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Mental Health Descriptions of psychotic and emotional disorders

panic in paradise

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Bellow are descriptions of psychotic and emotional disorders written and edited by Sushii, and myself.

This information has only been posted to share and debate in the interest of harm reduction, not as actual professional medical care, treatment, or advice. Please suggest any corrections or information that may need to be added.

Depression

Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder, is a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of intense sadness or despair. More than simply grief or sadness, clinical depression is a change in mood that lasts for weeks or months and is disruptive to the individual’s normal functioning. A person diagnosed with major depression may experience only one episode, but often there are repeated episodes over the lifetime.

Symptoms of depression include not only depressed mood, but anhedonia – an inability to experience pleasure from normally pleasurable events. Other symptoms may include anxiety, the seeming inability to experience emotion, weight gain or loss, loss of energy and fatigue, poor concentration, and disturbed sleep patterns. Often, individuals with clinical depression report intense feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or loneliness, as well as recurrent thoughts of death. At its worst, depression may lead to contemplation or attempts at suicide.

The exact cause of depression is not known. Physiologically, there is evidence that changes or imbalances in certain neurotransmitters may have a role in depression, although the causal relationship is not clear. Antidepressant medications that increase levels of these neurotransmitters have been found to relieve some symptoms. Psychologically, cognitive factors such as distorted or negative thinking are connected with depression., although cause and effect are again hard to determine. Although many theories exist, it is generally agreed that depression is complex and involves physiological, psychological, social and environmental factors. There is also evidence that vulnerability towards developing depression may have a genetic component.

Other mood disorders include dysthymia, seasonal depression, and bipolar disorder (which will be discussed separately). Dysthymia is less severe than depression but persists for a much longer period, usually several years. Symptoms are not as disruptive as major depression and there can be periods of feeling relatively normal between dysthymic episodes. Seasonal depression, commonly known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is depression that occurs only within certain times of the year – usually, in winter. Seasonal mood variations are believed to be related to the amount of light that the individual is exposed to.

Some drugs, in particular alcohol and benzodiazepines, have been found to worsen depression. At the same time, these drugs and others may be taken in an attempt to self-medicate. Given that drug abuse can worsen depressive symptoms, it is advisable for anyone who suspects they may be abusing drugs to deal with a mood disorder to seek professional help immediately.

Anxiety disorders/Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety is an emotional state characterized by apprehension, stress, and worry, often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations and sweating. Although unpleasant, anxiety is not always maladaptive and has an important function in relation to survival. ‘Anxiety disorder’ is a broad term covering a number of conditions, all of which involve abnormal or pathological levels of anxiety yet present in very different ways. Anxiety disorders can be severe and debilitating, can develop at a young age or occur late in life, and can result in significant social and occupational dysfunction. They have a tendency to worsen in times of stress.

Generalized anxiety disorder is among the most common of the anxiety disorders, involving excessive and long-lasting feelings of uncontrollable worry or anxiety. Although centered on everyday concerns, this anxiety is pervasive and out of proportion to the actual source of the worry. Issues can range from major issues such as health and finances, to everyday, relatively trivial matters. The anxiety in GAD can also be ‘free floating’ – that is, it is not focused on a specific object or situation. Symptoms include tension, an increased startle response, rumination, fear and restlessness, sleep disturbances (either involving problems getting to sleep, or difficulty staying asleep throughout the night) and difficulties concentrating. To be diagnosed with GAD these symptoms must persist for at least 6 months, at least every other day throughout this period.

It is not uncommon for individuals diagnosed with GAD to exhibit simulataneous problems with alcoholism or substance abuse, presumably arising from attempts at self-medication. However, as with all anxiety disorders, individuals with GAD may find taking stimulant drugs – including caffeine - worsen their symptoms. Marijuana can also exacerbate anxiety disorders. As a side effect, increased anxiety is a common with many drugs and if not addressed can become pathological. Anyone who feels their drug use is creating excess anxiety or exacerbating an already-diagnosed condition should cut back or quit immediately, and if necessary seek professional help.

Other anxiety disorders include phobias, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Obsessive compulsive disorder

OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by repeated, distressing thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). While OCD commonly involves both obsessions and compulsions, a diagnosis can be made on the basis of obsessions or compulsions alone.

Obsessions take the form of thoughts, impulses or images that become intrusive and inappropriate, and cause substantial anxiety and distress. Common obsessions include a fear of dirt or germs; a concern with order, symmetry, or balance; a fear of thinking ‘evil’ or ‘sinful’ thoughts (often of a sexual nature), and fear of harming family or friends. Violence and aggression however, is very rare amongst OCD sufferers. Critically, the individual with OCD recognizes that their obsessions are a product of his or her own mind, and (unless a diagnosis of OCD with poor insight is made) usually understand that the obsessions and compulsions are excessive and unreasonable.

Compulsions take the form of repetitive tasks or rituals, and are performed in an attempt to suppress or neutralize the obsessions and the anxiety they produce. Failure to perform these ‘rituals’ markedly increases anxiety. Compulsions are often logically connected to the obsessions (for example, a fear of germs may lead to obsessive hand washing), however they may also appear unrelated (a fear of aggression may be neutralized by counting or checking). Common compulsions include cleaning and grooming, checking doors, locks, or appliances, repeating (for example - going in and out of a door, or touching objects over and over again), ordering and arranging items, and counting over and over to a specific number. Importantly, although compulsions are performed in order to reduce anxiety, they are distressing and unpleasant due to the individual’s knowledge that their obsessions are excessive and unreasonable.

Given the popularity of the phrase ‘obsessive-compulsive’ in modern language, it is important to distinguish OCD from perfectionism, or the anxiety that is prompted by normal events. Similarly, healthy people may have rituals – such as checking to see if the stove is off several times before leaving the house – however in OCD the compulsions are performed even when they interfere substantially with daily life and are experienced as highly distressing. The unpleasant nature of the compulsions also distinguishes OCD from impulse control disorders. OCD may be comorbid with other anxiety disorders, or depression. Individuals with OCD may also have present impulse control disorders such as kleptomania, pyromania, pathological gambling, or trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling).

For many years, OCD was thought to be rare. Recent estimates, however, suggest 2-3% of the population may suffer from the disorder. According to the World Health Organization, OCD is the tenth most disabling condition of any kind worldwide.

Listed bellow are search reulsts for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder from different forums here at BlueLight These links will be updated as often as needed.

Healthy Living
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=999332
Second Opinion
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=999341

Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders are conditions that are complex because of how they stem from underlying causes. Emotional, psychological, and social factors are dealt with in may ways. Comparable to drug addiction, but in the form of an eating disorder for example Bulimia, or Anorexia, people use food to cope with and/or control their feelings. An eating disorder can be developed from a traumatic event or from different types of abuse, family problems, long term illness or disability. Anxiety/social phobias or depression can be the causes of an eating disorder as well, genetics may play a small part but, family attitudes towards food can have definite impact.

There are several ways eating disorders can be carried out. Here though all we will go into with any depth are Anorexia, Bulimia, and over-eating.

Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa have different symptoms all having to do with fear of being overweight. Staying at or bellow a persons minimum weight recommendation(-%20), and having and intense fear of gaining weight, even if bellow their bodies average minimum weight recommendation. Also disturbances or exaggerations in the way which one views themselves, and denial about the severity of current body weight.

Anorexia is characterized more by starving ones self, and denial about actual weight. Some warning signs of Anorexia are excessive exercising, and denying being hungry. Bulimia is separated from Anorexia because of the binge/purge 'ritual' and will often include self-induced vomiting, use of diuretics(drug/herb that reduces water in body), or enemas. These 'rituals' can occur as little a 2-3 times a week, and as often as several times a day. Some warning signs of Bulimia are; making excuses to go to the bathroom or going immediately after eating often, overuse of laxatives, and eating large amounts of food without weightgain. The use of stimulant drugs can be common in eating disorders because of the increase of energy/motivation felt, false sense of self-esteem, and their weight loss effects.

Over-Eating

Over-Eating(OE) can become a disorder to both men and women. OE is common in sexual abuse survivors. Women more often use OE as a 'blockade' from society, and stereotypes about over-weight people. OE, and most eating disorders are a compulsion disorder, one that can turn into a vicious cycle of bingeing on food to ignore the feelings of low self worth, guilt, depression, and social anxiety/phobia. After the binge has stopped those negative feelings return, and are reinforced by the distorted self-image, and shame of their eating-disorder. People who do binge-eat will often do so in private because of the shame they feel returning them to a new 'lowpoint' which can encourage more binge-eating.

Eating Disorders are very serious and can lead to severe medical problems including high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and depression. All of which can be fatal and avoided by seeing a medical professional.

Listed bellow are search results from here at BlueLight pertaining to eating disorders. These links will be updated as often as possible.

Anorexia
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=999308
Bulimia
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=999308
General Eating-Disorders
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=999326


Listed bellow are search reulsts from different forums here at BlueLight pertaning to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. These links will be updated as often as possible.

Healthy Living
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=999332
Second Opinion
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=999341

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD)

This information has only been posted to share and debate in the interest of harm reduction, not as actual professional medical care, treatment, or advice. Please suggest any corrections or information that may need to be added.

PTSD is a mental condition that occurs when a person is exposed to, or experiences a traumatic event. PTSD is a syndrome of sorts because of how it effects people lifes in so many different ways.

PTSD can be diagnosed when the person has experienced, witnessed, or been confronted with an event that involved actual or threatened death, or serious injury, and where the person's response has involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror. PTSD is common in victims of rape or child abuse, war veterans, witnesses of violent crimes, accident or injury survivors, and social/natural harm or disaster survivors.

The key symptom in PTSD is that the traumatic event is persistently reexperienced; either through recurrent and intrusive thoughts, recurrent distressing dreams, flashbacks (feeling as if the event is recurring), or intense psychological distress or physiological reactivity when faced with cues that symbolize or represent an aspect of the event. At the same time, the individual can suffer anxiety, depression, and social problems. Relating affectionately with others can be difficult, and detaching or numbing ones self can be a learned trait/defense that becomes how everyday situations are handled. Drug and alcohol abuse can become a reliable way to withdraw and detach. Other PTSD symptoms can be irrational, aggressive, or violent behavior. People suffering from PTSD are also prone to have 'nightmares', and have trouble sleeping or want to sleep more then is normal for the individual.

Symptoms must persist for at least a month, although the onset of PTSD can be delayed. Flashbacks or sudden memories of the actual event of trauma can be brought on by any random occurrence that can be related to the original incident. Things like a smell, taste, sound, something said, certain situations, places, things, or people can trigger a memory causing a change in mood or 'break down'.

Everyone is different but, people suffering from PTSD can begin showing signs of recovery fast, it can be a few months, or a few years for a full recovery to be achieved. If you feel like you show symptoms PTSD see a Doctor or professional, and take care of yourself.

Schizophrenia


Schizophrenia is a chronic (long-lasting) mental illness that is difficult to define and is easily misunderstood. Although symptoms may vary widely, people with schizophrenia frequently have difficulty recognizing reality, thinking logically and behaving normally in social situations. It is surprisingly common, affecting 1 in every 100 people worldwide.

Experts believe schizophrenia results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The chance of having schizophrenia is 10% if an immediate family member (a parent or sibling) has the illness. The chance zooms to as much as 65% for those who have an identical twin with schizophrenia.

Scientists think several genes acting together make people vulnerable to this illness. In fact, with 20 or 30 or more problem genes being investigated, schizophrenia can be seen as several illnesses rather than one. These genes probably influence the way the brain develops and how nerve cells communicate with one another.

There is still no way to predict who will develop schizophrenia by looking at genetic material. We also still do not have a clear picture of which environmental factors or stresses make it more likely for someone to develop schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia may start as early as childhood and last throughout life. People with this illness periodically have difficulty with their thoughts and their perceptions. They may withdraw from social contacts, and if not treated, they will display more symptoms and become less functional as time passes. Schizophrenia is one of the "psychotic" disorders. Psychosis is defined in a variety of ways, but it is essentially an inability to recognize reality. It can include such symptoms as delusions (false beliefs), hallucinations (false perceptions), and disorganized speech or behavior. Because psychosis also can be a feature of other mental disorders, not all people who are psychotic have schizophrenia.

Symptoms in schizophrenia are described as either "positive" or "negative." Positive symptoms are psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations and disorganized behavior. Negative symptoms are the tendency toward restricted emotions, flat speech and the inability to start productive activity.

In addition to positive and negative symptoms, many people also have cognitive symptoms (problems with their intellectual functioning). People with schizophrenia may have trouble with "working memory." That is, they have trouble keeping recently learned information in mind and using it right away. They also have more trouble than average organizing themselves or making plans. These problems can be very subtle, but in many cases may account for why a person with schizophrenia has such a hard time managing day-to-day life.

Schizophrenia can be marked by a steady deterioration of logical thinking, social skills and behavior. These problems can contribute to a decline in functioning in personal relationships or at work. Self-care can also suffer. As people with schizophrenia realize what it means to have the disease, they may become depressed. People with schizophrenia are therefore at greater than average risk of committing suicide. Family members and health care professionals need to stay alert to this possibility.

People with schizophrenia are also at more risk of developing substance abuse problems. People who drink and use illicit drugs have more difficulty adhering to treatment. Schizophrenia is associated with higher rates of smoking than in the general population, leading patients with this illness to have more health problems. Schizophrenia has the following subtypes:
• Paranoid This is perhaps the best known subtype because people tend to wrongly believe that paranoia and schizophrenia always go together ("paranoid schizophrenic"). But only a limited number of people with schizophrenia have paranoid symptoms. What characterizes the paranoid type is the presence of delusions, whereas disorganization and emotional flatness are not prominent. In this subtype, the delusions may not even be paranoid in content; instead, they may have non-paranoid themes, such as religious delusions or "delusions of grandeur".
• Disorganized Speech or behavior may be disorganized, and emotional responses are blunted or unusual.
• Catatonic The person may become immobile or agitated, become peculiarly negative or mute, or display unusual behavior or speech.
• Undifferentiated The person has psychotic (positive) symptoms, but they do not clearly fit into any of the above categories.
• Residual The main symptoms are negative symptoms without any of the major psychotic symptoms seen in the other subtypes.

Symptoms

The symptoms of schizophrenia are defined as either "positive" or "negative."

Positive symptoms:
• Hallucinations (disordered perceptions) that may involve any of the five senses, including sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste
• Delusions (distorted thoughts)
• Disorganized speech
• Unusual or disorganized behavior

Negative symptoms:
• Restricted emotional range ("flat affect")
• Limited, unresponsive speech with little expression
• Disordered thinking, with problems making logical connections
• Trouble starting or pursuing goal-directed activity

Cognitive or intellectual symptoms are harder to detect and include problems retaining and using information for the purpose off organizing or planning.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of schizophrenia may not be immediately apparent. Although it is frequently possible to tell in one meeting whether someone has psychotic symptoms, it is not possible to diagnose schizophrenia so quickly. The clinician may need to know the person for months or even years to determine whether the pattern of illness fits the description of schizophrenia. It is important to observe the course of the illness over time because psychosis alone is not enough to diagnose schizophrenia.

Just as there are many causes of fever, there are many causes of psychosis. The clinician doing the evaluation will consider a variety of alternative diagnoses, such as a mood disorder, a medical problem or a toxic substance. Experts know that brain function is impaired in schizophrenia, but tests that examine the brain directly cannot yet be used to make a diagnosis. A clinician may want to do tests such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or an electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures electrical activity. These tests will help to rule out causes of the symptoms other than schizophrenia, such as a tumor or a seizure disorder.

Expected Duration

Schizophrenia is a lifelong illness. However, many psychotic illnesses last a much shorter time, so the presence of psychosis does not necessarily mean a person will have a lifelong struggle. Also, the impact of the illness can be reduced by early and active treatment.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent schizophrenia, but the earlier the illness is detected, the better chance you have to prevent the worst effects of the illness.

Schizophrenia is never the parents' fault. But in families where the illness is prevalent, it may make sense to pursue genetic counseling before starting a family. Educated family members are often in a better position to understand the illness and provide assistance.

Treatment

Schizophrenia requires a combination of treatments, including medication, psychological counseling and social support.

The major medications used to treat schizophrenia are called antipsychotics. They are quite effective at treating the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but relatively less successful for negative symptoms, with one notable exception (see clozapine, below). Every person reacts a little differently to antipsychotic drugs, so a patient may need to try several before finding the one that works best. It is also important to continue the treatment even after symptoms get better, because there is a high likelihood that psychosis will return without medication, and each returning episode may be worse.

Newer medications called "atypical" antipsychotics usually are tried first. They are as effective as older medications at treating the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia, and they also may be a little better at treating cognitive symptoms. These medications include risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), ziprasidone (Geodon) and aripiprazole (Abilify). The most serious side effect of these newer drugs is weight gain, which increases the risk of developing diabetes or high cholesterol.

Older antipsychotic medications, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine) and haloperidol (Haldol), are still quite effective and worth trying if atypical antipsychotics do not provide enough relief. However, the older medications can cause sedation, muscle spasms or rigidity, restlessness, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain, or changes in blood pressure. With long-term use, there is a risk of developing involuntary muscle movements (called tardive dyskinesia).

Clozapine (Clozaril) is a unique antipsychotic that is effective not just for positive symptoms, but also the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. However, it has a potentially dangerous side effect. About 1 in 100 people who take this drug lose the capacity to produce the white blood cells needed to fight infection. Anyone taking this drug must have regular tests to check blood counts. Other side effects include changes in heart rate and blood pressure, weight gain, sedation, excessive salivation, and constipation. On the positive side, people do not develop the muscle rigidity or the involuntary muscle movements seen with older antipsychotics. Because clozapine may be the best overall treatment for schizophrenia symptoms, some people may decide that the potential benefit of taking it is worth the risks.

Because other disorders can either mimic the symptoms of schizophrenia or accompany schizophrenia, other medications may be tried, such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Sometimes anti-anxiety medications help to control anxiety or agitation.

There is growing evidence that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can reduce symptoms in schizophrenia. CBT in schizophrenia is not conducted in the same way as CBT for depression. When treating schizophrenia, the therapist puts a heavy emphasis on understanding the person's experience, developing an alliance, and finding alternative explanations for psychotic symptoms in order to defuse their distressing effect.

In addition to specific CBT techniques, a therapist or case manager must be involved to provide ongoing emotional and practical support, education about the illness, advice about managing relationships and orientation to reality. All of these efforts will help the patient stick with treatment. The longer and more trusting the relationship, the more useful it will be for the person affected by this illness.

Family members also need education about the disease so they can better provide assistance. Often a person with schizophrenia needs additional social support. A residential treatment facility can provide a safe place to live. Vocational rehabilitation gives some hope that the person can do something productive. A social program may give the person structure, activity and an opportunity to improve relationships with others.

When To Call a Professional

Anyone showing psychotic symptoms or who has difficulty functioning because of problems in their thinking should be in treatment. Although the vast majority of people with this disorder never harm themselves or others, there is some increased risk of suicide or violence in schizophrenia, another reason to seek treatment. There is increasing evidence that earlier and continuous treatment leads to a better outcome and, because new treatments are always in development, a relationship with a psychiatrist will increase the person's access to these treatments as they become available.

Prognosis

The outlook for schizophrenia varies. By definition, schizophrenia is a chronic condition that includes persistent or recurring psychosis and poor functioning. Life expectancy may even be shortened if the person drifts away from supportive relationships, if personal hygiene or self-care decline, or if poor judgment leads to accidents. However, with active treatment, the effects of the illness can be significantly reduced. A better prognosis is likely if the first symptoms began after age 30 and if the onset was rapid. The better a person functioned before the onset of illness, the better he or she is likely to do. The absence of a family history of schizophrenia is also a good sign.

Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder(SAD) is a rare and often misdiagnosed combination of features from mood, and psychotic disorders. Mood disorder symptoms are mood/emotional high and lows, sleep disturbances, and changes in eating habits. Some symptoms of psychosis are a loss of contact with reality/disassociation, visual and/or auditory hallucinations, and delusional behavior.

Schizoaffective disorder is often misdiagnosed as either a mood disorder/manic depression, or schizophrenia. Schizoaffective disorder becomes most apparent when an individual being treated for a mood disorder, while on a mood stabilizer has continuing delusions, and hallucinations. The diagnosis will often come with a mention of a prominent feature such as schizoaffetive disorder with bipolar features, or schizoaffective disorder with depressive features.

The exact origins of schizoaffective disorder are unknown at this time.

A definition of 'positive and negative symptoms' was given in the explanation of Schizophrenia. Here are the positive and negative symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. Positive; Hallucinations, Delusions, and Thinking Disturbances. Negative; Blunted Affect(restriction in appearance, and relations w/others), Apathy, Anhedonia(little or no pleasure from previously enjoyed activities/hobbies, Poverty of Speech, and Inattention.

Drug abuse can become a way to cope/self medicate for sufferers of schizoaffective disorder, and make up for lack of social comfort. Schizoaffective disorder is often treated with medications like anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers, rarely anti-seizures medication, but never SSRI antidepressants. Individual psychotherapy is also recommended because of the disorders inherent social discomfort.

Bi Polar Disorder

Bi Polar Disorder is marked by changes in mood, thought process, and over all feeling towards life, along with reoccurring or intrusive thoughts that can cause strong emotions which can interfere with daily life. BPdo is classified as Bi Polar 1 or 2.

BPdo can often appear as an anxiety disorder, a learning disability, or depression. Bi Polar can also appear as an emotional disorder, because of the drastic changes in mood that can last for hours, days, or months at a time, to varying degrees before 'switching over'; these factors can leave it often misdiagnosed and mistreated. There are long periods where no symptoms are prevalent, and an individual may of thought, or think the mood shifts are just phases. Some times these depressive and manic states can go into a rapid cycle, and occur at the same time; this is called a mixed state and is similar to full blown psychosis. With Bi Polar 1 the manic highs are more intense intense compared to type 2, mixed states are related to type 1 as well.

Type 2 is similar, but separated because of it's slower cycle and the lesser degree of mania with more depressive features.

While in a manic state a person may fixate and obsess on any random situation, idea, project etc. or jump from one thing to another, this process can carry on to the point of being overwhelmed, and out of control mentally and physically.

When in a depressed state all the classic symptoms of depression are there; nothing is interesting, your mind is flat and trapped in a tired tomb of a body, and it seems like nothing will ever change. All of this is overwhelming but does pass as sure as it happens, but many people seek street drugs and alcohol to self medicate, which more then often only exasperates symptoms and makes treatment more difficult.

As far as a cause, there hasn't been anything that scientists and doctors have been able to identify specifically, be it; psychological, physiological, hormonal, environmental or a chromosomal factor. Often BPdo becomes recognizable or is triggered mostly in young adults and teens, but also doesn't show up until later in life. Often times there is a trigger which brings out the disease anything from extreme stress, environmental factors, and depressing/traumatic situations, drugs, or just time.


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more about treatment options later ; )
 
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pip rocks. :D

Originally we planned to link to threads in TDS (and elsewhere) that covered all the topics, but got a bit stuck with some of the less-well covered disorders - hence why there's only a few links there. If anyone has anything they'd like to suggest added, please let us know. There's stuff we probably missed.
 
bumpity bump........
a lot of hard work on pip and sushii's part.........
 
Im pretty sure I've experienced psychosis several times. It's pretty insane but in retrospect it's scary and maybe a lil bit fun.
 
Thanks to panic in paradise and sushii for writing all this. Its really interesting and definately helpful so thanks!
 
Yes this thread is very interesting. Great job PIP and Sushii :)

It's just too bad it was in the last pages though, I suggest a sticky.
 
^ I think it was for a while, but we removed it because we can only have so many stickies and there were other things we thought should recieve greater priority. I think there's a link to this thread in the 'new users - welcome - useful links' sticky though. Along with a whole lot of other interesting threads. :)
 
I suffer (geez, suffer?) yes... from Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia.

It has increased in severity in recent years. For example, I have not been outside in weeks, except a couple times during late night/early morning to walk around the cemetery across the road. I stay awake for days at a time. I absolutely will not interact with society unless it is absolutely necessary, and I must be very high on opiates/opioids. They are the only medicine that works for my panic, and I have went through the list of psychiatric medicines throughly, and every psychiatric hospital within a 200 mile radius, multiple times (15+ admissions), which I have since given up on.

Sometimes I feel beyond hope - destined to be a reclusive dope/hallucinogen fiend for the rest of my days. This should bother me more than it does, since at this time I view it as a fact of existence.
 
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opiates have the same effect on me, i can have bad agoraphobia as an effect of shizoaffective, i take klonopin 6mgs and lithium 900mgs after trials and errors ie. neuroleptic malignant syndrome with 3 antipsychotics, and another that caused intense euphoria, followed by terrible dysphoria, then sleep. so the kpins and lithium work well for me, the klonopin put me at ease of course, and the lithium helps me gather my thoughts, and not chain think away, or think and feel the people in other vehicles are judging me etc.

but, i have been going through daily moderate to severe pain for over a year now constantly, i was prescribed tramadol recently, doc said he didnt want to use anything with ibuprofen in it because of the lithium. i have been wanting tramadol when i heard it was used often as a psych med as well as a painkiller a while back, the serotonin and neuroephedrine play is a very nice touch. it makes me very out going, chatty at first, but i do feel an extra bit of selfesteem and selfconfidence, and a need to be busy/focused.

i have only been on it for a few days though, so i cant speak for its long term effects except it has a nasty w/d with that 3some. if tramadol helps with the pain, and keeps up its psychological affects as it has been i might feel comfortable weening off the benzos.
 
I have a few of these disorders from various doctors. I'm a bit confused now as to what I actually have and want to get a firm diagnosis to get the right treatment. Its been bounced from one thing to another and nothing has really solved it.

Psychiatrists are very expensive. Seeing one over a long period of time to get fixed up might be impossible for broke old me.

All I know is- weight gain from the meds is a serious side effect and is the reason some would not be worth taking. Having that happen makes things worse. :(
 
^ I agree about the weight gain, I told myself at the time it didn't matter but when it kept increasing - a fucking kilo a week - I got really sick of it. It was a big reason I stopped taking that particular medication, which was a pain because it's the only one that ever really worked.

About costs - not sure how it differs for a psychiatrist, but you can see a psychologist for 12 sessions with the medicare rebate....
 
^
ummm

sushii?!?

yeah BP is hard to over look, especially since its one of my daily dealings, we can include that soon.
 
Bump ;)

And Becky- there are a few links and some discussion on Bipolar in the Anxiety/Depression thread
 
I don't know if you copied that or typed it yourself but I believe it's rather important to add that with bipolar mixed states, hallucinations, psychosis, delusions cannot exist in type 2. Also bipolar 2 cannot have experienced a manic episode. I didn't really read all of the rest because bipolar pertains to me so I know most about it, otherwise very nice job.
 
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^Thanks, we will look into adding that-
though I am wondering if what you are describing is Schizoaffective disorder, which is essentially Bipolar with Psychotic features (like you listed- hallucinations, delusions. mixed states and sometimes psychosis?)
 
No I'm talking about Bipolar type 1 & in my ab psych class my teacher always told us schizoaffective disorder is often misdiagnosed as bipolar type 1 or schizophrenia. I have bipolar too, I was diagnosed to type 1 but later reverted to 2 as I had no mania :) Usually the psychotic features only manifest themselves during manic episodes and sometimes psychosis develops during extreme major depressive episodes.
 
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