How well are you functioning?

What’s your GAF score? My pdoc says mine is 48. Not so good.

Here is the scale that I used to use for my patients as a psych nurse.

"A Gaf Score or Global Assessment of Functioning is utilized by a clinician to guage an individual’s overall level of functioning and his/her ability to carry out activities of daily living. This information is useful in planning treatment, measuring its impact, and predicting outcome.

The Global Assessment of Functioning Scale is a 100-point scale that measures a patient’s overall level of psychological, social, and occupational functioning."

100-91 Superior functioning in a wide range of activities, life’s problems never seem to get out of hand, is sought out by others because of his or her many positive qualities. No symptoms.

90-81 Absent or minimal symptoms (e.g., mild anxiety before an exam), good functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities, socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more than everyday problems or concerns (e.g., an occasional argument with family members).

80-71 If symptoms are present, they are transient and expectable reactions to psychosocial stressors (e.g., difficulty concentrating after family argument); no more than slight impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., temporarily falling behind in schoolwork).

70-61 Some mild symptoms (e.g., depressed mood and mild insomnia) OR some difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., occasional truancy, or theft within the household), but generally functioning pretty well, has some meaningful interpersonal relationships.

60-51 Moderate symptoms (e.g., flat affect and circumstantial speech, occasional panic attacks) OR moderate difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., few friends, conflicts with peers or co-workers).

50-41 Serious symptoms (e.g., suicidal ideation, severe obsessional rituals, frequent shoplifting) OR any serious impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., no friends, unable to keep a job).

40-31 Some impairment in reality testing or communication (e.g., speech is at times illogical, obscure, or irrelevant) OR major impairment in several areas, such as work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood (e.g., depressed man avoids friends, neglects family, and is unable to work; child frequently beats up younger children, is defiant at home, and is failing at school).

30-21 Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations OR serious impairment, in communication or judgment (e.g., sometimes incoherent, acts grossly inappropriately, suicidal preoccupation) OR inability to function in almost all areas (e.g., stays in bed all day, no job, home, or friends)

20-11 Some danger of hurting self or others (e.g., suicide attempts without clear expectation of death; frequently violent; manic excitement) OR occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal hygiene (e.g., smears feces) OR gross impairment in communication (e.g., largely incoherent or mute).

10-1 Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others (e.g., recurrent violence) OR persistent inability to maintain minimal personal hygiene OR serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death.

0 Inadequate information.

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Wow, this is an amazing eye opener. You find the best stuff.

I’ve hit almost all of these with 80 being the highest when I was younger and then sank down to 11 and rose up again. I feel that I’ve been wavering between 60 and 70.

Thank you for posting this.

What an amazing recovery–from 11 to 60/70! I figured you’d be high-functioning.

I’ve been down to 20 at my worst. And have hovered around 40 for almost 8 years now. But things are starting to get better!

Blessings,

Anthony

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I’m pretty sure my 11 was also compounded by heavy drug use and drinking, and I had just been brought in after a long stint of living in the park. Even the other guys in my homeless camp couldn’t take me. Sobering up increased my functioning a lot.

I figured you are also on your way up the scale too. You have an interest in stuff, you have maintained friends, you’re hitting a good place. You’re taking on and conquering challenges. I smile for you every time you say your still walking around and getting outside. :thumbsup:

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That’s very encouraging! And that encouragement helps me tremendously.

Thanks, J!

Anthony

This was in my abnormal psych textbook! It’s the fifth axis of mental health. We people with schizophrenia have an axis I disorder.

I would score myself to 80-71

I would say Im 81 right now. I was probably 25 at my worst-I acted out on my delusions and hallucinations and had no friends for a while in my first semester of college. My GPA for that semester was 3.9 but go figure, I was good at nothing else. I remember being obsessed with my delusions and hallucinating all day. It was like going to school on LSD. I would workout and play xbox and smoke ciggs and go to school, but I had no social life at all, I just watched movies on my laptop, played xbox and stayed in my room, only leaving to go to school, the gym, or outside for a smoke.

I do miss my high school years- i was probably near 100 during my junior year of high school. I was a leader, great student, highly sociable, and completely in control of my life. Schizophrenia can really strike even the most disciplined people and turn them into their shadow.

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Very impressive! Please share with us how you were able to function so highly.

I always love to hear success stories.

Blessings,

Anthony

I am not sure we have this in the UK but mine would be either 41-50 or 51-60. I don’t work and have no friends so maybe the first one. Mine if i had one would have been static for a long time which probably goes with being chronically ill.

i think i would be 60-51 or 70 - 61 I have few friends. My one success is my job. I"ve been with the company 3 years. I’m even working right as i type. :wink: But i am pretty isolated.

i wonder what my doctor would put me at.

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I eat lot of raw vegetables it gives me lot of energy and reduces the side effects of med. i do meditation for 30 min. A day. Combination with that two and my risperdal it keeps me going. The most benefit i get is from raw vegetables.

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I have definitely noticed a major improvement in my symptoms from eating healthier. I’ve been gluten-free for almost 6 months, and I certainly feel less paranoid since then.

Good for you for taking control of your health!

Blessings,

Anthony

The sad part is that ALL of our psychiatrists should be evaluating our GAF scores at first examination. And at least annually after that. But not all pdocs put in the extra effort.

Do you have a hard time eating gluten free?? I really need to starting eating healthier?? But it seeems like gluten free is expensive too and i can’t afford that.

It IS a pretty strict diet. The options are few and the good gluten-free foods are a little more expensive. But it’s easy to find good alternatives. For example, fried mozzerella sticks instead of pizza. Rice instead of noodles. Corn tortillas instead of bread. It just takes getting used to.

But it’s definitely worth it for me. One month on the diet and I not only lost weight, but saw a reduction in paranoia.

The current research theorizes that gluten turns into an intoxicant (an opioid, like morphine), that increases positive symptoms in some people with schizophrenia.

So that was my motivation for change. And I feel, personally, that it’s paid off.

Hope this helps,

Anthony

I’m doing a mental health dietician class in February. I spoke her today and she recommends a gluten free diet especially with pcos which is what i have.

What a cool class! You’ll have to share with us what you learn!

Blessings,

Anthony

I think I fluctuate between 50 -51 It’s difficult to be sure. I might be in between moderate to severe. Socially and occupationally I am more severe, in other areas I might be more moderate. I am starting to be more social with the small stuff, saying hi to people - small talk, but I have no friends. It’s difficult for me to pinpoint an exact number. This is very interesting stuff, thanks Anthony.

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i am 10 to1 in the morning but go up to 60 to 51 by lunch time.
take care

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