Living with Schizophrenia: Is it Fair to be Treated as a Guinea Pig?

[wolram]

it is possible that your diagnosis is not right. Can you visit another psychiatrist for a second opinion?

What else can it be i, have searched the internet with no luck, how can i go to an alternate psychiatrist and say that i do not have schizophrenia what do i have, if i have no idea myself.

 

[Sophia]

Today I was watching documentaries about people who were deemed incapacitated by psychiatrists in Ukraine and Bulgaria. These people are normal, just suffered under institutional system and never got chance to prove they are mentally healthy. They were examined and it was proven in court that they should have all citizen rights.
These documentaries I saw were so so sad because they were mainly about children in orphanages who are labelled as "uneducatable" and "oligophrenic" as soon as they enter certain institutions. The result is that the children are not given any form of psychological stimuli - they only sleep, eat and sit on chairs rocking back and forth. No one even talks to them. (one such institution was closed in 2009 after BBC documentary and international pressure)
So yes, today I saw that psychiatrists can make huge mistakes that can affect people's lives drastically. Fortunately, you still have a choice to choose your doctor freely. Or ask your current doctor to explain to you why he thinks you have this diagnosis and whether there is a chance it's something different. Be open about your worries and doubts.

 

[Sophia]

What else can it be i, have searched the internet with no luck, how can i go to an alternate psychiatrist and say that i do not have schizophrenia what do i have, if i have no idea myself.

You don't have to have an idea. It's their job to tell you what's wrong with you!
Don't be afraid, it's normal that people ask for a second opinion.

 

[StatGuy2000]

What else can it be i, have searched the internet with no luck, how can i go to an alternate psychiatrist and say that i do not have schizophrenia what do i have, if i have no idea myself.

First of all, getting a second opinion in terms of a diagnosis of a serious illness (including schizophrenia) is a good thing, especially if your symptoms may be indicative of a neurological disorder instead of schizophrenia. Can you not speak to your GP about getting a referral to a neurologist and/or another psychiatrist, outlining your concerns, and describing your full symptoms (as well as the medication you've been prescribed)?

 

[wolram]

First of all, getting a second opinion in terms of a diagnosis of a serious illness (including schizophrenia) is a good thing, especially if your symptoms may be indicative of a neurological disorder instead of schizophrenia. Can you not speak to your GP about getting a referral to a neurologist and/or another psychiatrist, outlining your concerns, and describing your full symptoms (as well as the medication you've been prescribed)?

Thanks StatGuy, I will get a second opinion, one thing though, i will be very angry if another psychiatrist says i have some thing other than schizophrenia.
That will be eight years of my life wasted

 

[berkeman]

i will be very angry if another psychiatrist says i have some thing other than schizophrenia

I can understand why you would be angry, but if it leads you down a better path, it should also be a relief.

 

[Sophia]

Thanks StatGuy, I will get a second opinion, one thing though, i will be very angry if another psychiatrist says i have some thing other than schizophrenia.
That will be eight years of my life wasted

I understand your concern. It would certainly be so frustrating and you would have full right to be angry!
But think about it, the more you hesitate the more time you waste (in case it IS something else)

 

[zoobyshoe]

Wolram, I think it would be a very good idea for you to get evaluated by a neurologist, not by a different psychiatrist. There are many, many neurological problems that sound like psychiatric problems: all kinds of weird illusions and unexplained mental events that would make a person feel like they are going crazy.

The average general practitioner and average psychiatrist has never heard of most of these things. They aren't taught about them because they're not psychiatric problems.

Here in the US things are getting better: psychiatrists are slowly becoming aware that neurological and organic causes of things that sound, on the surface, to be "mental" problems, have to be ruled out.

Oliver Sacks' book, "Hallucinations," for example, is a whole book dedicated to a huge variety of hallucinations that are organic and neurological in nature, but which could easily be mistaken for symptoms of a mental illness. Did you know, for example, that people with migraine sometimes hallucinate seeing tiny, Lilliputian figures? What psychiatrist or General Practitioner knows that off the top of their head? Do most neurologists even know it?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11843872

But if someone went to a psychiatrist and said, "My problem is: I get these terrible headaches, then these tiny little men appear and start dancing around." the psychiatrist is going to say, "SCHIZOPHRENIA!" A neurologist is much more likely to find the actual neurological cause.

 

[wolram]

Wolram, I think it would be a very good idea for you to get evaluated by a neurologist, not by a different psychiatrist. There are many, many neurological problems that sound like psychiatric problems: all kinds of weird illusions and unexplained mental events that would make a person feel like they are going crazy.

The average general practitioner and average psychiatrist has never heard of most of these things. They aren't taught about them because they're not psychiatric problems.

Here in the US things are getting better: psychiatrists are slowly becoming aware that neurological and organic causes of things that sound, on the surface, to be "mental" problems, have to be ruled out.

Oliver Sacks' book, "Hallucinations," for example, is a whole book dedicated to a huge variety of hallucinations that are organic and neurological in nature, but which could easily be mistaken for symptoms of a mental illness. Did you know, for example, that people with migraine sometimes hallucinate seeing tiny, Lilliputian figures? What psychiatrist or General Practitioner knows that off the top of their head? Do most neurologists even know it?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11843872

But if someone went to a psychiatrist and said, "My problem is: I get these terrible headaches, then these tiny little men appear and start dancing around." the psychiatrist is going to say, "SCHIZOPHRENIA!" A neurologist is much more likely to find the actual neurological cause.

Thanks zooby, i will get an appointment ASAP.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Thanks zooby, i will get an appointment ASAP.

I think that's best. Start from scratch from a completely different angle.

 

[jim hardy]

Is it possible that after 8 years that i have been miss diagnosed, My daughter thinks i may have alcohol related illness, i did have an alcohol problem years ago, but
I am teetotal now.
My psychiatrist has said nothing about being to old to have schizophrenia and has not mentioned an alternative illness. even if there is one that has all the symptoms of schizophrenia.
I must say I am at the end of my tether and need help, may be help that my psychiatrist can not give me.

Wow.
I feel for you.
"is it possible... ? "
I don't know you at all so wouldn't hazard a guess. It'd be against PF rules anyway.

A few decades ago, in my middle years, i was troubled and read what seemed like every self help book known to man.

One of them was titled "Living with Schizophrenia" which is why this thread caught my eye. That was in the 1980's, searches i did in the last few minutes have turned up only more recent books. If i could find it i'd recommend it because it had practical advice on diet, rest, and general health.
What i remember most about it is that after all the chapters on neurology and biochemistry it addressed behavior with remarkable similarity to the Twelve Steps of recovery programs.

Anyhow, another one that i read was AA's "Big Book". It's unscientific and anecdotal and multi-level. .
I found i couldn't put it down because so many of the personal stories in it spoke directly to my own worries and fears and troubles. I read it in one sitting.

You mentioned your daughter's observation. I'll add that people who develop alcohol trouble are by and large above average intelligence with a lot of imagination and a streak of escapism, plus a gene that gives them an unfortunate metabolism pathway for sugar and acetaldehyde .
So all i'll suggest to you is add the AA Big Book to your reading list.

Scott Peck said it, "The fastest growing movement in the world is the Recovery Movement."

Honest best wishes to you, Sir .

Good luck,

old jim

 

[Sophia]

Thanks zooby, i will get an appointment ASAP.

That's great!
Please keep us updated.
Good luck, wolram! Hope you will find a capable professional who will help you. It might be a good idea to browse forums and read patients reviews of doctors in your area.

 

[wolram]

Thank you all for your help and advice, be sure i will act on them

 

[atyy]

Thanks for sharing wolram, and wishing you all the very best at getting better.

 

[jedishrfu]

Thank you all for your help and advice, be sure i will act on them

And with Wolram's thank you, I think it's time to close this thread.