I think I may have schizophrenia rather than Psychotic depression. I looked at a more detailed article about it and the criteria. I fit every bit of it… I hardly fit the criteria for psychotic depression anymore.
As you grow, you change, and I know that docs hate putting the Sz label on people before they leave their teens.
As long as your meds work and you get help managing your symptoms… the label doesn’t mean much.
the thing is, my meds are not working…
Write down all of the symptoms you have been experiencing, including severity, how often and for how long. And most importantly, describe the details of these symptoms and how they affect your life. Having all of this written down really helps mental health professionals make informed decisions regarding your treatment. In addition, you might want to write about your past and current experience with medications and how they helped or don’t help.
All the best, and we are here on these forums for support. 
That may be because your diagnosis is wrong. Get your pdoc to re-evaluate you or go for a second opinion. I was once diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and put on mood stabilisers, but they didn’t work because I have sz not Bipolar, so the antipsychotics work on me.
For me I need both, some form of mood stabilizer (Lamictal) and an antipsychotic (Risperdal) I dont think I would be very stable without an antipsychotic, some antipsychotics have mood stabilizing properties - I know that risperidone does
This is an overview:
Symptoms I have been experiencing.
Hallucinations- very severe, have been experiencing for about 5 years off and on despite medications, while I am awake, even while asleep.
Certain delusions- I feel like I am being watched or braodacasted on public radio, like people can hear my thoughts. Moderate, have been experiencing constantly for about a year now.
Disorganized speech- this had been going on since I was a child. I switch around words or phrases, and I usually say things that don’t make sense. This happens almost every minute of my waking time.
Paranoia: This has been going on since the beginning of Junior year of high school. I am a senior in high school now. This is severe, though I try to hide it from others. This is constant.
All of these impact my concentration and mood, as well as my sleep and stress levels. I am having difficulty understanding what is real and what is not. I have been seeing gory, scary images for a while now. Like corpses chopped in half, chopped into unrecognition, people with theior eyes gouged out people bleeding to death from stab wounds or scared people, people with their faces cut off, people with blood all over them… I have also been seeing blood splatters, bugs crawling on the walls, blood leaking from corners of the room I am in. My anxiety levels have been increasing each time I see these things.
I am really freaking out right now, I am beginnign to see these again…
If you are having psychotic symptoms more than 2 weeks after your mood is level that suggests schizoaffective…
An article from 2004 . http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=107634&RelatedNewsArticles=true
I’m so sorry to hear that you are going through this. I think everyone here understands how horrible it can be and I also think that we all would agree that you should print this information and give it to your doctor. Try to get referred to a good psychiatrist and give them this information as well. As firemonkey has mentioned, how long these symptoms have been occurring and when they occur are both needed to make a proper diagnosis which leads to the best treatment possible. We all feel for you.
@SurprisedJ
@mrjeremyfisher
@Hadeda
@Wave
@firemonkey
Thank you all so much. When I see my pdoc again, I will give them the paper.