schizophrenia? also, psychosis = no eating?

[iwishididnthaveanhedonia]

hi everyone,

so ive been hospitalized a total of 2 times in the last 4 years (once was during my initial diagnosis). initially, i was given the diagnosis of 'psychosis nos' but the second time i was hospitalized, my hospital papers said 'schizophrenia' but no one discussed it with me. there's a lot out there on schizophrenia, but how do i know if i have it or not? im interested because i believe it will help me understand my condition better and deal with it better. ive been off my meds for a month, and im starting to realize that i -do- have some of the symptoms that are normally attributed to schizophrenia. for example, during the last few days, i have found myself terribly lost in my thoughts and totally consumed by past failures and i read that this is a symptom of schizophrenia (it was just on one site, but nonetheless). also, i do kind of rehearse conversations sort of  out loud (meaning i move my mouth but dont say anything). thats also a very typical symptom of schizophrenia from what ive read. and of course, i do have some of the more obviously psychosis related symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. but, only when im off meds... in fact, all of this is without the meds. very little happens when im on them.

i also have another question... does anyone else experience loss of appetite prior to an episode. ive only had like 3 but i think this has been a common thread in all of them

so, any thoughts, especially on the part about what its like when youre schizophrenic?

[melissaw72]

16 hours ago, iwishididnthaveanhedonia said:

hi everyone,

so ive been hospitalized a total of 2 times in the last 4 years (once was during my initial diagnosis). initially, i was given the diagnosis of 'psychosis nos' but the second time i was hospitalized, my hospital papers said 'schizophrenia' but no one discussed it with me. there's a lot out there on schizophrenia, but how do i know if i have it or not? im interested because i believe it will help me understand my condition better and deal with it better. ive been off my meds for a month, and im starting to realize that i -do- have some of the symptoms that are normally attributed to schizophrenia. for example, during the last few days, i have found myself terribly lost in my thoughts and totally consumed by past failures and i read that this is a symptom of schizophrenia (it was just on one site, but nonetheless). also, i do kind of rehearse conversations sort of  out loud (meaning i move my mouth but dont say anything). thats also a very typical symptom of schizophrenia from what ive read. and of course, i do have some of the more obviously psychosis related symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. but, only when im off meds... in fact, all of this is without the meds. very little happens when im on them.

i also have another question... does anyone else experience loss of appetite prior to an episode. ive only had like 3 but i think this has been a common thread in all of them

so, any thoughts, especially on the part about what its like when youre schizophrenic?

(First bold) I would ask your pdoc how s/he came to the diagnosis of SZ ... ie what did she observe to make his/her diagnosis SZ?

(second bold) Does your pdoc know you have been off of meds for a month?  Why do you not want to take them?   (third bold) B/c all you have described in your post is how you have some psychotic-related symptoms etc, and how those symptoms aren't really there on medication? 

And as you have said yourself, some of your symptoms are attributed to SZ.  I would mention those to your pdoc.  I think it would be a good idea for him/her to know what is going on, as well as not being on meds for a month, as I said above.

My appetite doesn't change any which way whether I am symptomatic or not.

Idk know how to describe what it is like to have SZ  (SZA for me), other than the hallucinations and delusions and voices happening every day, but on meds I am pretty much doing well.  Things happen every day to me though and if they were related to SZA I wouldn't know one way or another.  If you have specific questions it might be a little easier to try and describe what it is like to have SZA.