I’m sorry if you guys think I shouldn’t post on here because I don’t have sz diagnosis.
I just this week got diagnosed with depression, and it’s hard for me to admit my symptoms to anyone I know, or doctors. I’m getting there.
Sometimes I do feel like I might be faking it all for some weird messed up reason, so talking about it brings a lot of guilt.
So I’m really confused and am just trying to understand what on earth is wrong with my sick brain.
I like this forum because it’s such an amazingly supportive community, and one where I can get a lot of insight into some of the things going on in my head, but I realise I might not have sz and might never get a diagnosis for anything other than depression.
So if any of you think it’s inappropriate for me to stay on the forum, please say so and I’ll stop posting altogether.
You belong here just as much as anyone else. A lot of people here don’t have a schizophrenia diagnosis. As long as you have experienced psychotic symptoms, you fit in here.
Were you honest with your doctor about all of your symptoms? And what treatment have they decided on for you?
We actually got a new category just for people who have at some point had a sz/sza diagnosis. That way, the people who want to communicate only with other sz/sza people can use that category, and the people who don’t have sz/sza and want to use the forum won’t have to worry about being unwanted. The category that is meant exclusively for sz/sza people is called “DX’d - Sz/Sza”. I hope you find the support and insight you want here!
After the first doctor saw that I’d self harmed (I had an appointment for a sort of unrelated issue), I was referred to counseling. On advice from my mum and the councillor, I decided to seek medication and a depression diagnosis.
I denied a couple of symptoms (or played them down a bit), but was overall mostly honest. I only mentioned depression, however, so wasn’t asked any questions to do with psychosis.
I have been prescribed 50mg of sertraline for now, although I’ve been told the dosage will be increased.
I strongly encourage you to tell your doctor about your delusions. You are currently on an antidepressant. When someone with psychosis takes an antidepressant alone, there is a chance it can make their psychotic symptoms worse. If your doctor knew about the delusions, chances are he would prescribe an antipsychotic alongside your antidepressant, and that would help you more.
I’m still trying to come to terms with what I am making up/exaggerating and what are real psychotic symptoms. This forum helps me distinguish between them a little, but in the end it’s difficult because it’s all mental either way.
I also have quite a large mental block (which I know I need to get over) when it comes to receiving help.
That’s why I’m not sure what to tell my GP. I don’t want to waste the time and resources of professionals who could be helping people with real conditions.
I do realise it might be a good idea though, as I’d like to understand whatever it is that’s wrong with me, if anything.
Edit: @Ninjastar, I didn’t realise antidepressants could make psychotic symptoms worse. That gives me a new perspective. Perhaps I should tell my doctor after all… Thanks
I joined here when I first started to experience auditory hallucinations before I even got an SZ diagnosis. I only got that diagnosis just last month. So long as you’ve experienced psychosis, you’re welcome here.
Also, yeah, I think my antidepressant (used for anxiety) is what kicked me into full-blown hallucinatory psychosis over my more low-key delusions. I was on setraline at the time and went from 50mg to 100mg, and within a couple of days, I started hearing things. It never went away.
There have been people on this site who were not officially dx’ed sz. Most of us accepted them without reservation. I think one or two people groused about it, but they were people who were troublemakers themselves.
