Anyone else on here not schizophrenic and have a psychotic mood disorder? (Bipolar disorder or major depression with psychotic features) If so check in!
I’m curious to learn more about how other people who have psychotic features symptoms present. Do you still have psychotic symptoms even when you’re not in an episode? I do, but they are very mild and easy in to manage when I am not in an episode. Aside from that when I am not in an episode I function completely fine and do very well. Are you the same? Do your psychotic symptoms act up every episode you have or no? When did you start experiencing psychotic symptoms? Did you experience them before your first depressed or manic episode? During your first? Only after you had had several non-psychotic episodes?
There is so little research and information available on these disorders, because mood disorders with psychotic features are a minority of a minority, especially when it comes to psychotic depression.
I dunno really. Some say schizoaffective is bi polar with a large degree of psychosis. Some say it is “in between” schizophrenia and bi polar, not really fitting either. And some say it is schizophrenia and bi polar! Depends on the p doc really for what you’ll hear. I think I was very psychotic but now better on meds and that’s all that matters to me!
Schizoaffective is a psychotic disorder that can either be bipolar type (mania and depression) or just depressive. It’s supposed to be different from a mood disorder with psychotic features because people w schizoaffective experience psychotic symptoms all the time and mood disorder with psychotic are supposed to only experience psychosis while in a depressive/manic episode.
But technically I also experience psychotic symptoms at all times even though I don’t have an official schizoaffective diagnosis…sooo the line is pretty blurry.
e(Y)e Could Explain my Personal Beliefs Almost to Any “normal” Individual and they (with a crowd of onlookers) They Would Say Something About How Dangerously “crazy” e(Y)e am … ,
and it Would Get Close to thee Edge of Violence if They Step Closer and Closer … ,
With Threats (OR) Line Crossing … ,
Naught Saying e(Y)e am Even Able to Defend Myself Properly but More so as Violence Would Probs Occur , and it Would be their Fault … ,
but e(Y)e Hear Two Solid Voices 24/7 , , , They are my Friends … , and we Don’t Make “evil” Plans , , ,
More so Endless Regret at Everyones Terrible Decisions … ,
What Exactly are Psychotic Symptoms (I don’t study medical explanations) , e(Y)e Ask my Voices for tha Most Part About Other Shazz … … …
Positive–>Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or even feeling things that don’t physically exist), delusions (beliefs others would consider abnormal)
Negative–>Disordered thinking (can’t keep a straight train of thought, intrusive thoughts) or speech (topics in speech jump from one to another or what you say just makes no sense at all sometimes), lack of facial expressions, not keeping up with personal hygiene and care, poor concentration, memory, etc
That’s normal for someone with schizophrenia. You usually won’t be diagnosed with schizophrenia unless you experience both positive and negative psychotic symptoms.
My diagnosis was changed from schizophrenia to bipolar with psychotic features. I only have psychotic features during manic episodes. The first episode I had didn’t feel manic at all though because my psychosis was so bad and I was completely paranoid. I don’t think it was manic at all really, but idk. But eight years later my last episode was more manic. Like I did a lot of goal oriented stuff (although delusional) like picking up trash around the neighborhood in belief that I was definitely saving the plant. And I had tons of energy, no sleep, organized everything in my house including the Tupperware. I don’t have neg or positive symptoms all the time, only during an episode. I guess now that my episodes have gotten less severe over time I can see how it can be bipolar with psychosis. All the diagnosis are very confusing to me though even if I read the dsm (whatever number they’re on).
It’s always been cycled so hard to know where one symptom hit the next. Mostly went with me withdrawal depression or the other way around as I said hard to know where the negatives and the depression mixed or which came first then I’d hit mania. Somewhat random with positive symptoms. I did a symptom management course like 2001 so often on top of the positive symptoms and kicked them in the butt big time. Just everything else crept through.
Prior to switching to a PD I was diagnosed with schizoaffective mixed type. The description of which according to the Royal college of psychiatrists is > Schizoaffective disorder mixed type
In this type, you have psychotic symptoms with both manic and depressive symptoms. However, The psychotic symptoms are independent and not necessarily related to the bipolar disorder symptoms.
Personally I would do away with the whole categorical diagnosis way of doing things and opt for a symptom based dimensional system.
With that I might be described as having(other opinions may vary!) primary anxiety with secondary mood and thought symptoms with comorbid developmental/learning difficulties(Aspergers? NVLD? dyspraxia?).
It would do away with the debates over bipolar with psychotic features vs schizoaffective bipolar type ,or psychotic depression vs schizoaffective depressive type.
Instead of a focus on diagnosis there could be a focus on the right treatment(s) for the set of symptoms you present with.
I think a lot of us here have varying degrees of anxiety,mood and thought symptoms sometimes along with other issues.
No one person with mental illness is the same and this should be reflected in treatment approaches.
I was officially diagnosed bipolar psychosis 5 years ago but I omitted most of my psychosis to the pdoc. If I had been honest and also checked in there’s a chance id be diagnosed schizoaffective.
My symptoms have mellowed as far as mania and depression goes and also psychosis.
Now I mostly struggle with negative symptoms.
Flat affect , lack motivation, avolition, blank mind.
It comes and goes
