Published on 12, July, 2020
I am so confused as my initial dx was actually schizophrenia and even schizoaffective(bipolar)
First psychosis happened almost 14 years ago in 2010. I took meds for 10 years without psychosis. in 2020, I saw a new consultant who suggested I didn't have schizophrenia, but instead had autism. And the emotional Dysregulation was from this. So I went through the process of coming off the antipsychotics. He instead suggested I go on a mood stabiliser with an antidepressant.
The doctor left after that appointment and because I had side effects from the mood stabiliser, another locum doctor decided it was ok for me to go off them and just stick to an antidepressant. This eventually led me into another psychosis worse than the first one.
Fast forward to 2023 , the first doctor I spoke about has returned and he still thinks I don't have schizophrenia. I just had my last assessment for autism on Wednesday so will wait and see.
But I cannot find any info on autism related psychosis. How is this possible?
I read that brief psychosis lasts only 4 weeks, mine lasted 6 weeks before the medication started working.
Psychosis recognition has broadened over the years. Yes it can be with Schizophrenia and Bi Polar. It cal also occur with depression and PTSD although some say it would be more likely to be temporary with them. Yes also it can be long term and serious.
in the 70s I was given Depixol which was usually given for Schizophrenia. I was taken to A and E because of serious side effects. I ran away from psychiatry for years. Had to go back but was told I had not been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Looking back I wonder what happened. Autism was once called childhood Schizophrenia. It does not mean that Schizophrenia does not exist.
I had a strange eating atypical eating disorder. At my last psychiatric assessment the Psychiatrist said there were no signs of psychosis. However a couple of weeks later another assessor said my eating disorder was psychosis. The eating disorder has a belief in messages and object existence. I have had a mild other form of psychosis which had materials illusions. I won’t bother you with detail unless you ask.
Psychosis is said to be more common with Autism. A researcher Dr Felicity Larson who researched Psychosis in Autistic people says that Autistic people are more likely to have atypical psychosis.
I don’t know if any of this helps. Could it help you to discover more? There are many stories of Autistic people being diagnosed with other things before they discovered they were Autistic. Even so if the medication is helping then it could be good to continue with it. Whatever take care and hope finding out stuff helps you.
I have a question which is. Psychosis and Schizophrenia are not Autism but if say psychosis is more common and as well mental illness is much more common in Autistic people does it show the degree of degree of struggle and suffering that trying to live in the world is for Autistic people.
Feel free to ask questions. I was diagnosed with Autism late in life.