Need a little help with diagnosis

[Alleykatt34]

I have been diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder among other things, from paranoia, depression, agoraphobia and panic.  I know what the later are, but I am a bit confused on the schizoaffective disorder dx.  Could someone tell me a bit about it?   I am on meds and see my pysch often.  I needed some paperwork filled out and that was what he put.  I thought I was just depressed, but I guess through our discussions he saw something else..thats my guess.  I dont' know...

I would appreciate any advice.  I haven't been able to work since the mid 90s.  I am almost completely housebound.  

Thanks in advance

Alley

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes I have recovered from schizoaffective disorder with glycine, a Phase II FDA  antipsychotic in study that is a glutamate antagonist a new form of antipsychotic in development. My psychopharmocologist will be publishishing the results which will be online but in the meantime you could look the official study by googling "Dr. Javitt, glycine". It is important to understand that there will be better treatment available so you will be able to recover more and perhaps many of those symptoms you describe will go into remission.
   As for before I recovered, yes I had some of what you describe, not nearly so that I couldn't leave the house though before I was on medication entirely I was paranoid that if I left the house I would die. By the time I was on medication I had some degree of social functioning but not good. Those were the negative symptoms of schizoaffective, having difficulty relating to people and understanding their feelings. Then there were the cognitive symptoms having trouble comprehending and understanding things. And the positive (not as in good but as in things that shouldn't be there that are) symptoms such as delusions (beliefs in things that aren't there, they can be paranoid in some people, as in fear of persecution when it doesn't exist) and of course auditory hallucinations ("hearing voices").
  But that's schizophrenia. Schizoaffective is schizophrenia with a mood disorder. If a person only has psychotic thoughts during mania or depression that is bipolar with psychotic features or depression with psychotic features. If someone experiences the psychotic thoughts all the time even when the mood is euthymic (normal) then they have schizoaffective. The difference is I have the bipolar aspect of schizoaffective and you have the depressive aspect of schizoaffective. I am not sure but perhaps you are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder as well. A person can have multiple diagnoses. In representing people for benefits and having to write up what will be incorporated into my own case study, I am pretty much able to understand the terminology. Tell me if this makes sense as applies to you. Regardless, I'd say the biggest thing standing in the way of your recovery now is anxiety disorder if it makes you that afraid to leave the house but with anti-anxiety agents and behavioral therapy that can be worked on as well. Regardless, as these new treatments are phased in as medications in the coming decade you will experience a fuller recovery and they are being studied for anxiety as well. For a complete list of new medications in development google "psychmeds123".