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Why Am I Depressed And Have Developed Schizophrenia?
Question: I have been chronically depressed recently, I have developed schizophrenia and hear voices when put under stress
why have I become a schizophrenic ?
why have I become a schizophrenic ?
Hello
Thanks for your query. A thorough psychiatric evaluation is required before labelling yourself as depression or schizophrenia. Hearing voices which others do not hear is referred to as hallucinations which us a feature of psychotic illness like schizophrenia. How ever psychotic symptoms like this can also accompany severe depression. Hence I would suggest an urgent psychiatric evaluation so that diagnosis can be clinched and appropriate antidepressant or antipsychotic can be initiated. Do clarify further if you need to.
Regards
Dr Sundar
Psychiatrist
Thanks for your query. A thorough psychiatric evaluation is required before labelling yourself as depression or schizophrenia. Hearing voices which others do not hear is referred to as hallucinations which us a feature of psychotic illness like schizophrenia. How ever psychotic symptoms like this can also accompany severe depression. Hence I would suggest an urgent psychiatric evaluation so that diagnosis can be clinched and appropriate antidepressant or antipsychotic can be initiated. Do clarify further if you need to.
Regards
Dr Sundar
Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
the medical history I gave you is the result of psychiatric evaluations since 1988 I currently take 250mg of anti- depressant daily and 20mg of anti-psychotic. will the schizophrenic symptoms ever go away?
Hello..........
I guess you should be taking 20 mg of olanzapine as antipsychotic. The problem is around 15% of cases of schizophrenia and another 20% cases of depression are treatment resistant. However, you need not lose hope. Drugs like clozapine are very effective in symptom control in schizophrenia, even in resistant cases. Similarly, psychotherapy techniques like cognitive behavioural therapy are highly effective in chronic depression when added to drugs. Hence you can discuss these options with your psychiatrist.
Regards
Dr Sundar
I guess you should be taking 20 mg of olanzapine as antipsychotic. The problem is around 15% of cases of schizophrenia and another 20% cases of depression are treatment resistant. However, you need not lose hope. Drugs like clozapine are very effective in symptom control in schizophrenia, even in resistant cases. Similarly, psychotherapy techniques like cognitive behavioural therapy are highly effective in chronic depression when added to drugs. Hence you can discuss these options with your psychiatrist.
Regards
Dr Sundar
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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