Comorbidity and Schizophrenia
Dear Readers,
Comorbidity is a common challenge for many people struggling with mental illness. I think it’s important to remember that these things rarely travel alone. Schizophrenia is most often diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Understandably so, this and self medication can lead to a dual diagnosis involving substance abuse. I myself have family members who struggle with this. I hope this can be a safe space to share and support one another always. 🍵
Discussion Points:
Have you been diagnosed with schizophrenia as well as a secondary diagnosis?
How has this impacted your treatment plan?
Are you a loved one of someone with dual diagnosis?
What has helped you cope the most in a healthy way?
I look forward to all of your feedback! 💕
@blitheSun94
Always appreciate your efforts in creating supportive spaces for everyone to seek some compassion. ❤️
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
Thank you, Suni. ❤️
Hi blitheSun94
I thank you for posting on this thread
I had been diagnosed with schizoaffectove disorder. This was my first diagnosis like many years ago. After that I think I could have self-diagnosed myself many many times and unfortunately I don't know what I have now.
The last I was told I may have a combination of psychotic depression, adhd and borderline personality disorder. Then one day my long time therapist suddenly told me I have psychotic depression, adhd and OCD and not borderline personality disorder. That's why I lost faith in her.
Right now I am throughouly confused. One thing though I have observed certain behaviour in my dad and I see similar behaviour in me. In particular I have seen my dad sleep a lot. Like a *** lot. In the afternoons and then again at nights. I also seem to have a similar problem. It cuts short my day quite a bit. I know I go through depression and mania. In fact I feel inebriated after I take the medicines for lack of a better word. It feels as though I am drunk. I don't know if that's sufficient enough for diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. I do remember being obsessed with patterns and behaving a certain way based on visualizations. So I would for instance have picked up on how certain people from a community behave, seen them in movies or something and behave like them completely. Like losing my personality. It would be great to hear from you and what you think about this. Thank you.
@sensitiveme00
You’re welcome! I am no psychiatrist, but I definitely understand what you’re describing here. I was misdiagnosed the first time. When I was finally properly diagnosed I went into treatment shortly after where a my doctor was off duty and some stand in tried to change my diagnosis again. To what I’m not sure and I don’t care. I got visibly upset and made sure she’s didn’t alter my records.
I have bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and ptsd. At 15 I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and paranoia. I think they were on the right path, but never quite got there.
I also see classic traits of bipolar 1 in my father, although he’ll never admit it. When I rattled the symptoms off to him he said, “Well that’s just Wednesday!”
I believe schizoaffective disorder is a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which can be confusing since bipolar also has psychotic features like hallucinations and delusions. What are your symptoms like?
Thank you for sharing your story. 🖤
Hey blitheSun94!
Thank you for replying
In terms of symptoms I am very moody. I can feel low very easily then there are times I feel very good also easily though this happens quite less. In fact I remember having noted down the exact conditions when I would feel very good. Like when there is a lot of sunlight, just the right kind of weather like cold but not too cold (winter mostly) you could say. On Saturdays (I don't know if that makes sense) like when there is a lot less work stress. There is silence but again in the mornings or afternoons. I feel depressed when tired.
Now here is another unfortunate diagnosis which comes to mind. Could it be that when I went to more and more doctors trying hard to find what my diagnosis I could have got psychosomatic disorder.
So why do I say that? A neurologist did diagnose me once with psychosomatic disorder. But coming to the source because my dad was a GP and I used to hate him in childhood because he would not understand me and what treatment I should get. In fact there were times when he was mean when he would have lost sleep and in fact he was also an alcoholic and like that isn't enough I was bullied by him in the past. He would come home drunk and verbally abuse because of some reason or the other. We would be scared if he was about to hit us or something. It was emotionally exhausting. It is a bad memory I am still trying to come out of it even after his passing.
Could it be that if you mess around and don't treat a psychological problem it can reach the neurological level? This is something I heard from a listener from on the app. They told me that for ADHD that it could have some neurological impact!
And so the problem here could be hypochondriasis due to childhood bullying of a doctor dad evolving to psychosomatic disorder. I feel like I am solving a puzzle and yet a lot of this makes sense. Now this is a theory.
Coming to symptoms. I have this thing where if there is an emotional problem at the back of my mind I get physical reactions and only after some time which I understand the emotional reasons. At times it's like the physical things give me a cue and then I understand the emotional reasons.
The best example is a depressive episode I experienced some 10 hours back. I felt as though I was feeling depressed . The source was owing to the memory of death of my grandparents in my childhood.(something I shared in sharing circle recently). They suffered quite a bit as my mum and dad took care of them in childhood. But the physical symptom was I was feeling tired.
It was a mixed thing. I could have been tired first. So I get tired but really the trigger is a memory of my past. I try going to sleep yada yada yada but I don't get ok because it's the emotional memory which needs healing.
I don't know any of this makes sense but I trying to put it out here as best as I can
Would really help if you could share what you think.
I have a dual diagnosis with bipolar and schizophrenia still learning to live with it.