I’m wondering if the inability to feel complex emotions(or any emotions for that matter rather than just fear or distress) is a negative symptom or if it’s depression. I am told that I have schizoaffective disorder, so is the absence of emotions related to the schizo or the affective part? Anyone with pure schizophrenia on here able to feel their emotions or are y’all just hollow and flat as well?
1 Like
I mean if you are not feeling anything at all (sadness) it’s probably related to Negative Symptoms.
I don’t know, there is sometimes a fine line between bipolar and Schizoaffective.
It could be med related also.
1 Like
I have schizoaffective too, and the whole range of emotions from hellish lows to manic highs and mixed episodes, it’s a rollercoaster. I have felt that hollow, emotionless ‘zombie’ state, it tends to happen to me after a severe psychotic episode when my brain is shattered and I’m very heavily medicated. I had a massive argument with a psychiatrist one because he insisted it was negative symptoms whereas I though it was the medications deadening my emotions. There was a period of several years where it affected me so badly I barely moved from my bed, hardly washed or took care of myself at all. The feeling began to lift after I quit meds, but I honestly don’t know if that was the heavy dose of meds wearing off, or just a gradual recovery from a period of bad negative symptoms. Sorry, I suppose this doesn’t clarify anything much, it can be really difficult to distinguish between a long lasting depressed mood, negative symptoms, and emotional sedation from the meds. I still don’t understand it myself.
1 Like
it is very hard to know, some depressions include psychotic episodes, cognitive problems, thought disorders or even catatonia!
1 Like
I have blunted emotions and extreme apathy
1 Like
Thanks @zeno. You know I’ve been a patient for 15 years and I never knew that until I met my current doctor. She’s really good. Anyway she thinks that I’m depressed. Meanwhile I’ve had 8 psychotic episodes and been practically isolated for ten years.
I’ve been in hospitals, long term programs etc and nobody ever treated me for depression.
@Wave. You always give me good advice. I think some of it is med related because I feel better later on in the day. I hope it’s also depression related and not negative symptoms.
1 Like
This is one of my most refractory symptoms. I think it may be a result of the medications. Maybe it is the illness. I know because I have periods of time where it gets better, maybe one day out of the month.
1 Like
I am emotionally flat and sz but I do take antidepressants. They do help. I take Wellbutrin. SSRIs make me psychotic. I can’t handle them.
Latuda helps too but I want to get off of that soon. Weight gain and sexual symptoms with that one.
1 Like
Zip, Zero, Nada, Empty, Hollow, vacant, void, flat, dry, bare, lacking, unfilled, naught, nix, blank, nothing, zilch.
Been these, felt these,looked like these…no sabe nada.
One pill wonder, would, in an instant, make me:
feel wonderful, full of life, want of life, look healthy, talk enough,but not too much- not deviate from the matter at hand…one can dream.
1 Like
I’ve been asking same question… is this depression? I have difficulties every year this time. But it’s just the worst of the ‘negative symptoms’ people call them… worst of 3 years. But heard people say depressive symptoms, flat affect (?)
Anyhow I don’t feel sad but I guess you can be depresses without deep sadness.
Whatever. Kinda wish I knew if I have BP with psychosis and schizotypal. … or neurodegenerative crap… or schizoaffective.
Hope u find out if it’s depression so you know how to care for it. If it’s depression, I use/d a blue light and they work
2 Likes