Posted by Christ_empowered on July 9, 2014, at 20:59:59
In reply to Re: Processing possible diagnosis, posted by Angela2 on July 3, 2014, at 19:04:17
I've heard schizoaffective called the "poor man's bipolar," since psychiatry seems to have class, race, and gender issues in how diagnoses are issued and treatments are given. Sad times.
On the other hand, I may have schizoaffective, lol. My parents are behind me. They're not rich, but they have clout and they're somewhat affluent, so...I'm "Bipolar I w/psychotic features." I'm also white and male and lucid on meds, so...that helps :-)
Enough about me. Truth is, schizoaffective is a tricksy diagnosis. The limited stuff I've read about it is that the manic subtype has a better prognosis than the depressive subtype. The manic subtype has a better prognosis than schizophrenia, not as good of one as bipolar. Then again, if schizoaffective really *is* the "poor man's bipolar," then maybe the prognosis is also a result of resources and socioeconomic status. Who knows?
Diagnoses, at their finest, are used to cluster symptoms together to guide treatment. I'm sure you knew that already, lol. For instance: I'm "Bipolar I." OK. What does that mean? For me, it means high dose atypical and 2+ mood stabilizers. If I was "schizoaffective," treatment may or may not be the same. "Schizophrenia," the focus is usually on the neuroleptic, but increasingly docs are doing stuff with mood stabilizers, antidepressants, even stimulants on occasion (it seems, from my reading, that interest in mood symptoms of schizophrenia waxes and wanes).
Try to just focus on your life. That's all anybody can do, really. You may or may not "really" have schizoaffective disorder...but a neuroleptic may be a good idea, and/or a mood stabilizer. See what I'm saying?
poster:Christ_empowered
thread:1067435
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20140621/msgs/1068145.html