schizophrenia....

[rwahdy786x]

Hey,

I was just wondering if anyone here knows the symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia...

 

Also, I was wondering if its possible to maintain a healthy relationship with someone who was diognosed with it.

 

The persen was diagnosed with schitz, adhd, and bipolar diorder at 9.

but she has been of medication for the last 6 years (shes now 19)

 

id like to know what medications are out there...if they totally control symptoms...how often to do symptoms occur, and such.

 

I actually need to find out to persuade my mom that *she* isnt a mental crackcase....and i have been researching.

but i thought comming to a forum to find it out practically.

 

thanks,

rw

 

[rocketman]

sounds like every girl ive ever known...

it seems like all girls go crazy every so often, (usually once a month) even the "sane" ones. the girl i am with has a pretty interesting history too. including drug abuse, eating disorders, social problems, and a suicide attempt. Its true that she can be unpredictible, but i think she has grown out of it and i really enjoy her company. so just try your best not to piss her off, thats what i do.

[LucidDreamer]

This is a difficult question because A) most of us are not doctors or psychiatrists and B) we have been given very little information to go on. But hey I'll give it a shot anyway.

 

First of all, when someone has two serious mental conditions like Bipolar and Schizophrenia its usually quite disabling. However, since she has been off of medication now for 6 years, and I'm assuming she didn't spend that time in an institution, I would imagine she is at least able to function. The answer to your question about whether it is possible to maintain a healthy relationship with someone that has been diagnosed with this these disorders (ignoring adhd because it is not important unless it compounds the other two) is yes. But is it possible for you to maintain a healthy relationship with the person you are talking about--I have no idea.

 

Even in mental disorder each person is different than another. Some people can have brief periods of schizophrenic symptoms that mysteriously clear up and they never have another problem again. Some people have stretched out periods of normalcy than suddenly one of their periodic episodes of schizophrenia will occur. Some people have recurring episodes of schizophrenia. Some people are just seriously messed up all the time and some can be quite dangerous. The symptoms of schizophrenia are visual and auditory hallucinations and paranoid delusions. Use google to get a full list

Alot of people with schizophrenic can be helped with anti-psychotics and most of their symptoms will disappear. However, these drugs often have unpleasant side effects. These drugs will sometimes numb people’s minds so much they become like zombies. But some people don’t have bad side effects at all. There are a few different kinds to try out as well.

 

Bipolar is of course a different disorder than schizophrenia. Some of its sufferers have short periods of alternating mania and depression while other people have long periods of mania followed by long periods of depression. People who get in relationships with someone with bipolar disorder often meet them during a period of mania and are attracted to their manic energy. The most common form of medication for bipolar is Lithium. Lithium helps them establish a balance. Lithium is a pretty good drug; it can work well. In fact, alot of people without bipolar would like to get their hands on lithium.

 

There is no way to tell how well these drugs would work on her now without trying them out. It is very important in this case to find a good psychiatrist. I'm assuming this girl has been having problems because otherwise you would not be asking this question. The very first thing she needs to do is to visit a psychiatrist to get reevaluated. She is probably scared to go but they can't force her to take her medication and they won't try to lock her up unless she is dangerous.

 

Now whether you want to stick with this girl is your choice alone. You might have a tough road ahead of you if you do. In my opinion there is no need for you to take on this responsibility, especially at such a young age. This may be one of your first serious relationships and you are unable to get perspective. But love is blind at any age.

 

There is no way to truly answer your question about a healthy relationship without more information and only trial and error would give you real answer. But don't keep this relationship going when it becomes obvious it’s not good for you.

 

BTW I am not a doctor and I am just some random guy on the internet so you might want to ignore everything I just said. Good Luck.

[rwahdy786x]

Thanks Lucid, for that post.

She actually hasn't shown any symptoms of schitz or bipolar...she actually diagnosed with adhd as well, but she has never acted like someone with these disorders.

im hoping we can see a phsyciatrist about this,

thanks

[badchad]

Well, like Lucid said, there may not be any psychiatrists out there. I have a good background in cognitive disorders though, so I'll offer what I can. This is the information for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. This is from the DSM-IV-TR (diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, text revised). It is the authority on mental disorders and provides a specific way to diagnose mental disorders. The official diagnosis of schizo. includes the following:

 

A. Characteristic symptoms: Two (or more) of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period:

(1) delusions

(2) hallucinations (more often auditory then visual)

(3) disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence)*

(4) grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior

(5) negative symptoms, (e.g., affective flattening, alogia, or avolition)*

B. Social/occupational dysfunction

C. Duration (symptoms for 6 months, including criteria A for 1 month)

D. Schizoaffective and Mood Disorder exclusions.

E. Substance/general medication exclusion.

F. Relationship to a pervasive Developmental disorder has been excluded.

 

Thus I can tell you with confidence two additional things about your post.

 

1. Look at criteria "D". In general a diagnosis of schizo is made after a mood disorder has been ruled out. Your listing of her being bipolar is worth looking in to.

 

2. Schizo usually appears later in life. 19 is an early age for the disease to appear (although not outrageously early).

 

Drugs are becoming better and better, An atypical antipsychotic drug would usually be prescribed for symptom management. Lucid is right abotu lithium for bipolar disorder, however in general it is used as "maintenance therapy" in between manic and depressive cycles. Antidepressants are used during the depressive phase. Interactions between the two drugs most certainly occur, so it's up to a physician to decide what to prescribe.

 

Your last post said "I'm hoping to see a psychiatrist about this" is an understatement. To get an official diagnosis someone had to make it. Either a "regular Dr." or pyschiatrist. Is that what happened, or did she just claim she had these disorders? It sounds funny noting that diagnoses of bipolar and schizo. generally exclude one another and the fact that she would be a rare case to have schizo so early. Something doesn't add up.

[LucidDreamer]

Thanks Lucid' date=' for that post.

She actually hasn't shown any symptoms of schitz or bipolar...she actually diagnosed with adhd as well, but she has never acted like someone with these disorders.

im hoping we can see a phsyciatrist about this,

thanks[/quote']

 

If she really doesn't exhibit any symptoms at all then you don't have much to worry about. Maybe she made it up or maybe the doctor misdiagnosed her. Perhaps she no longer has an imbalance like she use to have. But she could just visit a physiatrist just in case.

[Gilded]

"The persen was diagnosed with schitz, adhd, and bipolar diorder at 9."

 

By who? From what I've understood, a person can't have both schitzophrenia and bipolar disorder. He/she can have some the symptoms, but it isn't really schitz AND bipolar.

[rwahdy786x]

she was diagnosed at age 9...

her phsyciatrist only talked to her for about 5 hours per month, for the 6 month session....i dont know how u could actually learn about someone in that long...

her mom just nodded her head to whatever her phsyciatrist said, and she was placed on pills. she began to feel apathetic to her surroundings while taking them. so when she moved out with her aunt, she stopped taking them. the last 6 years shes been leading a regular normal life without any episodes and without the help of any medication...

 

is it possible that the diagnosis was wrong? or could it be possible she doesnt need her medicine, or something?

 

im thinking we should see a phsyc on this to see if we can clear it up

[Gilded]

My dad is a psychiatrist and he told me that schitzo->no bipolar thing; she could have some if not all of the symptoms, but it isn't a proper diagnosis to say that she has all of the three conditions. And it might be possible that the symptoms were of the kind that go away... or go away for a while and then occur again.

[badchad]

I agree with gilded, although I'm no psychiatrist, if you look at the formal, clinical criteria for a diagnosis, a diagnosis of schizo depends on an exclusion of other facts. Of course the diagnosis could be wrong, as it is based on a subjective interpretation of the diagnostic criteria. (e.g. "disorganized speech" is subject to interpretation).

 

Also it is EXTREMELY rare to be diagnosed with schizo at age 9. Usually it shows up around the 20's. Sounds like you need a second opinion.

[rakuenso]

sounds like every girl ive ever known...

it seems like all girls go crazy every so often' date=' (usually once a month) even the "sane" ones. the girl i am with has a pretty interesting history too. including drug abuse, eating disorders, social problems, and a suicide attempt. Its true that she can be unpredictible, but i think she has grown out of it and i really enjoy her company. so just try your best not to piss her off, thats what i do.[/quote']

 

maybe its just PMS?

[coquina]

You might get additional insight by reading this article from the National Institute of Mental Health:

 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/schizkids.cfm

[Gilded]

1 to 40 000? I always thought it was rarer, even though one in forty thousand is quite rare.

[philbo1965uk]

According to the BMA schizophrenia is to a degree in everyone of us...

No it isnt....yes it is....i said it isnt...who ya fcuking talkin to ....you dumbass...im sick of you every time i say out you always have to start...no i dont ..yes you do..

[Glider]

You're thinking of multiple personality disorder.

 

Schitzophrenia means 'split mind', and the 'split' to which the term refers is from reality.

[LucidDreamer]

I think this may have already been pointed out but there are diagnosis’s where someone has bipolar disorder and they are said to display schizophrenic symptoms. I can easily see someone misinterpreting this to mean that they have schizophrenia.

[Glider]

The most common error is when people are classified as having 'schitzoid' personalities. Understandably, when people hear this, they immediately think schitzophrenia, but schitzoid traits have nothing whatsoever to do with schitzophrenia.

 

The term refers to a social split (i.e. from people), not a psychological one (i.e. from reality). Schitzoid characteristics are social withdrawal and isolation. People with schizoid personalities avoid social situations, tend to live alone, may be socially awkward and tend to be introspective. This is not a clinical condition.

 

It may stem from severe shyness, or may be a function of an affective disorder; people with depression or depressive tendencies may display schizoid characteristics. This is simply because people who are depressed tend to withdraw into themselves and don't like to be around large groups of 'happy' people.

[DarthDooku]

Bipolar, schizophrenia, and adhd all have similar symptoms. But they can easily be told apart with a cooperative patient. Im thinking that, like you said, a 9 year old girl probably just nods her head at everything the doctor says. Now that she is 19, it would be a good idea to have her see a psychiatrist. From personal experience i know that it can be very hard to tell the truth about what is going on inside your head. She may never feel that she can say what is truly going on in her head, which would make it quite hard to get an accurate diagnoses.

 

I was in a very similar situation. I was diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia, and a number of many other things. I never told anyone what was really going on in my head. I have figured out what is wrong with me, and i just feel scared to tell anyone. Mostly due to the facts that it is embarrassing, i dont want my parents to worry, and what will they think of me if they knew. With a specific list of symptoms and behaviour i could probably tell you what she has.