Whoo-hoo! I have schizo-typal disorder!

[Deja Q]

:party:

1. Ideas of reference (inference?) I have, to an extent.

2. Odd beliefs or magical thinking. No way for 'magical thinking' and I don't have odd beliefs, though I am preoccupied with some things.

3. Unusual perception experiences. I've only noticed that my co-workers are more analytical than me and that bothers me, what with the field I'm in and all. I don't know why I can't figure out what they do, nor why I can't seem to articulate the words properly.

4. Odd thinking and speech. I can be vague (because I lose my train of thought and need to get the basics out). I can be overelaborate. I can speak in metaphor. And my use of the English language is verbose and even grandiose. Is this a sign of me being crackers or me being an individual?

5. Suspicious or paranoid ideation. While I sometimes think that people are laughing at me when I enter a room, I've just as many statements and examples proving that people do talk about me behind my back. (having a few friends helps.)

6. Inappropriate or constricted affect. Yeah, maybe inappropriate at times because I have to look at someone else to see how they react because I have no clue. Or I can be hystrionic in a response. But there are more syndromes than schizo-typal.

7. Behavior or appearance that is odd, eccentric, or peculiar. Uh, I am an individual. A creative one. I am my own person. I am not a damn lemming. Enough said.

8. Lack of close friends or confidants other than first degree relatives. Somewhat true, but - once again - schizo-typal disorder is not the only disorder and my problems started a very long time before I became a 'legal adult'. (try age 3)

9. Excessive social anxiety that does not diminish with familiarity... Okay, I have extreme social anxiety. Anyone with my childhood background sure as hell would. My two closest co-worker friends I don't feel anxious around, but it took a very long time (months) to feel reasonably comfortable around them. Maybe I am somewhat abnormal, but to the extent schizo-typal claims?

Why not Asperger's or other syndromes? Many people with ADD with the right criteria have been re-classified as Aspergers. And while I'm no expert, and maybe I'm in denial (which would be rational given my history with counselors, just about all of which gave me their own decision as to whatever crackers malady I've supposedly got. And the medications NEVER worked either. So, damn straight, I have every right to believe I am consistently being misdiagnosed. And, after all, it was only a year ago when it was finally considered I might truly have ADD (though the previous counselor thought it was ADHD despite significantly failing the H portion...))

Asperrger's makes more sense, but what do I know? I'm a patient and am therefore incapable of thinking.

Why do I bother?

[rockydem]

1. forget the psychiatric labels

[Runcible Spoon]

2. who the hell is diagnosing you??

forget psychiatry, they tried to put me on lithium for "generalized anxiety disorder" when I went to a therapist, who referred me to a psychiatrist, when I was feeling very blue Nov 3rd and wanted to just vent. Go figure.

[Deja Q]

8. Over the years? Something like 10 counselors.

I've been categorized with:

* Anxiety (4 said this, though only the latest one suggested Generalized Anxiety or PTSD. I agree with this condition because of numerous childhood traumas, many of which do suggest a condition like Asperger's. Maybe Asperger's isn't it, but I've got to pursue every lead and find out what the core problems are. Fiddling with the symptoms will not resolve the underlying problem. Even I know that.)

* Paranoid schizophrenia. (at age 15 by a true quack. Given lithium, an antidepressant, and a strong antipsychotic. Went into a tailspin within 3 weeks.)

* Schizo-Affective Disorder (age 29, by a guy who never wrote down what I said, asked me if I was still taking a drug (which I told him for several monthly visits in a row that I'd stopped taking), amongst mixing up other drugs I'd been taking (none of which had entirely worked, though risperdal helped the moods for a while but the underlying cognitive issues were never addressed)). He was downright rude to me one final day (about a year ago), mostly because he didn't hear what I was saying. I should have made a complaint, but my PDA at the time konked out and I lost my notes. :grr: It was a distant office as well, so I quit because of that as well. But everything was schizo-affective or just anxiety. No real clarification.

* Manic depression (I don't remember when).

* Bipolar disorder. (Ditto)_

* ADHD. (Defined by age 7, though even at age 3 it was said I had a difficult time following instructions. And by age 7, it was clear I was NOT following a typical developmental pattern. Hell, I even slept in class and nobody gave a fuck. I never wanted to sleep, but it happened and everybody thought I was just an idiot.)

* Depression (off and on). I agree with this, but mostly because I'm depressed over the unresolved cognitive problems that I have trouble forming into words. I've no choice but to find parallels by any means necessary and tell people that's what I've got. And I feel nobody listens, or rather, takes me seriously.

I don't know. I feel like I should just stop wasting my time. What can they do anyway? Dope me up with more meds that may or may not work? Or tell me I'm some sort of raving nutter?

[Runcible Spoon]

22. I almost got into a shouting match with the psychiatrist...

When he said "let's try lithium for a few months" I said "lithium?? are you KIDDING me??" and he shot back "I don't appreciate being screamed at!!" :crazy: I was kinda being a shit, asking him why the field of psychiatry seems to be so ethnocentric, why people who are revered as shamans in one culture are locked up and doped in this culture, whether he thinks there is a "norm" of human behavior, and if so, is deviation biological or socially caused, and if biological, why dope people up without doing chemical analysis of the brain, and so and so on...
I know this sounds trite, but how do you feel off of meds? Since I started running, and trust me I used to be one of those "I only run when chased people", and started playing rugby, I feel SOOOO much better. Good to purge the ol' endorphins once in a while. I think all the medicine you need is some good pot. I haven't been through the lifelong wringer of psychiatry, but I have a couple very close friends who have. Honestly, they would have been better off if they had just seen psychologists. THis is not to deride psychiatry entirely, but methinks this is a field that has been influenced by teh pharmie industry and I am skeptical of anyone who uses chemicals to address complex emotional issues. Best of luck to you, try and wean off the drugs..

[baba]

3. AD/HD

Just a minor note: AD/HD is actually the proper name for the disorder, regardless of whether hyperactivity is one of the symptoms. Therefore, what is commonly known as "ADD" is actually AD/HD, Predominantly Inattentive Type.

:)

Anyway, it can be fun to look through the DSM, but it is also easy to get med-student syndrome and start diagnosing yourself with all of the different disorders!

[SmokingJacket]

13. Some people have the attention problems without the

hyperactivity.

The HD part is the Hyperactivity.

If you have ADD, it means Attention Deficit Disorder without Hyperactivity.

:-)

[baba]

18. Just to clarify....

The clinical term is AD/HD, Predominantly Inattentive Type. There are three types: 1. AD/HD, Predominantly Hyperactive Type, 2. AD/HD, Predominantly Inattentive Type, and 3. AD/HD, Combined Hyperactive/Inattentive Type. The first is rarely diagnosed, because almost everybody has at least some symptoms of inattention. The second is what is colloquially referred to as "ADD" and is characterized by inattentive symptoms without overt hyperactivity. The third is the most commonly diagnosed, and is characterized by both symptom clusters.

The only reason I split hairs over the accuracy of diagnosis-I think it is important to recognize that these are all variations on the same disorder. To call the Predominantly Inattentive Type by the colloquial name of "ADD" is okay, of course, but not technically "clinically" accurate. (Saves time, though!) Another thing to note-adults sometimes exhibit hyperactivity as kids, but gradually lose those symptoms as they age, so the diagnosis often changes.

[SmokingJacket]

20. I'll take your word for it...

though it seems counterintuitive to call someone AD/HD without the HD, doesn't it?

I guess if the DSM says it's so, it's so.

[Minimus]

4. Several years ago I read through the DSM IV

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and some of the criteria was you have to have 5 out of 7 or 3 out of 5, and so on for a certain diagnosis. Well, I diagnosed myself with just about every mental disorder in that book.

My favorite was Borderline Personality Disorder. Now just what the hell is that? If you read the criteria everyone in the world has it.

Doctors really do like to label people. You are right, you are the patient so YOU should know better that others how you feel and the symptoms/criteria that you meet.

Take care.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. Now just what the hell is that?

Ask the border patrol. :)

[Minimus]

9. info on Borderline Personality Disorder

My comments are in ( ).

Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder usually begin in early adulthood and may include some if not all of the following traits:

Fears of abandonment (Well who likes to be abandoned?)

A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships - (Most people I know have been in intense unstable relationships at some time or another)

Unstable self-image or unstable, shifting "identity" -(Hey if Madonna can reinvent herself why can't the average person?)

Extreme mood swings -(PMS falls in that category)

Impulsive, self defeating behaviors e.g., substance abuse, binge eating -(Well that could be recreational drug use followed by severe munchies)

Suicidal ideation or self-injuring acts -(This criteria may be the only one most people will not meet)

Chronic feelings of emptiness or boredom -(If you get bored with your life and feel you are not meeting any goals, you may have to reinvent yourself)

Inappropriate, intense anger -(Hey anger happens to everyone)

Transient periods of odd or unusual thoughts under stress -(Well duh, things tend to happen when you are stressed out)


I do not intend in anyway to make light of anyone's mental health issues, believe me I have been through alot, and in and out of counseling for many many years. My point is that sometimes the psychiatrists just seem to try to find a label so you continue to feel bad and continue to have to go see them. Does it really serve them to make you well? They have bills to pay you know.

[Deja Q]

11. Cool. Reading those symptoms, I could fit them all. Some more strongly

than others.

[baba]

19. If you read the criteria

Many people do have these symptoms at one time or another. But people with Borderline Personality Disorder display these symptoms in an ongoing, pervasive pattern, with significant effects on functioning in all areas of life. You may meet some of these criteria, but if they are not seriously affecting your life, then you probably don't have Borderline Personality Disorder.

Which is good, because it is NOT an easy disorder to have! People with BPD have a really hard time of it. It is also notoriously difficult to treat.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. Any one of several natural approaches might do wonders... trust me.

Get it just about anywhere... but get a good product if you do.
1: Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2002 Apr;40(4):158-68. Related Articles, Links

A review of the French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol), a herbal medication with a diverse clinical pharmacology.

Rohdewald P.

Institute Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster, Germany. [e-mail]

OBJECTIVES: An increasing body of evidence indicates that Pycnogenol (PYC), a standardized extract of French maritime pine bark, has favorable pharmacological properties. This is a review of studies with both PYC and components of the preparation, that have helped to elucidate target sites and possible mechanisms for activity in men. METHODS: Studies appearing in peer reviewed literature, as well as results presented at international meetings not yet available as published papers, are included in this review. Additional data from published sources in German and French languages that are not widely available are also included.

RESULTS: Chemical identification studies showed that PYC is primarily composed of procyanidins and phenolic acids. Procyanidins are biopolymers of catechin and epicatechin subunits which are recognized as important constituents in human nutrition. PYC contains a wide variety of procyanidins that range from the monomeric catechin and taxifolin to oligomers with 7 or more flavonoid subunits. The phenolic acids are derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acids. The ferulic acid and taxifolin components are rapidly absorbed and excreted as glucuronides or sulphates in men, whereas procyanidins are absorbed slowly and metabolized to valerolactones which are excreted as glucuronides.

PYC has low acute and chronic toxicity with mild unwanted effects occurring in a small percentage of patients following oral administration. Clinical studies indicate that PYC is effective in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency and retinal micro-hemorrhages. PYC protects against oxidative stress in several cell systems by doubling the intracellular synthesis of anti-oxidative enzymes and by acting as a potent scavenger of free radicals.

Other anti-oxidant effects involve a role in the regeneration and protection of vitamin C and E.

Anti-inflammatory activity has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo in animals.

Protection against UV-radiation-induced erythema was found in a clinical study following oral intake of PYC. In asthma patients symptom scores and circulating leukotrienes are reduced and lung function is improved.

Immunomodulation has been observed in both animal models as well as in patients with Lupus erythematosus.

PYC antagonizes the vasoconstriction caused by epinephrine and norepinephrine by increasing the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Dilation of the small blood vessels has been observed in patients with cardiovascular disease, whereas in smokers, PYC prevents smoking-induced platelet aggregation and reduces the concentration of thromboxane.

The ability to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme is associated with a mild antihypertensive effect.

PYC relieves premenstrual symptoms, including abdominal pain and this action may be associated with the spasmolytic action of some phenolic acids.

An improvement in cognitive function has been observed in controlled animal experiments and these findings support anecdotal reports of improvement in ADHD patients taking PYC supplements.

CONCLUSIONS: There is much evidence showing that PYC has beneficial effects on physiological functions. Results from ongoing clinical research are required to confirm and extend previous observations.

Publication Types:

* Review
* Review, Tutorial


PMID: 11996210

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. And don't forget the Omega Threes as well.... article...

Along with a good B-complex

All of these can be found at PubMed... for your viewing pleasure.

2: Jayasooriya AP, Weisinger RS, Weisinger HS, Mathai M, Puskas L, Kitajka K, Chen N, Ackland ML, Sinclair AJ. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Influence of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supply on brain gene expression.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(Suppl):S77.
PMID: 15294576

3: Jayasooriya AP, Weisinger RS, Weisinger HS, Mathai M, Puskas L, Kitajka K, Dashti M, Egan G, Sinclair AJ. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supply influences mechanisms controlling body weight and glucose metabolism.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(Suppl):S51.
PMID: 15294524

11: Moriguchi T, Salem N Jr. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Recovery of brain docosahexaenoate leads to recovery of spatial task performance.
J Neurochem. 2003 Oct;87(2):297-309.
PMID: 14511107

25: Iso H, Sato S, Umemura U, Kudo M, Koike K, Kitamura A, Imano H, Okamura T, Naito Y, Shimamoto T. Related Articles, Links
Free Full Text Linoleic acid, other fatty acids, and the risk of stroke.
Stroke. 2002 Aug;33(8):2086-93.
PMID: 12154268

28: Ximenes da Silva A, Lavialle F, Gendrot G, Guesnet P, Alessandri JM, Lavialle M. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Glucose transport and utilization are altered in the brain of rats deficient in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
J Neurochem. 2002 Jun;81(6):1328-37.
PMID: 12068080

36: Kidd PM. Related Articles, Links
Free Full Text Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune inflammatory disease: prospects for its integrative management.
Altern Med Rev. 2001 Dec;6(6):540-66. Review.
PMID: 11804546

[Deja Q]

10. I just found out something of interest:

I just read a website showing that many people with Asperger's also have signs of Schizotypal.

http://icd.binghamton.edu/RGR5.html

I'm hopeful that Asperger's is the ultimate diagnosis. I believe it fits. While it may not be it, there's so much that truly makes sense.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

12. Link

http://www.curezone.com/forums/m.asp?f=54&i=341

[Deja Q]

14. Thanks much!

Yup. The TV is going bye-bye, for starters.

It's going to be hard.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

16. Would you consider purchasing this book?? I guarantee you... I will bet

you money that there is something in it for you... you will thank yourself if you read it and apply the principles therein.

How to Cure and Prevent Any Disease <----- "really"

[bloom]

21. I have also read that it's not unusual for people

with Asperger's to be diagnosed Schizotypal.

I think some practitioners may be more disposed towards one diagnosis than the other....

[SmokingJacket]

15. Think of yourself as: Eccentric.

It's a grand old tradition.

If someone diagnoses you with something that makes sense of your life, great! Maybe they can "cure" you. (though I don't think there are drugs to cure Aspergers, if that's is what ails you. Off the bat, you seem more empathetic than most Aspergers people are supposed to be.)

But.... do you want to be cured?

If you are suffering and in pain, by all means: Seek help! Take the drugs, do the therapy, whatever, until your pain is diminished. Suicide is a bad end.

But if you don't fit in, and that's the extent of your problems, find ways to live your life that allow you to be as eccentric as you need to be.

You probably won't ever be a "cube rat."

You probably won't ever be a CEO.

BUT.. maybe you're an artist. Maybe you'll never have as many friends as the sitcoms say you should have. Maybe people will say you're nuts, because they don't get what you're trying to do.

Most people are incredibly conservative and are made uncomfortable by eccentricity. Fuckem!

"Average" folks rarely change the world.

Just my thoughts.

Signed,
Been there.

[Deja Q]

17. Thank you much!

:hug:

I like art and am good with a camera... as I always say, it's a matter of turning the applesauce that life givea ya into lemonade... :D