Hi there

[avidwriter]

I'm glad to be here.  I've read the forum off and on for a long time and finally decided to register as a way to connect with others:) I'm really isolated right now with no friends and not much going on other than my mandatory MH appointments throughout the week.  I'm 32yo male, diagnosed around 22yo with schizophrenia/drug induced psychosis from massive amounts of MJ consumption, and periods of depression as well.  After going through treatment the symptoms persisted so eventually it was confirmed as schizophrenia.  I was devastated and denied it for many years.  I fought with drugs continually with periods of relapse and abstience.  My mental health also continued to deteriorate and I wasn't always med compliant.  Eventually I was put on commitment several times for the MH and forced to take meds.  I've been arrested 3 times for violent outbursts during periods of MH decline or substance intoxication.  First charge was deferred as I had no criminal history and I agreed to go to drug treatment again.  (alcohol that time).  Several years later I was again drunk and attacked a non-related family member and was arrested and sat 30 days in jail and pled no contest to a misdemeanor domestic assault charge.  I was so eager to get out of jail I didn't bother to fight the charge, knowing now the repurcussions of having a criminal record I wish I had tried to plead it down to probation or fight it somehow.  I was arrested again a year later for terrorizing my mom and punching a hole in her door when she hid from me.  I was charged with a gross misdemeanor this time, but it was dropped after I agreed to medication compliance. 

 

I've been mostly compliant with meds now for 5 years, and have finally accepted my now-Schizoaffective Disorder diagnosis.  It was changed to be this after periods of mania like I described as well as other odd behavior like driving out of town to random places in the large nearby city and driving around aimlessly and run-ins with the police there after disturbing "normal" people in a bagel shop, and periods of disturbed sleep and high energy.  I'm taking 156mg Invega Sustenna injection once per month and it works pretty well controlling the voices and mania but does little for the negative symptoms like poor cognition and low motivation and social withdrawal that have forced me to drop out of a computer science B.S. program I was trying to complete as a second degree.  I'm also taking 50mg Zoloft and 2000mg vitamin D for the depression, and i'm trying to talk my doc into letting me take fish oil as well for the omega-3 for the depression and cognitive benefits. 

 

I'm hoping against hope that the new meds currently in phase II trials that address the negative symptoms by targeting different receptors like nicotine etc. are successfully brought to the market because then I'd have a chance at getting back towards my normal cognitive level that I know is there, it's just being suppressed by the disease.  I was a straight-A student in HS and have a BA in English Literature and I love school and learning in general, and would love to continue college and maybe higher degrees, but it's just not possible now without anything to address the cognitive deficits with schizoaffective disorder.  I hope I can contribute constructively here and look forward to meeting people!

Edited May 25, 2013 by avidwriter

[lifequake]

Hi there.  Welcome to CB!  I hope you find support, community, and some good laughs here. 

[olga]

Welcome to Crazyboards.  It's hard to accept a diagnosis sometimes, but I am glad to hear that you are taking your meds and looking to the future.

 

Please read the rules if you haven't done that already.  I hope you like being a part of this group, and don't be afraid to contact a mod if there is anything we can do for you. 

 

olga