schizoaffective disorder

[hippyhippy]

Does anyone have any knowledge of this?
I was on another forum talking about my hallucinations which are becoming more and more commonplace. I had kinda got used to the auditory but now I am having increasing visual. Daily. My dx is bipolar. Schizoaffective disorder was suggested on this other forum. I have looked it up. It makes sense. I know my pdoc is concerned about me as my support worker told me today. I know I am likely to be in hospital by monday if things don't improve. This feelks so big and I am really really scared.
Hippy

[mxchaos]

I have both kinds of hallucinations and they still consider me BP. The difference as they explained to me is that bp hallucinations happen when you are at either pole. Schizoaffectives have hallucinations without being depressed or manic. It doesn't really matter because they use the same meds for both. The only true way of know the difference is having a pdoc diagnose you.

Try not to be too scared it may take a while but there are meds that can help. I've finally found th right combo and don't have to deal with them too much anymore.

[hippyhippy]

Thanks for that.

at the mo mines tie in with depression so maybe it is just the BP.

Hippy
x

[Toomutch]

Not meaning to hijack this thread, and it has me wondering...
I am fairly certain that our house has 2 ghosts. I see them often - never in full form, but I know how tall they are and that one is a child. I have just accepted this as being normal, although my husband thinks I'm nuts... I also hear voices, usually at night when I am trying to fall asleep. I do have bipolar II, I wonder if these episodes are due to the bipolar.

[mxchaos]

I believe in ghosts and spirits so maybe you really do have one. As for hearing things at night right before sleep is also normal. I suggest you still talk to your doc about it and see what he says.

[hippyhippy]

Toomuch,
I hear things often. Mostly I just accept it but sometimes it freaks me. My pdoc says it is definately the BP something to do with too much dopamaine int he brain.
Visual hallucinations atre not enrtirely new to me but the frequency is. Actually, the frequenbcy is helping me see they are not ghosts in a weird way.
Hippy

[Toomutch]

Hippy - the other night just after I turned the lights out I heard my daught say Hi Mom, and I thought she was right there.
I turned on the light and nothing, in fact she wasn't even home.
Also when I am falling asleep I here familiar voices talking, often very jumbled, like they are all talking at once.
I am wondering if everyone has this happen at night when they are trying to calm their minds... Or is it truly due to the bipolar?

[hippyhippy]

Also when I am falling asleep I here familiar voices talking, often very jumbled, like they are all talking at once.
I am wondering if everyone has this happen at night when they are trying to calm their minds... Or is it truly due to the bipolar?

Too much, this is almost exactly what the majority of my auditory hallucinations are like. I told my pdoc it is like there is a whole load of peopkle in my room and they are all taling at once, in voices that are not loud but not whispers. I can't make out what they are saying, it is like a general buzz of a busy room, I can't differentuate individual voices. A bit like a paarty but quiter. Sometimes it is just as I am falling asleep and is no more problematic than that. However, sometimes I also hear them moving about the floor and coming in and out of the door. I try getting out of my bed and going downstairs but they come with me. Occassionally they feel malevolent and I et scared.
Pdoc says it is too much dopamne in the brain....have I already said that?
I do get other noises a bit similar to what you say. Thining my kids are speaking to me and they are not there and stuff.
Hippy
xx

[adore79]

I am diagnosed schizoaffective. It means basically that you have symptoms of schizophrenia along with a mood disorder, and the symptoms of each disorder can overlap or occur seperately. There are two types of schizoaffective: unipolar and bipolar.

MX is right, schizoaffective is treated pretty much exactly as bipolar disorder is.

Hallucinations and delusions (the "positive") symptoms are partly caused by too much dopamine activity in the frontal lobes of the brain. Antipsychotic meds work by decreasing dopamine activity there. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers are used to treat the affective side of the illness.

I think I remember there is a good general overview of the illness on wikipedia, just search "schizoaffective".