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My Diagnosis of Schizophrenia Then Schizoaffective Disorder

January 27, 2015 Elizabeth Caudy

I was originally diagnosed with schizophrenia but my diagnosis then changed to schizoaffective disorder. Learn what these diagnoses mean to me.

I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. But that wasn’t always the case. I was originally diagnosed with schizophrenia. So what does it mean to have schizoaffective disorder versus schizophrenia? For me, it’s meant a long learning curve that was frightening, confusing and reeling in meds changes. My doctor now focuses on symptoms rather than a hard and fast diagnosis. Still, some understanding the differences between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder is helpful to me and my family.

Schizoaffective disorder is mostly thought of as being “in between” bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, as the disease has symptoms of both disorders. I’ll share my experience with having schizoaffective disorder.

Getting Diagnosed with Schizophrenia

It’s very common for someone with schizoaffective disorder to be misdiagnosed as schizophrenic since the two disorders share hallmark symptoms like hearing voices and having delusions.

I had my first psychotic episode 16 years ago when I was in college. I heard voices and had delusions. I thought people were following me and that broadcasts on TV were coded messages meant for me. One doctor said I was schizophrenic. One doctor said I was bipolar. The end result was antipsychotic medications, which stilled my delusions and threw me a curveball of weight gain, but didn’t help very much with the voices. I was still hearing voices at least once a week, even though I knew they weren’t real.

A New Diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder

I was originally diagnosed with schizophrenia but my diagnosis then changed to schizoaffective disorder. Learn what these diagnoses mean to me.Finally, four years later, I had my first meeting with my current and excellent psychopharmacologist. She asked me if my psychotic episode had been preceded by a period of mania. When I said yes, she changed my diagnosis to schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, accounting for the mania. This means, as I said before, that I have symptoms of schizophrenia and of bipolar disorder. I still hear voices. If I stopped taking my medication I would probably have delusions (although I have never stopped taking my medication) and I have manic highs and depressive lows. In other words, I often think ruefully, I get two disorders for the price of one.

The good thing about being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder was that it meant that I could be treated with mood stabilizers, which made the voices (and the highs and lows) go away. As is common, I also take an antidepressant for the crushing lows that I experience more than the highs. And my antidepressant also monitors anxiety for which I also take two antianxiety medications because, on top of everything else, I have generalized anxiety disorder as well, which also commonly accompanies bipolar disorder.

How Schizoaffective Disorder Affects Me Today

I was on one antipsychotic medication for years that had the rare side effect of causing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. I was one of the few who developed that side effect. As a result, I suffer from extreme anxiety, even after changing medication. These days, when I do hear voices (a symptom that comes and goes), it is a result of extreme anxiety. I call it my version of a panic attack. Also, I tend to get more anxious when I am depressed. But my first psychotic episode remains my only psychotic episode. I have not had delusions that “people are following me” since then.

Photo by Elizabeth Caudy.

Find Elizabeth on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and her personal blog.

APA Reference
Caudy, E. (2015, January 27). My Diagnosis of Schizophrenia Then Schizoaffective Disorder, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, March 28 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/creativeschizophrenia/2015/01/the-difference-between-schizophrenia-and-schizoaffective-disorder



Author: Elizabeth Caudy

Elizabeth Caudy was born in 1979 to a writer and a photographer. She has been writing since she was five years old. She has a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA in photography from Columbia College Chicago. She lives outside Chicago with her husband, Tom. Find Elizabeth on Google+ and on her personal blog.

Michala
October, 1 2017 at 11:31 pm

Hi, it was the same in my case. First schizophrenia, then schizoaffective. I think the difference between one and the other is that schizophrenia is an illness but schizzoaffective is a 'mere' disorder. Also has better prognosis

Kelly
February, 3 2016 at 10:43 pm

I have schizoaffective disorder. I was diagnosed as bi-polar in 1994. After seeing many doctors, I was then diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. I have never met anyone with the disorder. I have just come out of a very bad episode and finally feel I am able to function.
I don't tell people that I have this disorder. I usually say I am bi-polar as people are more understanding of it. It was a very informative blog and I feel I am not alone in my battle. Thank you

Meghan
January, 4 2016 at 3:20 am

Hello!!!

james
March, 1 2015 at 1:54 am

kool entry because im also schizophrenic and I hear voices but I have a reason for that can u inbox me on fac my name is james morin and I have very important information that I need to get out idk if ill get paid for the help but at least im contributing but I just need someone to hear me out so please get back to me thnx

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Elizabeth Caudy
March, 1 2015 at 5:30 am

I'm glad you liked the entry

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