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e-pea
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
5919 Posts Gratitude: 1001
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Posted - 09/10/2006 : 09:14:41
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I don't think I am schizophrenic. I think the doctors made a mistake.
I never really thought I was, I just accepted it because there was nothing else I could do.
But I have been learning about schizoaffective disorder and I wonder if that isn't in fact what I have. It sounds more like me. Of course this is all relative to me and the way I see myself in relation to others but I wonder....
My pdoc says that I am most likely not misdiagnosed but even if I were, I would probably be medicated exactly the way I am now because the meds I take work to alieviate my symptoms fairly well. So she said that if the diagnosis were to yield the same meds, then the actual name of the diagnosis is semantics at this point. Perhaps but what she fails to understand is that I would feel better knowing i had a less severe psychotic disorder.
I don't know.
ella
"When you do things right, people won't be sure if you've done anything at all"
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sbcgal
Starting Member
9 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 06:47:00
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Greetings Ella, I've been diagnosed as Schizoaffective recently (I was orignially diagnosed as Bipolar I 9 Years ago)although I wonder if I'm not actually schizophrenic (I had an uncle who suffered from severe paranoid schizophrenia from the age of 16 on) b/c my main concern has been psychosis and depression....but oh well it doesn't matter really b/c i'm being treated with Lamictal and Abilify.
Good luck!
Cheers, Bobbie
-------------------- virginiaghosts.com vaparanormalconference.com |
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Raine
Starting Member
30 Posts Gratitude: 6
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Posted - 10/19/2006 : 18:16:34
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Im with you on wanting a less severe diagnosis. I wouldve even picked a different community to be on had they actually had that option. I think that people dont understand that the "LABEL" is alot of what makes the person feel worse- just as much as the disease. |
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stigmastomper (inactive)
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
24317 Posts Gratitude: 1887
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Posted - 10/20/2006 : 07:12:40
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welcome everyone and i have schizo-affective disorder i take lamotrigine and risperdal . and it works well, and raiene the stigma that goes along with a label is as bad or worse than the label. but never fear stigmastomper is here!! lol hope your all feeling better . what does the diognosis of semmentic mean . is that a name for a brain wave activity? |
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e-pea
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
5919 Posts Gratitude: 1001
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Posted - 11/30/2006 : 15:24:08
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Thanks stig.
Raine, you are totally right on. |
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e-pea
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
5919 Posts Gratitude: 1001
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Posted - 01/27/2007 : 06:52:19
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sorry stig, what i meant by semantics is that i get so caught up in words like schizophrenia and psychosis and antipsychotic that i think it makes me feel less like a person with needs an dmore like a case to be dealt with. And the illness itself.... man.. it's humilliating.. the word schizophrenia tunnels vision. both my own (the patient) and the rest of the world's reaction to me. |
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Anamater
Super Member (250+ posts)
284 Posts Gratitude: 123
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Posted - 03/14/2007 : 21:18:32
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I was diagnosed as schizo-affective two months ago, and I was under the impression that it was worse, becasue you have a mood disorder as well as symptoms of schizophrenia. Are you saying it's not as bad? ROCK ON!! WOOT!! Oh sorry. but woot.
Seriously though, If I were you I would feel the same way, because just as a baseline you want to think that the doctors know what is actually wrong with you, right? It's like someone relying on the term 'human' to describe me. Sure, it's a description, but you can get waaay more specific than that. Female Christina animation student is about the level of generality I am comfortable with with strangers. I expect friends and people who are treating me to call me by name.
Art. Like morality, consists of drawing a line. |
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hercules21
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
5726 Posts Gratitude: 435
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Posted - 04/18/2009 : 23:53:44
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I was reading about it on wikipedia right now - and it sounds like the psychotic symptoms have a better outlook with schizio affective disorder. So you could argue that this illness is less severe than schiziophrenia. But I think they both sound serious to be honest. I have SZ. I was upset with my diagnosis - but he said go away and read about it on the Internet if you don't believe me - and sure enough it talked about thought broadcasting and paranoia so I had to conceed that I had it. Some 90% of SZ patients don't go on to work again apparently so I figure I am a more fully functioning SZ or a luckier one than others. What bugs me is when people ask me if I have my illness under control now. It isn't under control I have no symptoms anymore is the answer I want to give. Under control sounds like I am coping with it but still suffering. On some whimsical days I have thought that they should change the name of SZ to something else to give us all a clean start. But then what ever new name they come up with will quickly have a stigma associated with it - so we are stuck with ratty old SZ. I am going to get this post deleted for saying this or potentially get flamed by other users of the site - but the trouble with the stigma associated with SZ is that it does have foundation. People in a psychotic state are a potential harm to the community. If they weren't then the doctor wouldn't always ask you have you had any thoughts of harming others when they interview you in hospital. And you are under so many delusions at the time of your psychosis that I think it is a fair question based on my experiences. What I do think they should do is take away the word psychotic and anti-psychotics. I once had a doctor at the hospital proudly annouce to me that I was psychotic. You are psychotic he said. I think he was trying to get a rise out of me to see if would attack him if provoked or something. I don't think we need people labelled as something that is associated with people who are in movies like the Joker from batman or someone. So that is one label that has to go for sure. But the stigma is here to stay unfortunately - I don't think any amount of advertising will correct it or public education campaigns. I just think that some people trust us because they are our family and others because they are good natured and generous. And I think those people deserve a medal. Please don't ban me from the site for saying all this! But ok to flame me!
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Chris
Amazing Member (1000+ posts)
1773 Posts Gratitude: 268
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Posted - 04/19/2009 : 00:16:18
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Herculese I don't think there's anything flameworthy about your post, in fact I think that it's common sense. The stigma around SZ is a product partially of the very bizarre and sometimes dangerous and frightening behaviour of the psychotic person and it's made worse by popular culture and people's misunderstanding of what we have gone through.
I think it's a fact of life. It does suck knowing that no matter how well intentioned someone is once I tell them I have schizophrenia they aren't going to look at me in qite the same way, even if that person is totally accepting of me for who I am and what I have they will often treat me different. This isn't always a bad thing but it makes it hard to pretend to myself that I have a normal life or that I'm not different than every one else.
I think you have to do a lot worse to get banned from this forum.
But seriously though don't worry about it Hercules you're like practically the forum king. In the short time you've been on here you've made the rounds and done it with style. You're a part of the furniture as far as I'm concerned and it's always great to read your posts.
Born in the 80's, grew up in the 90's, lost my mind at the Millenium. |
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spirit
Amazing Member (1000+ posts)
1055 Posts Gratitude: 168
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hercules21
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
5726 Posts Gratitude: 435
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Posted - 04/20/2009 : 00:22:28
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Thanks Chris for your post. Made me feel better about what I posted. I struggled between the need to say what I thought vs the need to stay positive. Glad that it worked out ok.
Spirit - thanks for the link. I did read the article and it was interesting. Looks like there was some additional history in Japan with the way that people with SZ were treated. I wouldn't mind it if we changed the name to integration disorder. Some people think of schizophrenia as multiple personality syndrome so there are some misconceptions associated with the name.
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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