Mental Health, Identity Crisis, and Pregnancy

The start of the new decade. I decided not to make any resolutions but make goals instead. There isn’t a New year and New me. I’m the same as I was before. I just learned and improved and will continue to do so. I don’t think you have to change everything about yourself each year. Just continue working on your physical and mental health and improving yourself.

This pregnancy has been a bit of a roller coaster. I feel guilty for still dealing with my mental health and that doesn’t make sense. Being pregnant doesn’t cure me of the mental illness I was dealing with before. I feel like I have to hide this at times and only mention it occasionally but put some positive in there as well. People expect pregnancy to be a bunch of joy and everything is fine. That is farther from the truth. I have been dealing with anxiety, depression, identity crisis, and Impostor Syndrome. I tell myself I shouldn’t feel this way because a lot of people have it worse and I’m very fortunate to have my partner and support from my community online and family though this. Even with all of this I have to remind myself that mental health doesn’t care about any of that. It’s okay to not be completely happy or okay while pregnant. Your mental health or mental illness doesn’t take a break. Make sure to look after yourself as well.

I talked to my doctor about it during my second trimester and am prescribed Zoloft which is helping some what. I have been focusing on starting to get things done each day. Like reading for at least 30 minutes or practicing mindfulness for at least 10 minutes. Recently I have realized that even though I want to help people with mental health and mental illness that I haven’t been working on the deep issues that I have or my mental illness as much as I thought I was doing. Thankfully I have been able to keep running and my workouts during my pregnancy. I’m currently in my third trimester and I’m 29 weeks pregnant. I have a picture from 28 weeks pregnant but not much size change has happened. I’m working on a lot right now like dealing with the fear of death, my past, working on staying in the present, etc..I think this will be a life long journey so I’m trying not to be to hard on myself.

I feel like a lot of my accomplishments are fake and feel like I need to do more. I feel like someone is going to call me a fake because I don’t know enough information. There have been a lot of days dealing with this as well. Acknowledging the faulty thinking and forgiving myself for it. Forgiving myself for having such high expectations on myself. Identity crisis seems to be a permanent personality trait and it is very frustrating. I second guess my religious choices and I’m not sure why I keep doing this. I think it might be because of my Borderline Personality Disorder. This year I’m looking into Wicca and Christianity and figuring out which would be best for me. I know there are Christian Wiccan but I prefer to keep those two things separate. I will not be forcing myself to choose something out of fear or guilt of disappointing anyone.

One of the accomplishments that I’m really proud of is getting to level 8 on Crisis Text Line. I have helped a little over 1,000 texters and I can’t wait to continue with this journey. Planning to work on posting and interacting on my blog more, reading 12 books this year, mindfulness, self-care, self-love, and keeping my mind and body healthy. I’m really proud of my mom who has started her own health and fitness journey this year.

Being pregnant has changed my views on a lot of things and has changed my priorities. I want to be a good role model, it’s having me look at how I treat myself and others more, I’m amazed with seeing my baby and feeling her move, and I’m so excited to see her but I’m also nervous. The only thing I can do is try to keep improving and being gentle with myself when I have bad days or moments.

Pregnancy and a New Year doesn’t change you or bad behaviors over night. It takes time and patience and learning self-love. It’s okay if you’re not at the place you thought you would be at by this age. It’s okay that you have times where you struggle. Be gentle with yourself and reach out for help when you need it. You deserve to feel supported. You can text HOME to 741741 to get support.

I have to remind myself to do this at times. Be gentle with yourself and know that you matter.

Are you worried about the end of the year?

I have been procrastinating on writing this blog the majority of today. I’m also sorry for the lack of consistency with my posts. I think about posting and talk myself out of it.

Each year will eventually end and that makes sense. Yet when the months start getting closer to December my mind goes into flight or fight mode. I start obsessively thinking of what I have been doing each month and if I was productive enough, I spent my time wisely, I question my worth, etc..I do this each and every year. It’s driving me nuts, to be honest.

I feel the need to explain myself to people and to somehow justify my existence. Why I deserve to even be alive. Justify why I don’t work or why I never graduated from college. I’m trying my best to stop overly explaining things. If people are going to judge me based on the limited information they are missing out on expanding and learning about other people.

I’m sure I have mentioned this before but I didn’t think I would live past 18 years old and with each passing year I’m amazed that I’m still alive. Not because I go through something traumatic each year or because I have a life-threating illness. Dealing with untreated mental health I felt like I would have ended my life by or before 18 years old.

My goal in life and the reason I think I’m alive is to try to help and support others when I can, accept the good and the bad that happens, spend time with loved ones, make choices that will make me happy even if others don’t agree, and to live in the moment.

Maybe in the past, I felt that attempting to stay positive all the time or at least reject any negative thoughts or emotions was the right thing to do. I believe I even told people that before. My views on it are a bit different now. Now I believe that it’s okay to acknowledge your negative thoughts or emotions. You don’t have to ignore them and pretend like they don’t exist but the important thing is to not dwell on them and let it control you. Doing my best to be consistent with mindfulness can be helpful.

Volunteering with the Crisis Text Line has also helped me feel like I can help others feel less alone and offer them support.

It’s almost the end of November and the beginning of December and I’m starting to panic a little but am doing my best to practice self-care and mindfulness. Dealing with mental illness each day, month, and the year is a struggle but all we can do is our best to make it through life. Embracing the good and the bad and not feeling like a horrible human being when we have our bad days.

Sometimes I wonder if my blogs make sense or if people are reading them. At this point, I do enjoy posting here and it can help relieve stress but I need to work on the negative self-talk I do with myself when I attempt to blog or even work on my creative writing projects.

We are all a work in progress, we will never know everything, and that is okay. You don’t have to wait until a New Year to work on yourself or make goals. You can start anytime you want. That’s what I keep telling myself as well. You don’t have to constantly judge yourself for how you spent your year. It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 40 or older because it’s okay to still be learning and improving. It’s okay to not have everything figured out.

There is only so much planning someone can do and even those plans won’t work out the way you want all the time. All we can do it try our best and attempt to live the best lives we can.

I’m pregnant and update

I found out I was pregnant in August. It was a shock to me and my partner. It’s unexpected and not planned. Last month has felt hectic mainly because I had to deal with nausea, constantly tired, I was put on bed rest which sucks, etc..

I’m a very active person and I enjoy running, riding my bike, HIIT, strength training with and without weights, etc..Exercising was a way for me to stay physically healthy and mentally healthy. I was told to stop taking my medications last month. At first, I didn’t experience a lot of symptoms from my mental health so I wasn’t too concerned. Some people had fewer symptoms from their mental health while pregnant. That is not the case with me. When I was put on bed rest I thought I could enjoy binging anime or shows or movies, playing games, and reading books. Possibly coloring in my app or adult coloring books. I have been dealing with anxiety over if the baby is okay and the future. I worry about if I will be a good mom or not. It’s hard for me to stay focused on things.

Last month and the start of this month has honestly been a struggle. My parents and family are excited about the pregnancy but I sometimes have mixed feelings about it. Even though I have had my ultrasound and over 10 positive pregnancy tests it still feels a bit unreal. I’m excited and very scared.

I have been able to binge-watch a few episodes of an anime and started watching Demon Slayer. Looked more into Wicca and read a little more into 26 Marathons by Meb Keflezighi.

I’m doing my best to start practicing self-care and self-love. My goals have changed but it’s okay. Some days it’s better than others and other days I feel sad that some of my plans have to change.  I’m trying to forgive myself and not live in regret. I was able to complete a shift on Crisis Text Line recently and that made me feel amazing. I’m just trying to stay in the present and take it one day at a time. I’m hoping that I can get clear to start working out again and be put on some medications. I have walked slow and short and the good thing is I’m keeping my house cleaned. It’s the little things. I will get through this. I’m not a failure and I’m a work in progress.

Finding my way back Home – Wicca

This post won’t be detailed information about Wicca. That will be in future posts. Just a little information about my journey so far.

I found Wicca when I was in Junior high school and instantly fell in love with it. I loved that there were Gods and Goddesses, that there was inner power within us, respect for nature and the Earth, and the rituals. I wanted to read as much information as possible. As much as it interested me it also scared me. I was told how evil it was and how they worshipped the devil. I knew it wasn’t true but that fear held for a while.

Some of my religious family members told me I was on my way to Hell. I’m bisexual and Wiccan and was told that both were sinful and evil. It took me years before I slowly started to accept myself. I didn’t really know anyone who practiced Wicca.

I sought others though the internet because that was the only place I could think of. There was a time where there was a New Age shop where I lived in Arkansas but it got closed. I have a good memory of going to a book store and purchasing a book of prayers for Wiccans. The cashier was Wiccan and we chatted for a little bit about it.

I also had a fear of people finding out I was Wiccan and making fun of me or seeing me as foolish for believing in it. I don’t care as much anymore. It feels like I’m going back home by fully allowing Wicca back into my life. I plan to set up an altar and celebrate the holidays and connect with more people online. I’m also trying to meet people where I live who are practicing.

I have a tarot deck that I love. Yes, I believe in Tarot cards and I’m not ashamed in admitting that. I plan to post more about my Wiccan journey on here as well. Being Wiccan is helping me find peace. I think it will be of great help for my mental health.

Hello, my name is Jasmine. I used to cut myself.

 

 

You’re probably thinking that the title is weird. It’s a true statement, however. I posted a blog with more information about self-injury, treatment, risks, etc.. here https://endthestigmaandfitness.wordpress.com/2019/08/06/why-do-people-self-injure/

This post, however, will be about my personal experience with self-injury. TRIGGER WARNING if detailed or personal accounts of self-injury will trigger you I advise you not to read any further. Your safety is important. If you or someone you know needs or wants further support text “HOME” to 741741 and a live counselor will be there for you. 

I don’t remember what age I started harming myself. I just knew I didn’t want to feel the intense emotions or racing thoughts anymore. I’m not even sure what made me think harming myself could help. I just knew I needed to release the emotions inside of me. So I scratched my arm with a key. The marks didn’t stay but were red for a while. Whenever I felt intense emotions, racing thoughts, or no emotion at all. I would turn to my key to harm myself. I went from a key to a plastic cover from a cd case, to a lid of a can of food, and eventually to razor blades.

I was always talked about in school but it got really bad when I moved from Chicago to Arkansas. I don’t know why it happened but it did. Maybe it was because I was quiet or preferred spending my time in the library rather than a lunchroom. The rumors were that I slept my way to good grades, that I was an easy lay, that I was a bitch, etc..

Most of the time when I got home I couldn’t wait to get to my razor blades. I would cut my upper thighs and my arms. I felt relief at the moment but afterward, I had to clean and bandage the wounds. It almost became like a type of ritual for me. I remember one day I decided to cut the word failure on my arm. That’s how I felt and I wanted everyone to know it. I wasn’t worth it. At least that’s what I thought. One of my younger sisters told my parents about it. It wasn’t a great situation to be in. Thankfully the word didn’t scar into my arm. It healed so now you don’t see it anymore.

 

I cut to feel in control of my life when I felt like I had no control or hope or will to live. I was tired of what was going on at school. When I graduated high school the inner pain still remained. I was tired of the situations in my home and I was just tired of being on this Earth. The only way I knew how to cope was to keep cutting my skin. I made excuses for fresh wounds. There was a time where the blood seeped through my pants on my thigh. It wasn’t much but it was noticed. I lied and said it was a ketchup spill. I threw the pants away afterward

 

When I stopped cutting myself I used promiscuity as a form of self-destruction. I knew the partners I was with didn’t care about me.

I struggled and still struggle with self-injury. Some urges are stronger than others. I haven’t cut myself in years. I feel proud of that accomplishment. I use exercise, therapy, medications, and self-care as ways to cope with these urges.

Writing and sharing my experiences is scary because it’s out on the internet but I feel that I should do this. That we need to break the stigma around this. It’s also a form of therapy for me to be honest. 

Why do people self-injure?

Self-injury, Self-harm, or self-mutilation is deliberating harming your own body as a way to cope with emotions, lack of emotions, or situations. Self-injury can bring a moment of relief but it’s usually followed by guilt and shame.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of self-injury may include:

• Scars, often in patterns
• Fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, bite marks or other wounds
• Excessive rubbing of an area to create a burn
• Keeping sharp objects on hand
• Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather
• Frequent reports of accidental injury
• Difficulties in interpersonal relationships
• Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsivity and unpredictability
• Statements of helplessness, hopelessness or worthlessness

Forms of self-injury

Self-injury usually occurs in private and is done in a controlled or ritualistic manner that often leaves a pattern on the skin. Examples of self-harm include:

• Cutting (cuts or severe scratches with a sharp object)
• Scratching
• Burning (with lit matches, cigarettes or heated, sharp objects such as knives)
• Carving words or symbols on the skin
• Self-hitting, punching or head banging
• Piercing the skin with sharp objects
• Inserting objects under the skin

 

Most frequently, the arms, legs and front of the torso are the targets of self-injury, but any area of the body may be used for self-injury. People who self-injure may use more than one method to harm themselves.

Becoming upset can trigger an urge to self-injure. Many people self-injure only a few times and then stop. But for others, self-injury can become a long-term, repetitive behavior.

When to see a doctor

If you’re injuring yourself, even in a minor way, or if you have thoughts of harming yourself, reach out for help. Any form of self-injury is a sign of bigger issues that need to be addressed.

Talk to someone you trust — such as a friend, loved one, doctor, spiritual leader, or a school counselor, nurse or teacher — who can help you take the first steps to successful treatment. While you may feel ashamed and embarrassed about your behavior, you can find supportive, caring and nonjudgmental help.

When a friend or loved one self-injures

If you have a friend or loved one who is self-injuring, you may be shocked and scared. Take all talk of self-injury seriously. Although you might feel that you’d be betraying a confidence, self-injury is too big a problem to ignore or to deal with alone. Here are some ways to help.

• Your child. You can start by consulting your pediatrician or other health care provider who can provide an initial evaluation or a referral to a mental health professional. Express your concern, but don’t yell at your child or make threats or accusations.
• Preteen or teenage friend. Suggest that your friend talk to parents, a teacher, a school counselor or another trusted adult.
• Adult. Gently express your concern and encourage the person to seek medical and mental health treatment.

When to get emergency help

If you’ve injured yourself severely or believe your injury may be life-threatening, or if you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Also, consider these options if you’re having suicidal thoughts:

• Call your mental health professional if you’re seeing one.
• Call a suicide hotline. In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use their webchat on suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.
• Seek help from your school nurse or counselor, teacher, doctor, or other health care provider.
• Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
• Contact a spiritual leader or someone else in your faith community.
• Text “Home” to 741741 to talk to a text or message a live counselor

Causes

There’s no one single or simple cause that leads someone to self-injure. In general, self-injury may result from:

• Poor coping skills. Nonsuicidal self-injury is usually the result of an inability to cope in healthy ways with psychological pain.
• Difficulty managing emotions. The person has a hard time regulating, expressing or understanding emotions. The mix of emotions that triggers self-injury is complex. For instance, there may be feelings of worthlessness, loneliness, panic, anger, guilt, rejection, self-hatred or confused sexuality

Through self-injury, the person may be trying to:

• Manage or reduce severe distress or anxiety and provide a sense of relief
• Provide a distraction from painful emotions through physical pain
• Feel a sense of control over his or her body, feelings, or life situations
• Feel something — anything — even if it’s physical pain when feeling emotionally empty
• Express internal feelings in an external way
• Communicate depression or distressful feelings to the outside world
• Be punished for perceived faults

Risk factors

Most people who self-injure are teenagers and young adults, although those in other age groups also self-injure. Self-injury often starts in the preteen or early teen years, when emotions are more volatile and teens face increasing peer pressure, loneliness, and conflicts with parents or other authority figures.

Certain factors may increase the risk of self-injury, including:

• Having friends who self-injure. People who have friends who intentionally harm themselves are more likely to begin self-injuring.
• Life issues. Some people who injure themselves were neglected, were sexually, physically or emotionally abused, or experienced other traumatic events. They may have grown up and still remain in an unstable family environment, or they may be young people questioning their personal identity or sexuality. Some people who self-injure are socially isolated.
• Mental health issues. People who self-injure are more likely to be highly self-critical and be poor problem-solvers. In addition, self-injury is commonly associated with certain mental disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders.
• Alcohol or drug use. People who harm themselves often do so while under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs.

Complications

Self-injury can cause a variety of complications, including:

• Worsening feelings of shame, guilt and low self-esteem
• Infection, either from wounds or from sharing tools
• Permanent scars or disfigurement
• Severe, possibly fatal injury
• Worsening of underlying issues and disorders, if not adequately treated

Suicide risk

Although self-injury is not usually a suicide attempt, it can increase the risk of suicide because of the emotional problems that trigger self-injury. And the pattern of damaging the body in times of distress can make suicide more likely.

Prevention

There is no sure way to prevent your loved one’s self-injuring behavior. But reducing the risk of self-injury includes strategies that involve both individuals and communities. Parents, family members, teachers, school nurses, coaches or friends can help.

• Identify someone at risk and offer help. Someone at risk can be taught resilience and healthy coping skills that can be used during periods of distress.
• Encourage the expansion of social networks. Many people who self-injure feel lonely and disconnected. Helping someone form connections to people who don’t self-injure can improve relationship and communication skills.
• Raise awareness. Learn about the warning signs of self-injury and what to do when you suspect it.
• Encourage peers to seek help. Peers tend to be loyal to friends. Encourage children, teens, and young adults to avoid secrecy and reach out for help if they have a concern about a friend or loved one.
• Talk about media influence. News media, music and other highly visible outlets that feature self-injury may nudge vulnerable children and young adults to experiment. Teaching children critical thinking skills about the influences around them might reduce the harmful impact.

Source – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350950 

 

I sometimes wonder why I was born

This blog won’t be super positive and I’m sorry if that bothers you. You might not want to read this one. I thought I might warn you before you continue.

I sometimes wonder why I was even born. I sometimes wonder if it would have been better if I did die when I attempted suicide. I attempted multiple times. I didn’t think I would make it to the age of 18 years old and now I’m 28 and extremely confused about life.

I had plans that I wanted or at least plans I thought I should do. I messed up so much and trusted too many people. Being sucked in past memories has become a problem as well as being fearful of death and the future. I can’t control every outcome and it’s foolish to try. I compare myself to others a lot and I get upset with myself if I’m not being productive. Sometimes I’m filled with so much anxiety it feels like it’s paralyzing me so I just stay in bed.

A lot of the time I’m not sure if my accomplishments even matter or why I should feel proud of them at all. I wonder how “successful” people spend their time. I just overthink a lot if I didn’t make that obvious. I’m trying to keep my sanity and keep my mental health symptoms somewhat in check but sometimes I just want to just stop existing. The thing is it’s not hard for me to encourage and try to help others but sometimes when it comes to doing the same for me it can be like moving through molasses.

I think about people who are in worse situations than me and than proceed to berate myself for being selfish. I eat my emotions and confide mainly in my partner and therapist. I guess I’m confiding in my blog as well. I sometimes wonder if anyone cares about what I have to say. It’s hard to describe my emotions or the mental turmoil I feel sometimes. It seems that words can’t describe it enough.

I’m doing my best. I haven’t given up. I haven’t self-injured or attempted suicide or smoked a cigarette in a while. I’m hoping to keep this up. Part of the reason I blog is to try to find other people who might understand what this is like as well.

I sometimes wonder if it will ever truly be okay. If there will be a time where I don’t experience symptoms from mental health. I deal with life and function because of my medications. I wonder what it’s like to not be paranoid about death or have panic attacks or deal with borderline personality disorder.

Impostor syndrome and being validated

 

Impostor Syndrome is when you feel like you can’t accept your accomplishments. You feel that you don’t deserve the congratulations or acknowledgement over what you achieved because you feel like it was luck. You feel like at any moment someone is going to call you a fraud for what you achieved.

It’s not uncommon for people to feel this way. I know that once I learned what Impostor Syndrome was it clicked with how I have been feeling. I feel that no one should congratulate me or appreciate what I accomplished but at the same time I need that validation. These two emotions are very confusing and can cause me internal conflict.

When I achieve something I appreciate it for a while, someone will congratulate me or validate me and it feels nice at first, and after a while I feel like a fraud and that I need to be more or accomplish more because what I have done isn’t enough.

I think for me personally I can be a little self centered because I keep thinking about myself. I think about what others think of me. I worry that any mistake I do will just wipe out anything I accomplished in their eyes.

Some things that might help you with Impostor Syndrome

1 – Try to accept when people give me compliments or congratulate me on my accomplishments. Try not to overthink it. When I find myself doing this you have to remind myself that you’re enough. You don’t need to be amazing or perfect at something.

2 – Try to be more self accepting of my accomplishments. Try to find things you appreciate in your life. It can be as simple as being able to brush your teeth or cleaning the kitchen. Life is a journey and you should appreciate the good and the bad.

3 – Be open about your emotions because talking about it can be freeing. Creating this blog or blog posts is a way for me to express myself.

4 – Try to remind yourself that trying new things and potentially making mistakes is okay. It’s better to try and make mistakes and improve than to never try at all.

5 – I like encouraging and supporting others in their accomplishments and success. It doesn’t matter how big or small it might seem.

6 – You can reward myself with things I enjoy like watching anime, playing games, listening to audible, etc…

Sometimes I get nervous about being open and honest but I think it’s important that more people talk about their struggles or mental health. I just want you to know that you matter and your feelings are valid. Your accomplishments should be celebrated no matter if it’s big or small.

Learning how to relax when you feel like you’re not good enough.

I have been trying to learn to relax again. I feel that I need to constantly be doing something. I feel that even when I’m successful at something that I should be doing more. That what I accomplished isn’t enough. Sometimes this isn’t a bad thing but when you’re constantly obsessing about not being enough it can wreck havoc on your mental and physical health.

It gets old when I constantly feel inadequate because I don’t have a job because of my mental health. It doesn’t make me any less of a person. I’m doing my best with the time I have. I do still have goals I want to achieve and I do want to keep improving. I also want to be able to relax sometimes. To just be able to play some games, watch anime, read a ton of books, and start working on my writing more.

It’s weird to me that this is what I’m struggling with again. I’m trying to live in the present and not worry about the future. I can’t predict everything that might happen in the future and that’s okay.

The same way I try to help and encourage others when I’m messaging people on crisis text line as a counselor. I’m learning I shouldn’t be so hard on myself either. If I was to talk to a friend or someone I care about and judge them and talk negatively to them. The same way I do to myself they wouldn’t be a part of my life for long. I just have this one life to live and I want to make the most of it.

Schizoaffective Bipolar – A form of Schizophrenia

 

I have a mild form of schizophrenia called schizoaffective. People will sometimes avoid others if you mention having anything linked with schizophrenia it can be scary if someone is misinformed.

May is mental health awareness month and I think more people should know about this disorder. I have Schizoaffective bipolar. At first I thought my bipolar diagnosis was something separate but it’s a part of my schizoaffective disorder.

Schizoaffective disorder is defined from mayoclinic as ”

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental disorder in which a person experiences a combination of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania. The two types of schizoaffective disorder — both of which include some symptoms of schizophrenia — are:

• Bipolar type, which includes episodes of mania and sometimes major depression
• Depressive type, which includes only major depressive episodes

Schizoaffective disorder may run a unique course in each affected person, so it’s not as well-understood or well-defined as other mental health conditions.”

Symptoms include

• Delusions — having false, fixed beliefs, despite evidence to the contrary
• Hallucinations, such as hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there

(I think people are plotting to kill me, to hurt me, or to harm me in some way. I sometimes think people can read my thoughts, or there are security cameras in my home. I sometimes have very self destructive internal conversations about myself.)

• Symptoms of depression, such as feeling empty, sad or worthless

 

• Periods of manic mood or a sudden increase in energy with behavior that’s out of character

 

• Impaired communication, such as only partially answering questions or giving answers that are completely unrelated
• Impaired occupational, academic and social functioning

• Problems with managing personal care, including cleanliness and physical appearance

It also depends on if you’re bipolar or depressive schizoaffective.

The Cause

The cause of schizoaffective can be a combination of different things like genetics or brain chemistry and structure.

Taking psychoactive drugs, having a family member with schizophrenia, or stressful events can cause schizoaffective.

Complications

People with schizoaffective disorder are at an increased risk of:

• Suicide, suicide attempts or suicidal thoughts
• Social isolation
• Family and interpersonal conflicts
• Unemployment
• Anxiety disorders
• Developing alcohol or other substance abuse problems
• Significant health problems
• Poverty and homelessness

 

Diagnosis 

Some ways that someone can get diagnosed is though having a physical exam to rule out any physical illness or health issues, test and screenings to rule out any similar disorders and a psychiatric evaluation by a doctor or professional therapist and it’s very important that you don’t self diagnose.

Treatment

“People with schizoaffective disorder generally respond best to a combination of medications, psychotherapy and life skills training. Treatment varies, depending on the type and severity of symptoms, and whether the disorder is the depressive or bipolar type. In some cases, hospitalization may be needed. Long-term treatment can help to manage the symptoms.”

Medications

In general, doctors prescribe medications for schizoaffective disorder to relieve psychotic symptoms, stabilize mood and treat depression. These medications may include:

• Antipsychotics. The only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of schizoaffective disorder is the antipsychotic drug paliperidone (Invega). However, doctors may prescribe other antipsychotic drugs to help manage psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations.
• Mood-stabilizing medications. When the schizoaffective disorder is bipolar type, mood stabilizers can help level out the mania highs and depression lows.
• Antidepressants. When depression is the underlying mood disorder, antidepressants can help manage feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or difficulty with sleep and concentration.

Psychotherapy

In addition to medication, psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, may help. Psychotherapy may include:

• Individual therapy. Psychotherapy may help to normalize thought patterns and reduce symptoms. Building a trusting relationship in therapy can help people with schizoaffective disorder better understand their condition and learn to manage symptoms. Effective sessions focus on real-life plans, problems and relationships.
• Family or group therapy. Treatment can be more effective when people with schizoaffective disorder are able to discuss their real-life problems with others. Supportive group settings can also help decrease social isolation and provide a reality check during periods of psychosis.

Life skills training

Learning social and vocational skills can help reduce isolation and improve quality of life.

• Social skills training. This focuses on improving communication and social interactions and improving the ability to participate in daily activities. New skills and behaviors specific to settings such as the home or workplace can be practiced.
• Vocational rehabilitation and supported employment. This focuses on helping people with schizoaffective disorder prepare for, find and keep jobs.

Hospitalization

During crisis periods or times of severe symptoms, hospitalization may be necessary to ensure safety, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and basic personal care and cleanliness.

Electroconvulsive therapy

For adults with schizoaffective disorder who do not respond to psychotherapy or medications, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be considered.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic

Coping and support

Schizoaffective disorder requires ongoing treatment and support. People with schizoaffective disorder can benefit from:

• Learning about the disorder. Education about schizoaffective disorder may help the person stick to the treatment plan. Education also can help friends and family understand the disorder and be more compassionate.
• Paying attention to warning signs. Identify things that may trigger symptoms or interfere with carrying out daily activities. Make a plan for what to do if symptoms return. Contact the doctor or therapist if needed to prevent the situation from worsening.
• Joining a support group. Support groups can help make connections with others facing similar challenges. Support groups may also help family and friends cope.
• Asking about social services assistance. These services may be able to help with affordable housing, transportation and daily activities.

Also, avoid drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Drugs, tobacco and alcohol can worsen schizoaffective symptoms or interfere with medications. If necessary, get appropriate treatment for a substance use problem.

Preparing for your appointment

If you think you may have schizoaffective disorder or that your loved one may have it, take steps to prepare for the appointment, whether it’s with a primary care doctor or a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist.

If the appointment is for a relative or friend, offer to go with him or her. Getting the information firsthand will help you know what you’re facing and how you can help your loved one.

What you can do

To prepare for the appointment, make a list of:

• Any symptoms you’ve noticed, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for the appointment
• Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes
• All medications, vitamins, over-the-counter medications, herbal preparations and any other supplements, and the doses
• Questions to ask the doctor to help you make the most of your time

Some basic questions to ask include:

• What is likely causing the symptoms?
• Are there any other possible causes?
• How will you determine the diagnosis?
• Is this condition likely temporary or long term?
• What treatments do you recommend?
• What are the alternatives to the primary approach you’re suggesting?
• What are the side effects of the medication you’re prescribing?
• Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can have?
• What websites do you recommend?

Don’t hesitate to ask any other questions during the appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask several questions, such as:

• What symptoms have you noticed?
• When did you start noticing symptoms?
• Have symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• Have you thought about or attempted suicide?
• How are you functioning in daily life — are you eating regularly, bathing regularly, going to work, school or social activities?
• Have other family members or friends expressed concern about your behavior?
• Have you been diagnosed with any other medical conditions?
• Has anyone else in your family been diagnosed with or treated for mental illness?

Be ready to answer these questions so you’ll have time to go over any other points you want to focus on.

 

My experience with Schizoaffective Bipolar 

I experience paranoia that someone is going to harm me or that I’m being watched by video cameras inside my apartment. I hear voices saying how useless and worthless I am and that I’m better off dead or that my mom knows she should of have had a abortion with me. I sometimes feel that people can read my thoughts.

This is a sample of what the voices can sound like to me. Listening to this video might trigger you or those around you. Maker sure you’re safe. It’s best listened to with headphones on for full effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vvU-Ajwbok

I also experience mania where I feel like I’m on top of the world and can do and achieve anything. I jump from subject to subject or from activity to activity. It’s almost like being on to much caffeine and not being able to control it. After mania is usually a fall on the opposite end where I feel worthless and it’s hard for me to do basic functions like getting out of bed or looking after myself

I survive this with fitness, mindfulness, therapy, and medications.

If you believe someone might be suffering with schizoaffective or any other mental illness please urge them to seek help and let them know they have a support system.

 

If you or someone you know is suicidal please reach out to them or reach out for help. You can call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255

or text “HOME” to 741741

 

Sources 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizoaffective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20354504

http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  – Suicide Prevention Lifeline

https://www.crisistextline.org/