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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 21:19:00
Does anyone here have experience with P Docs missing a Schizophrenia diagnosis?
I have had major problems concentrating, seeing people for who they are, and functioning in the world, and I have recently come to the conclusion that I have a big problem along the lines of Schizophrenia.
Yet, my pdocs up until now have put me on anti-depressants, despite them not working very well.
I've read quite a bit recently about dissorders that fall between normal and Schizophrenia, and have come to the conclusion that they are way under diagnosed.
My big question now is: What is my diagnosis?
Schizophrenia alledgedly affects 1% of the population. Do all these people have hallucinations?
How do you differentiate between someone with Schizophrenia and something a little less?
Responses are appreciated.
Michael Dewolf
Posted by Mystia on November 20, 2002, at 22:47:41
In reply to Diagnosing Schizophrenia, posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 21:19:00
I'm no doctor, but....your writing was very comprehensive and sometimes you can pick out schizophrenia from someone being VERY confused, like making up words, piling all kinds of things together where they don't belong, etc. As far as the hallucinations, NO, not ALL those people have hallucinations. There are so many different symptoms! The reason schizophrenia is so hard to diagnose is because of the way symptoms are shown. There are two kinds of symptoms... negative and positive. The negative symptoms are things that are missing that SHOULD be present (inablility to feel pleasure and a lack of personal hygiene are just 2). Positive symptoms, on the other hand, are things that are there that SHOULD NOT be there, such as hallucinations, "word clang," delusions, paranoia, hearing voices, and thought disorders.
It is also very likely that you have a less severe form of schizophrenia. There is a group of personality disorders that are less severe forms of schizophrenia. Paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal are the names.
Paranoid people will show very distrustful tendencies and think people are "out to get them." Schizoids are detatched from everything and they show very low emotions. Schizotypal people generally affect a person's social attitude and they may become disconcerted and have odd perceptions.
This is just my personal opinion: If you are able to REALIZE you are having these problems, you probably aren't schizophrenic. Like I said, you might have a personality disorder related to schizophrenia but not schizophrenia itself. I hope I have helped in some kind of way :) Keep everyone posted on how you're doing!Mystia
Posted by xjs7 on November 20, 2002, at 23:04:33
In reply to Diagnosing Schizophrenia, posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 21:19:00
Hi Michael,
All people who have schizophrenia do not have hallucinations. Some forms of the illness, such as the catatonic type or "process schizophrenia" do not involve hallucinations. The one characteristic that is most salient to dianosis is social withdrawal (and even this behavior does not occur in all patients).
If you have florid psychosis is unlikely that a psychiatrist would not see it. People suffering from psychosis, and specifically schizophrenia, often have certain behaviors that psychiatrists detect. When I was diagnosed, one psychotic symptom detected by the psychiatrist was inappropriate affect--emotional expressions that do not agree with the content of thought. Many people will have flat affect, which means that no emotional expressions are present. There is also formal thought disorder, or schizophasia, which, when severe, makes speech unintelligible.
You may be correct in thinking that many people have mild versions of the illness; however, there has to be a point where treatment becomes worthwhile. If you suffer from frequent auditory hallucinations and delusions, then treatment with antipsychotics is usually justified. If, however, you only have mild paranoia, or mild withdrawal, there might not be much benefit in using an antipsychotic agent.
If you think you have schizophrenia, I strongly encourage you to express your feelings to a psychiatrist. If you are prescribed antipsychotic medication it is critical to give the medication adequate time to work. I have done extremely well on antipsychotic medication--I have very few remaining psychotic symptoms. I hope this helps.
xjs7
Posted by Kari on November 21, 2002, at 10:40:59
In reply to Diagnosing Schizophrenia, posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 21:19:00
Hi Michael,
I suffer from similar problems and have also been on ADs for many years (mainly tricyclics which had no effect).
As Mystia explained, certain personality disorders can be considered less severe forms of schizophrenia.
If you have always suffered from these difficulties, perhaps you suffer from a personality disorder. It is difficult for people with personality disorders to know how to explain what is wrong, since the difficulties are usually so much a part of them. Arriving at conclusions based on observing other people is somehow more difficult than it seems. A person can feel, for instance, that he is extremely "shy" or depressed, but this may be part of the underlying disorder rather than typical social phobia or depression.
Have you discussed your assumption with your pdoc? I think that would be the best way to begin to understand what the problem is and what the treatment should be.
Take care,
Kari.
Posted by oracle on November 21, 2002, at 13:45:10
In reply to Diagnosing Schizophrenia, posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 21:19:00
I would not expect someone with Schizophrenia
to have such a clear worded and thought out post.
Posted by Mystia on November 21, 2002, at 17:31:33
In reply to Re: Diagnosing Schizophrenia, posted by oracle on November 21, 2002, at 13:45:10
That's exactly what I thought....I would expect the posts to be rather jumbled and his weren't...
Posted by Michael D on November 21, 2002, at 18:32:56
In reply to Re: Diagnosing Schizophrenia, posted by oracle on November 21, 2002, at 13:45:10
> I would not expect someone with Schizophrenia
> to have such a clear worded and thought out post.I was much worse a year or so ago. I remember in University being unable to 'read' my essays for cohesion, etc.
I'm just surprised that, apparently, 1% of the population will have schizophrenia during their lives. I don't, off hand, know of anyone having schizophrenia. I certainly don't know anyone who is so disfunctional as the stereotypical street-person schizophrenic. Nor do I know of too many people who are as emotionally debilitated as I am.
I'm a little upset that it has taken this long (years and years) to come to a name for my problem which has really hurt me for a long time.
I have, during that time, gone to many doctors about it.Michael Dewolf
Posted by Latinlover on November 21, 2002, at 21:20:43
In reply to Re: Diagnosing Schizophrenia, posted by Michael D on November 21, 2002, at 18:32:56
Actually, the writing function is not the same as the speech function. I, for instance, write very well versed and beautiful eassays, works, letters and exams. But when speaking, I'm a disaster and can mostly speak well about trivial topics. I listen to myself speaking and sometimes think: man, I must have a hell of a big hole on my head. And think that I'm studyng Polytical Sciences. Other people, of course, have the excact opposite problem.
This is the end of the thread.
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