What's the difference between psychotic depression and schitzoaffective disorder?

[jan2018]

I have been diagnosed with depression with psychotic features but every time I am hospitalized they diagnose me with schizoaffective disorder.

[Paxiled]

I'm sure there are those on here who have a similar diagnosis, but isn't this something to ask your psychiatrist about this difference in diagnostic terminology?  Also ask if it actually matters -- a lot of diagnoses in the Diagnostic Manual aren't meaningful to the patient, they are more for fitting into the patents for FDA approved drugs or getting reimbursement from insurance companies. Some are extremely meaningful, because they alter the treatment.  So if your treatment is the same as it would be for any depressed person, it doesn't really matter to you that much, but if the treatment both in therapy and as to medication is different, for example needing antipsychotic drugs rather than antidepressants, then it's really important for your treatment to know.  I'm guessing that having something that looks like behavior associated with those who are schizophrenic is a psychotic feature, but again, the really important thing for you to know is how this affects your treatment and your psychiatrist the one to ask.  Good luck.

[jan2018]

Thank You.