Schizophrenia or Bipolar? - Mental Health Message Board

Swamp56 · 04-11-2009, 07:56 PM

Hello all ^.^ . My name's Chris, and I'm a full time student (going into freshman year in college), and I'm 18.

Anyway, I have been diagnosed with Clinical Depression, Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder.

The issue with my Bipolar Disorder, is that I'm starting to show signs that could potentially show a possibility of Schizophrenia. What I have noticed is a complete and utter lack of hygiene forming (showering once a week), I sometimes think that people can see my thoughts and so I feel the need to restrict what I think, which causes me stress since I have to push away unwanted thoughts.

Lately, I have been showing an increasing issue with expressing what I want to say w/o screwing up my wording, or saying things backwards or forgetting words...although I don't always get this.

I tend to think about weird things such as that maybe this world is all just fake and that we're all lying in pods on some weird planet dreaming our own worlds, or that maybe our world is part of some weird item (like a shoe), and that we're making up a larger matter that is human-like. I never really voice these opinions since they sound insane.

I tend to think that people are always talking badly about me and that people think that I'm a weird person or that if someone isn't in the perfect mood that it's because of me and whatnot (this being the case with my physics teacher).

I tend to talk to people in my mind who aren't there in reality (friends and whatnot)...I don't see then nor do I hear them in the sense of the word, but I do visualize a situation and I hear them talking to me and I talk to them mentally and verbally (out loud).

One example is when I was in the shower and I started thinking about myself talking to my psychotherapist and sitting in her office. I was speaking out loud in the shower to her and asking her why I'm so crazy. It was at this point where I completely forgot I was in the shower and I regained perception of my surroundings about 2 minutes later.

Another issue I have is that I lose complete control of myself and have episodes where I have no idea what I'm going to do. I got angry at my stepfather while driving and I took a sharp turn w/o breaking into a side street and pulled onto the side of the road and yelled as loud as I coud "NOW ARE WE GOING TO SHUT THE F**K UP?!!!" and then I slammed on the gas and made a u-turn and went back on driving (recklessly and fast). I only calmed down about 30 minutes after in which I felt none of the emotion I had before.

Little things can send me straight into a massive depression where I become suicidal and I cut my arms (wrist area), act out, attempt suicide (3 times so far...was hospitalized for 2), and scare the living hell out of my friends.

While I would mention my lack of fear and remorse, my meds are known to screw up parts like the hypothalamus and amygdala.

Anyway, those are some of the symptoms that I have, and was wondering what you guys thought

. I think that I show symptoms of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and I will be seeing my psychiatrist and psychotherapist soon to try and get down to the "nitty gritty". I was almost admitted tonight after I was talking to my mom about this :\ .

dreams in neon · 04-12-2009, 02:18 AM

I'm not a medical professional, but I am very familiar with schizophrenia and bipolar since I've been hearing voices since 1991, have been paranoid since 1995 and have had bipolar since 2006.

It sounds to me as if you have schizoaffective disorder. People with schizoaffective disorder display symptoms of mania and depression, but they also have difficulty with thinking and expressing themselves in writing and/or orally.
They experience visual and/or auditory hallucinations during a manic episode, a depressive episode and during normal mood.

There are 3 other diagnoses where bipolar coexists with schizophrenic-like symptoms:

Atypical Bipolar: A person may hear voices and/or see things that aren't there during a manic and/or depressive episode. They may also have rapid mood swings or frequent hypomania.

Bipolar I or II with Psychotic Features: A person may hear voices and/or see things that aren't there during a manic or depressive episode. If their moods cycle, they do not change as rapidly as they do for someone who has atypical bipolar.

Bipolar NOS (not otherwise specified): A person may hear voices and/or see things that aren't there during a manic or psychotic episode. Their moods may also cycle, but again, they don't cycle as frequently as they do for someone with atypical bipolar. Their primary symptoms are also unrelated to bipolar and their psychosis is the result of a separately diagnosed psychotic disorder. If someone is diagnosed with bipolar NOS, it means that they do not fit the standard criteria for bipolar I or II.

If you are experiencing psychotic symptoms, I would definitely talk to your pdoc. He or she may be able to prescribe an antipsychotic. I'm taking an antipsychotic called Risperdal for my voices. I've only started taking it recently, but this is the first time I haven't heard voices since 1991.

Swamp56 · 04-12-2009, 11:52 AM

Thank you for your reply!

I am already on Seroquel for my bipolar, and when I stay on it, the delusions such as thinking people can hear my thoughts go away, but I still talk to people who aren't there and whatnot.

My parents keep telling me that nothing is wrong and that I'm simply going through a tough time, and brushing off what I say.

dreams in neon · 04-12-2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swamp56

Thank you for your reply!

I am already on Seroquel for my bipolar, and when I stay on it, the delusions such as thinking people can hear my thoughts go away, but I still talk to people who aren't there and whatnot.

My parents keep telling me that nothing is wrong and that I'm simply going through a tough time, and brushing off what I say.

I'm glad Seroquel works well for you. I've heard alot of good things about that med and how effective it can be for bipolar symptoms as well as delusions.

Have you told your pdoc about the fact that you talk to people who aren't there? I'm not sure what can be done about that, but perhaps he has a suggestion he could offer.

I know how you feel about parents not understanding. It took a very long time for my parents to accept the fact that I heard voices. They always used to blame it on stress and insisted that the voices I heard were my inner thoughts when they clearly were not. Once they saw me experience a psychotic episode, they were convinced of the fact that I was really hearing them.

Swamp56 · 04-12-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreams in neon

I'm glad Seroquel works well for you. I've heard alot of good things about that med and how effective it can be for bipolar symptoms as well as delusions.

Have you told your pdoc about the fact that you talk to people who aren't there? I'm not sure what can be done about that, but perhaps he has a suggestion he could offer.

I know how you feel about parents not understanding. It took a very long time for my parents to accept the fact that I heard voices. They always used to blame it on stress and insisted that the voices I heard were my inner thoughts when they clearly were not. Once they saw me experience a psychotic episode, they were convinced of the fact that I was really hearing them.

The only people who have ever seen me have a psychotic episodes were my friends :\ .

But ya, I have been thinking if this is all in my mind (me not really having these symptoms, but thinking I do), but then I realize that even during the summer I wouldn't be able to sit on one side of the bed because if I did, I thought my friend wouldn't like me; I also thought my friend would kill himself if I didn't re-arrange my desktop icons or uninstall certain programs in my computer. I can't tell if this is OCD or some weird delusional thing.

I have noticed that I think people can read my thoughts, and this certainly is an odd sign, but idk.