Apparently now I have Major Depression with Psychosis, not Schizophrenia. I don’t know how to feel about this, Schizophrenia has become part of my identity, for better or worse (mostly worse), and being told that suddenly I don’t have it is a bit jarring. It doesn’t change my symptoms, I’m still the same as before, so what changed to warrant this relabeling? And what’s the difference, anyway? Is it just because of the depression?
Am I thinking too much about this? Probably, I overthink everything.
I might be a little worried. Do you get any form of public assistance? Are they paying for your sz med’s? I wouldn’t get too fearful, but you might want to check into things.
That’s actually how I found out about the diagnosis change- an evaluation form my pdoc filled out for state medical assistance. I don’t think they’d drop me just because my diagnosis changed, especially since the pdoc still labeled me as unable to work. I’m not too worried about that part.
I guess the difference between SZ, SZA, and PD is just the mood aspect. SZ is without any particular mood symptoms, SZA is with bipolar-like symptoms, and PD is with just depression, no manic periods. Other than that the diagnoses are about the same. So it’s not really downplaying the psychosis, even though that’s what it seems like, it’s just a modifier based on mood symptoms.
My youngest brother got diagnosed as bipolar 1 in June… some of what he’s going through is almost to the tee of what I’ve experienced.
He’s also had some very sneaky brained thinking and some psychosis. It does make me see that the label on the paper doesn’t matter… the meds… the coping tools, the need for some extra help at times… is all still the same.
I think depressive psychosis also means that the psychosis doesn’t happen without the depression. Whereas with sza the psychosis is independent of the mood disorder. And I think there is a time limit, like it only lasts 2 weeks.
Then I have no idea what my doctor is on about… I have psychotic symptoms with or without depression, and they’re constant, not periodical. Especially the negative symptoms, they never go away.
If you are having psychosis when you are not depressed, then this is not psychotic depression - its probably schizoaffective depressed type - but psychiatrists have their reasons for diagnosing their patients the way they do - I would not pay attention to it so much.
My psychiatrist tells me that I suffer from bipolar, but manages to write down a SZA dx for insurance purposes - go figure.
I am sure that there is a method to her madness
With major depression with psychosis/psychotic depression the psychosis occurs when depressed, with schizophrenia/schizoaffective the psychosis can occur when mood is level.
when i first met my clinical psychologist she thought i did not have sz and had something similar to your new diagnoses…she soon changed her mind !?!
i too felt offended…it is a normal reaction.
it has been your identity…
don’t worry about it…
know some one cares.
take care
