I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SORT OUT MY BENEFITS STUFF TODAY. They paid me the grand total of £21 this week; I've no idea why. So now I know the correct number I have to ring back tomorrow when they're open. I also am meant to tell them I have schizoaffective disorder. I got a letter a while back that seemed irrelevant but it said underneath that any change in your medical condition must be notified. I don't think the name makes any difference but it might mean I get treated a bit different (if anything, better). They don't seem to quibble so much with severe mental illness whereas depression they subject you to a test to see how depressed you actually are. With this I don't see what test they can do, I just feel too confused a lot of the time to do a lot of basic things. Sad but true. I don't know how I'm going to rise above this one. Depression I fought against but mania you can't fight against it's too intense and also feels nice most of the time, so I don't know what to do. And the schizo-bit in schizo-affective just feels too weird for words so I don't know how to dea with it. Not very good I know but true. They might push me down a pit with people sword fighting like people on television now but I don't know how I'll survive. See I feel confused these thoughts come in my head and I push them out but I push out everything else too so I dont know what to keep in there. This is why I get ill, because I don't understand. I try. I do try. But I feel confused.
Does anybody out there know about schizoaffective disorder and what things I can do self-help wise? PLEASE. Anybody? If you can direct me to a good website or just a forum I'd be ever so grateful. I'm floundering about knowing I have "symptoms" of this "tripolar disorder" (because there are 3 things I get: mania, depression and schizophrenia) and knowing broadly which symptom and experience is flavoured with what, but I don't know what to DO. I want to know what to DO. And why I should do it? And what I might achieve... Please anybody who knows please answer. You don't need to be a fellow sufferer or an expert I'm just after ideas. Remember I have had depression for years and am glad I followed my inkling not to indulge in books that didn't mention Seasonal Affective (SAD) or bipolar. Because I've always thought my depression was partly psychological and partly biological. Even though I hadn't a clue I was schizoaffective until the dr told me so, I've followed the right path, where you accept your illness has a biological component. Purely herbal tea and counselling based stuff just ain't gonna cut it with my illness. I accept I need to take meds. I can feel when I haven't taken them, usually. Apart from Saturday night when I honestly forgot my pill (I'm on one pill now; 1x4mg risperidone rather than 2x2mg, which are too easy to get confused over) I wasn't messing about I really did forget to take it. And for once didn't get "a free coke binge" I just felt nothing bar a sluggish depression I've been in for days. Depression which now has a slight excited tinge in the background. I'm hoping this means a mood switch is occurring.
Yes I used HEROIN today but it did nothing. It was so weak. I wish I wouldn't do it. It doesn't take away "psychotic" things (which I don't really have today) and it doesn't dampen down my bad moods any more so I wish I'd get it THROUGH MY THICK HEAD THAT I'M WASTING MY TIME.
Im pissed off with NA because I shared even though it fucking hurt to do so I still shared something that is personal that I don't have to share and not one fucking person gave any response except the kind of response you get when they know you're using drugs still. I mean I told them I had bipolar mood swings and not one person could think of one faintly constructive thing to say about that.
I don't know what I was expecting. Certainly not "there there" type crap but something. I expected something and I don't think my expectations were unreasonable. Considering nearly ALL bipolar people use drugs which means there must be a lot of manic depression "in the rooms" as they say I expected more. So I was right when I realized NA was NOT for me. They cannot help me, they do not help me. Only seductive thing about NA is the attitude that taking medication is wrong, so I can "not use" my antipsychotics and have "a free coke binge" on them. That is a free manic episode, even a short one for a couple of days. But I'm trying to be grown up and responsible, I don't know why, but I am. Am trying.
I felt misunderstood by them when I took up going again and I still feel misunderstood and unappreciated.
Bear in mind I have been coming to NA for over 10 years, since I very first saw a problem developing, so I know NA, know their philosophy and their ways and feel let down, now that I genuinely want to be clean and serene I feel nobody has made any effort towards me, not genuine effort. All I get is "do a detox" (ie have a psychotic episode) and likeminded stuff in other words they're telling me to go crazy. I'm willing to go crazy as long as I can do it IN THEIR HOUSE. That will teach them to throw out platitude-ridden advice, when they see what happens when I "detox" and "go clean" as they believe clean is.
TIESTO/RALPH FRIDGE: PARADISE
when i went mad that time my shower kept saying "paradise paradise" after this song!
I'm not getting too wound up by Narcotics Anonymous and I refuse to throw the baby out with the bathwater. But I'm only doing one meeting per week at the moment. You have to bear in mind I have bad memories of coming to NA having heard voices all the way there on the bus, then locking myself up in a dark room with them in a psychotic state only for them all to believe I was high on crack when I was "high" yes, but on nothing! Just like you I have only a certain tolerance for such bullshit and then I start feeling genuinely upset. You see I know the name of my disorder now and it's not a good one. Now I have to tell the Social Security this crap, which I don't want to, but they need to know. They do say any change in your condition should be notified to us so fuckit I'll notify them. What on earth they'll do with that information I hesitate to think. You see I had symptoms and knew I wasn't right. Then this doctor tells me in these same words "I think you have a mental illness". I have never thought of myself as "mentally ill" before. Depression is supposedly a mental illness but it didn't make me feel mentally ill. Only the crash from mania into depression has truly made me feel injured and ill. Very very sick and ill. The crash I had in December counts as one of five all time worsts. The fact that there are FIVE not one probably says a lot but I'm not dwelling on that one. Do you understand why I disengage rather than wallow? If I wallowed I would never get out of self pity and it would destroy me. I'd rather pretend nothing is wrong than wallow in the wrongness. I don't care if I'm doing the wrong thing; life is so very difficult I don't know what else to do.
TRANCE VISIONS: PARADISE (KOMAKINO REMIX)
Well I hope I've been grown-up enough today I don't feel grown up. I feel like the parent of a 3 year old child ~ as per usual ~ saying "DO THIS! DON'T DO THAT!" and the recalcitrant child barely listens..!
And how was YOUR DAY? rsvp!
RALPH FRIDGE: PARADISE (PUSH MIX)
It would be good and helpful for you to join online Forums on the topics that interest you. Just google Forum + the specific words and you'll get plenty of them. Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I have looked at bipolar forums that were very helpful only problem was my symptoms seemed more severe than most of theirs... schizophrenia was really bizarre ~ forums about people having microchips put in their brains! ~ what I need is a schizoaffective one I got lost last time I looked I'll look again. Thanks again :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm currently in the loony bin (outpatient) and have had a lot of success with learning about DBT skills. DBT stands for "Dialectical Behavior Therapy" and you can read about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialectical_behavior_therapy.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea if the following is a good site: http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/ but just found it looking around the net for you.
I would check out DBT and see what you think. Google it and visit several sites. Talk with your doctor about it. I know you can also purchase a DBT skills workbook and get books about it from the library.
After getting out of the loony bin I plan to find a therapist that uses DBT in order to keep using the skills I've been learning so far.
I wish you well in your journey and think it's so wonderful you are seeking help versus "wallowing". Wallowing is so easy to do and you have a lot of courage.
Thanks for posting on my blog in the past. Your thoughts are always provoking and helpful.
Take care!
Gleds, I don't see how taking heroin today is going to help with anything related to your mental disorder. I don't know enough about schizophrenia, but I did volunteer at a half-way house for those with mental illness back in the 1980's. The bipolar types were either very high or very low and the schizophrenics were pretty much sedated with heavy duty stuff. It was not a happy scene.
ReplyDeleteIf you can quit the drugs that aren't prescribed for a month and then go to NA, perhaps you might feel differently.
Hello! You say you're only on one psychiatric drug? Wow! Doesn't sound like you're being treated effectively, especially where you're still having such strong symptoms. I think you need a good "cocktail", most bipolars take several medications to deal with the multitude of symptoms they have, so I can only imagine that you would need the same. I take 4, but have been on as many as 7 at one time (too many, by the way, my doctor would add one to the mix and not take one off).
ReplyDeleteYou asked if I did any yoga, etc., for anxiety. No, I don't. It comes so fast and it is so extreme and desperate, I can't imagine that anything other than medication could alleviate it. When it is at its most extreme, it is unbearable. I don't think breathing exercises or going into a yoga pose would even phase it. That's why I've been prescribed anti anxiety medication - for my anxiety disorder. Just one more "label", ugh.
http://www.schizoaffective.org/
ReplyDeletedunno what its like -maybe you could review it for me?
chin up- cant chat i'm late for work
you're doing great
love and respect
Right, I have a few issues of my own at the moment but have spent a goodly couple of hours browsing on this. The one thing that emerges is that reducing medication during manic or depressive episodes or at times when the patient begins to feel 'normal' is counter productive and you often talk about reducing your medication. Gledwood, why are you asking amateurs for advice when you have professionals at your disposal. I've waxed lyrical about this via email but this was the best fact sheet I could find: http://www.mentalhealth.com/rx/p23-ps05.html#Head_1c
ReplyDeleteTrust those trying to help. You have a double edged sword in that you're an addict and you have a psychological disorder so it's going to be hard for your medics to decide whether it's drugs, withdrawal or psychosis. Do learn to trust a little.
Gleds, here is a good link about how not to relapse:
ReplyDeletehttp://anon-recovery-archive.blogspot.com/2011/03/avioding-relapse-heres-some-stuff-that.html
She lives in London, I believe.
http://www.geometricvisions.com/schizoaffective-disorder/
ReplyDeleteI have no advice for you Gleds, all this is totally 'over my head'. I'm sad to hear you've taken heroin again but pleased that you are taking your medication, hopefully it will do it's job. I'm thinking of you. x
ReplyDeleteGleds,
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about this, but I hope you find some good helpful info somewhere.
Hang in there. You are loved.
SB
Many thanks for all the answers and especially the links they were really helpful and none was one I'd found myself so thanks very much xxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteThere must be a support group out there somwhere for you?
ReplyDeleteDon't know if any of these wil be of any help to you..?
No worries about the NA thing, really, im totally with you on how judgmental and elitist they are!
Or this one looks quite good, specifically for schizoaffective 'disorder', and it looks like it's an online email list type group which sounds better eh...
ReplyDeleteWhat star sign are you ny the way? You don't need to answer that if you don't want to.. just interested!
I turned 31 yesterday! .. every year I swear I wont be using on my next birthday! :S