Posted by Christ_empowered on February 14, 2015, at 22:25:21
In reply to Re: Depression vs. 'negative' psychotic symptoms » ed_uk2010, posted by Tomatheus on February 14, 2015, at 21:52:11
Schizophrenia and schizoaffective are poorly defined. If you talk to God, you're praying. If God talks to you, you're schizophrenic. That kinda thing.
I like Orthomolecular because Hoffer and others spoke of "the schizophrenias," with the understanding that there are multiple types of schizophrenia. Under the old school OM diagnostic criteria, a lot of people with "psychotic depression," "personality disorders," and "bipolar I" would, in fact, be schizophrenic.
Negative symptoms are sometimes drug induced. I think its good that Tomatheus has been able to keep his Abilify dose low because nothing zombifies quite like high dose neuroleptics. Also, lack of stimulation, institutionalization, basically..the life of a low status, unemployed, possibly under-employed "mental patient" can lead to "negative symptoms." Its sort of like how shrinks like to pathologize feminine angst, the ill effects of poverty, racism, etc.
Anyway, the research--and much of the research in psychiatry is of very poor quality--seems to show that some people w/ a schizophrenia diagnosis benefit from ADs. Wellbutrin, Remeron, even Tofranil. Others...don't. Old school shrinks would give Ritalin, sometimes even low dose amphetamines. I seem to recall reading that Vyvanse was recently studied for this indication.
Personally, I think I fit into a moody sort of schizophrenia, at least under Hoffer's OM protocol, and wellbutrin has made a huge difference for me. I also take a hardcore OM protocol and live in a supportive environment (my people take good care of me, lol), so I'm protected from the ill effects of being unemployed and low status.
I dunno...I think there's a lot that goes into psychotic disorders that never gets studied because, well, psychiatry isn't always about helping people, now is it?
poster:Christ_empowered
thread:1076218
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20150129/msgs/1076655.html