Is it?

My friend is schizo-active. I don't know the exact differences, but I don't think he's had any hallucinations (outside of drug trips, anyway). He does, however, carry some symptoms like mood swings and an inability to sleep.

If you have any genuine doubt about your mental health, speak to a professional. They are the only ones who can diagnose you, and the only ones who can help.

you didn't really mention any symptoms that aren't a part of plain old depression, although sounds like you have a pretty severe version of it

>>17634130

I should have clarified that my depression was diagnosed when I was very young. I'm 27 now, and I haven't been back since I was 14. They thought I outgrew it, but the truth was that I just learned to hide it I guess.

Anyway, going to a professional won't do anything if I can't afford it to do anything about it.

>>17634163

It could be. It has been there long enough I don't know.

I'm not sure if you meet even one of the several criteria to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Depression can have psychotic features, and it can progress to the point that it is a measurable brain disease with atrophy and everything.

>showered three times in the past month
so get help. it doesn't seem like the spring back from this episode is going to be enough on its own. it also doesn't sound like you're making the money it takes to survive.

>>17634130
if he's not hallucinating and/or delusional then he's not schizoaffective, but maybe you don't know everything about him.

>>17634105
Actual shrink here:

Obviously I can't diagnose on 4chan, but you're not describing any psychotic symptoms. The negative symptoms you're describing are explained just as well by Major Depression as they would by by Schizophrenia.

Either way, you should go to a county hospital or get yourself on a wait-list at a clinic so you can get medicated.

>>17634185
To be fair, Schizoaffective is right up there with ADHD when it comes to sloppy, lazy over diagnosis. When I have someone with a Schizoaffective diagnosis come into my office I generally just assume I'm starting from scratch unless its either really well documented or from someone I know and respect.

>>17634192
I have borderline and they diagnosed me with schizoaffective because a lot of insurances in the US don't care to treat personality disorders. of course I wasn't chill about it. I kept panicking thinking I was going to go psychotic.

>>17634196
I've never had that problem with an insurance company and probably half of my patients are personality disorders. Are you on an HMO or some bare bones shit?

>>17634201
applying for disability, so basically yeah

glad someone made the change. it's more expensive to provide ineffective treatment anyway, because they just keep using the resources, the more expensive ones at that.

you should see the people they have working for the state. yikes.

>>17634207
Oh, disability is a nightmare, yeah. Especially if you're applying for mental health. I'm glad I don't work somewhere that I have to be involved with that kind of paperwork anymore. Once you're on Medicare, though, your options open enormously.

>>17634212
>open enormously
yeah for a doggie door

>>17634215
Thank Clinton for tightening that shit up under the guise of "welfare reform." What argument are you making for disability with Borderline, anyway?

>>17634186

Well, not being schizophrenic would be nice, not that major depression is any better. The thing with major depression is that everything I hear a out it is about people who can't get themselves out of bed or whatever. I honestly don't know what gets me to and through work, though.

>>17634218
You're talking about a lack of self care, lack of motivation, cognitive slowness, insomnia, and social withdrawal. All of those are signs of depression.

You need medication.

>>17634222

Yea, you're probably right, but again, I don't have the income to afford medication. Hell, I can't even afford the insurance offered at my job, and the ones offered through obamacare are even worse.

But yes, all those things and a few others.

>>17634428
Time to start looking into medicaid.

>>17634765

I'm in the shitty gap where I make too much for help, but not enough to afford anything on my own. The only person at my job with decent insurance are the sales people in the office, the 2 guys who have been here for 15 years, and this guy who gets free insurance from the VA and makes more per week from his military shit than we do working here.

I went through ""help"" when I had to go to the ER. It was $400 (currently still getting harassed by collections), and despite being told that I "qualify for aid", I was given the runaround 4 times.