I strongly believe in participating in research as a way to expand knowledge in the field of mental illness. I also like it because it often provides compensation 
However I have realized that there is pretty much no research going on for mood disorders with psychotic features right now. There is a small handful of studies looking at all psychotic disorders. There are many studies related to schizophrenia. There are even more related to major depression, but sadly I’ve found myself disqualified from basically all of them because of my psychotic symptoms. It’s frustrating and also sad to see what little research is being done into mood disorders with psychotic features.
You said that you tried to do research and were disqualified or that you applied to be in a research study. I never tried to get a grant myself to do research but I remember that I sent in a paper once to get it and they funded me for like a semester. Maybe you could try to start research on your own.
I’m talking about being a participant in studies, not running them. Though someday when I’m qualified I hope to do that as well.
Nope.
Never doing that ■■■■.
Why wouldn’t you want to help further knowledge and improve treatments for sz and other psychotic disorders? I suppose paranoia could play a part.
at least you have an idea of what your diagnosis is. They can’t even tell me for certain what I have. Mood disorder w/psychotic features, bipolar disorder 2 w/psychosis, possibly sza. I don’t fit the criteria for sz and bipolar either.
The best thing you can hope for is that they find a better treatment for psychosis which seems to be a research and development priority and then cope with your depression the old fashion way, anti depressants and therapy.
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My diagnosis hasn’t exactly been pinpoint either actually. My first diagnosis was nonspecific psychotic and anxiety disorder…because like you I wasn’t a textbook case of any particular mental illness. My current therapist settled on psychotic depression but I’ve been told by another psychiatrist that I may be sza. It’s hard for those that don’t clearly fit into one category 
I try not to worry about a diagnosis so much. But yeah until treatment for psychosis improves I am not very willing to go back on APs.
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sza is tough, you can have periods of complete normalcy with it and then become psychotic as hell. I was told I had that once. I know what you mean about the atypicals, they’re simply not a viable option, nor are they compatible with any semblance of a normal life. In my opinion you aren’t truly "recovered’ if you still are taking one. Maybe when they have one that treats the underlying dysfunction without ruining your life Ill change my mind. Until that time the psychosis is just so damn scary that i continue to take these things blindly and refuse to go out of the house until the dr agrees to cut my dose. Having a masked face being twenty lbs overweight and having no sexual function as well as walking like a geriatric person is not exactly what I would call good treatment or quality of life as its put in psychiatry