Quote:
Originally Posted by EducatedAsylum
Schizoaffective disorder is essentially a cocktail of mood disorder and schizophrenic symptoms.. however the shrink I'm seeing now is treating me mainly for mood disorder (bipolar), and I think he's even trying to shift my diagnosis to bipolar because he thinks bipolar disorder by itself can cause distortions in perception and self-identity as well as marked social dysfunction. I wonder how much of this is true?
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it sounds right to me. i have discussed this with my pdoc before, as well as reading up. there used to be DSM diagnostic criteria links on line... they've made most of them so you have to pay now.
as i recall it is the differential diagnosis criterion is that schizophrenia-like symptoms must appear outside of - at least a 2?-3? weeks distance from a mood episode.
if your thought disorders, delusions, hallucinations etc
only occur in association with a mood episode, then schizoaffective is ruled out in favor of bipolar or major depression (that depends on the types of mood episodes you have). in schizoaffective disorder it is also possible to have a mood episode without psychotic features, provided you do have them or have at some point.
i wouldn't worry about the labeling unless it interferes with you getting the right treatment or resources. it does sound like your doc is going after your symptoms, which is what needs to happen.
hey welcome aboard. i think there is probably a schizoaffective board here but it may not be very active -please feel welcome to post here..... we have folks with a wide variety of diagnoses and experiences.
i have been dx'd BP-NOS and BP-1 at different times. currently on delorazepam (a long acting benzo) + Depakote + Zyprexa, plus lorazepam prn for anxiety attacks which thankfully i'm not having.
(((hugs)))
~ waves ~