Prevalence of sza, depressive type

DX'd - Sz/SzA
21

It does happen but it happens more with sza

My bf is bipolar and hallucinates but its controlled with a mood stablizer. Tho he has never had a full blown psychotic episode

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22

I don’t find the diagnosis sza as useless label.
It means sz and mood disorder.
Together they’re called sza.
What’s the objection?

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23

Hallucinations can be extremely severe with bipolar 1 with psychotic features.
They are just more episodic than seen with SZA

I’ve been hospitalized a few times

Although my diagnosis changes from bipolar to SZA depending on the doctor

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24

That’s why imo it doesn’t change anything it’s more stigmatizing to call it “schizoaffective disorder” imo and it does nothing ecept make the person feel worse

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25

I honestly feel validated with the diagnosis because it reprents fully what i have going on. Bipolar doesnt seem to capture it all

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26

I agree with @Moon. 15151515

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27

I have read online that sza has better prognosis than just sz. Why?

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28

They believe, although they are not sure, that the mood components of sza are what improve the prognosis.

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29

I will ask my psychiatrist.
I’m curious

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30

I asked my psychiatrist, via messenger,
why sza has better prognosis
than sz, and he said that it depends.
I didn’t ask him further. I will discuss it
with him when I’ll go for my shot

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31

I was first diagnosed with paranoid sz. As time went on, I began having severe depression and mood swings. I picked fights with people. Anyway I think maybe sza has a better prognosis than sz because the bpd side shadows sza. Somehow, for whatever reason one seems stronger than the other. Idk. Wouldn’t wish anyone develop it. Pay no mind to my rambling.

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32

This is what mine is. At least right now. Changes with every doctor. But I am depressed most of the time and no hypo/mania. We will see, huh?!!

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33

In what way does it change?
I’m pretty stable.
But my diagnosis has changed
a bit with every doctor.
Schizoaffective.
Undifferentiated.
Undifferentiated.
Paranoid with depression/ Schizoaffective

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34

My symptoms haven’t changed really over time. I think maybe what one of the biggest issues is, is that I deal with cPTSD more so. So it’s whether or not the doctor has delved deep enough to differentiate. I hope this makes sense.

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35

So what’s your current diagnosis?

36

PTSD and SchizoAffective depressive type.

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37

There is another way to look at it, as well. Psychosis is not necessarily the mainstay in schizoaffective whereas in in schizophrenia psychosis is ever-present.

Though I agree with you from my experience, I have SZA-Bipolar, and psychosis, without medicines, seems to be ever-present.

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38

Psychosis is even less prevalent with Bipolar than it is with SZA bipolar type
I rarely experience psychosis unless I’m having major mood episodes.
This is why I lean more towards a Bipolar dx

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39

I see. If you are getting psychosis with mood symptoms, it is certainly Bipolar then.

Do you have cognitive symptoms? Like difficulty concentrating, reading, memory issues, etc which are disabling?

My cousin who is Bipolar has no such symptoms. In fact, during conversations, I get surprised by how quick-witted he is, how good his memory recall and focus etc are.

40

Honestly I’m pretty sure that one of my past psychiatrists got it right when she said that although my diagnosis is bipolar I still have a bit of schizophrenia as a comorbid condition but not enough of it to change my diagnosis to SZA, if this makes sense.
She said that rarely bipolar comes in as a stand alone condition.
Other mental illnesses attach themselves to bipolar.
In my case it would be anxiety, OCD and probably some schizophrenia added to the mix.
This is what she believes and I tend to agree with her assessment

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