fairly underweight, I’m 120lbs and 5’7, but I’ve been steadily gaining weight (a few months ago I was 90lbs lmao)
Let’s look at the facts, when I was hospitalized they thought I was bipolar and gave me lithium so I pass out for 3 days
Them they thought I was sz catatonic because I could not behave normal from all the meds and I was not moving, because I just could not, I was to drugged.
Now my therapist and ii came to the conclusion that I am a man of extreme, I have motivation for a period and I do my job perfect I go to school I socialize I am feeling good
Then a period when I got no motivation comes and I suck at everything
Wow I’m really glad to hear that you’re back at a healthy weight
Healthy foods have a direct impact on our mood. If we eat stable foods we will be stable, if we eat unstable foods, we will be unstable.
I have bipolar symptoms too as part of my schizoaffective, but since I changed my diet to the doctor recommended amounts I’ve felt much more stable.
I think the plate method is the best means to achieving balance.
1/2 plate vegetables
1/4 plate carbs
1/4 plate protein
And then maybe a cup of milk and a half an apple with each meal or for snacks in between meals
