Possibly Misdiagnosed - Schizoaffective

DX'd - Sz/SzA
1

Hello! I’m fairly new to this site. I was recently diagnosed with Schizoaffective, bipolar type about a month ago. I was okay with the bipolar part but it felt odd because I never thought I would have schizo symptoms but after much research, I’ve concluded that I did have some of the symptoms. Mostly auditory hallucinations and delusions. However, after explaining to my therapist about my hallucinations, she told me that everyone has those “thoughts”. I felt really bad because I thought I actually had an answer to my confusing life. So I’m going to describe some of my symptoms and maybe I could get different opinions!

  • I believe I have superpowers that God gave me
  • I have two main “people” in my brain. One is the good guy and One is the bad guy.
  • Both have a particular voice. The good guy makes the good decisions while the bad guy gives me irrational thoughts such as suicide and words of low self-worth.
  • I attach special meaning to events with religious imagery or objects
  • I have body dysmorphia as well which makes me believe I’m a specific body size even though people tell me it’s not true.
  • I talk to these people in my head and they make most of my decisions. I also talk to God and He respond as well.
  • Sometimes, the evil voice tells me to kill myself and encourages my depression.
  • I respond well to antipsychotics. Currently taking abilify and Prozac for depression. I am having less conversations with the people in my head and making my own decisions rather than looking for the voices.
    It’s pretty common to get misdiagnosed but if I don’t have Schizoaffective disorder, what could it be? Just bipolar with psychosis? The reason I don’t believe i have schizophrenic symptoms is because my grandiose delusions or “voices” are not as severe or interfering as others. I can still function. Just not when I’m at my depressive low. That’s when Ed (the evil guy) gets loud and it’s hard to shut off.
2

idk it sounds like you’re sz to me. I know it’s tough…took me years to come to terms with my diagnosis. I can relate. But not “everyone” has those thoughts. I know therapists have so much LOVE for their patients they sometimes downplay symptoms and diagnosis…they don’t wanna believe their patient is schizo because you probably come off as normal…when in reality there could be a head circus going on. Continue taking your meds. Listen to your doctor first and foremost

3

I am having the same issue. My mom has schizophrenic delusions, but I stopped having delusions a few years ago. I was always creative and artistic. I experienced hallucinations after being in a hospital. I was diagnosed with I was sixteen. Then at twenty-six I was told by several separate doctors that I don’t have schizophrenia, and it was replaced with bipolar disorder. I don’t know if that’s really helpful, because I don’t have depression or mood swings. It was changed from chronic paranoid schizophrenia to schizoaffective with ADHD then to Bipolar with GAD, most of those labels are needed to have the insurance pay for healthcare. I recall when I was a teen I was more Bipolar and now that I’m an adult I feel displaced in society. I spent 10 years fighting schizophrenia to stay sane, and now I’m told I have a different disorder which doesn’t even make sense to me. And I have been feeling like a lot of people lately, like there is more to life than meets the eye, and consciousness elevation. I’ve been having weird dreams and predicting a lot of things all the time, also, I’m super smart and sensitive. I think having a high IQ also means you have schizophrenia. Medication makes me worse. I’m prescribed Vistaril and Abilify10mgs so at least not as much as before.

I conquered hearing voices.