[raspberrytorte]

If you've ever had negative symptoms what did you experience?

I've been flat and blah feeling for days now. I need to speak to my psychiatrist, but have to wait until the 19th. I was just thinking that maybe I've been feeling some negative symptoms. I have no motivation. Can't think straight. Haven't laughed in days (and normally I laugh a lot!).

I just don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not depressed.

[Soupe du jour]

What you describe sounds like bipolar depression. I see you are dxd with schizoaffective disorder. How do you differentiate between depression and schizoaffective "negative" symptoms? Do tell your doctor how you're feeling. No one wants to feel that way.

I am diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1. Not all of my episodes included psychosis, but several did. At its worst, I was usually hospitalized. Most of my psychosis included delusions (often persecutory), paranoia, hallucinations, and schizophasia, but I did have one event considered a "negative" symptom in schizophrenia. Once I experienced a brief period of catatonia (stupor type). I could not move or talk. In the hospital, I had to be pushed in a wheelchair. At its end, I had a violent outburst, which was subdued.

I've of course had severe depressive symptoms. Low/no motivation, avoidance/isolation from people and activities, loss of enjoyment in life, hypersomnia and simply not leaving bed, cessation of many self-care ADLs. My worst depressions simply made me incapable of doing most activities. I would even not go to classes or work, or sometimes even call out sick. Once, my boss and colleagues (when I lived in Taiwan) had to come and get me to leave bed to go to the hospital. I remember, also during that time, being in my bed during an earthquake and simply staying there (with the bed sliding from one side of the room to another) and falling asleep again right after. Extreme psychomotor retardation.

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

What you describe sounds like bipolar depression. I see you are dxd with schizoaffective disorder. How do you differentiate between depression and schizoaffective "negative" symptoms? Do tell your doctor how you're feeling. No one wants to feel that way.

I am diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1. Not all of my episodes included psychosis, but several did. At its worst, I was usually hospitalized. Most of my psychosis included delusions (often persecutory), paranoia, hallucinations, and schizophasia, but I did have one event considered a "negative" symptom in schizophrenia. Once I experienced a brief period of catatonia (stupor type). I could not move or talk. In the hospital, I had to be pushed in a wheelchair. At its end, I had a violent outburst, which was subdued.

I've of course had severe depressive symptoms. Low/no motivation, avoidance/isolation from people and activities, loss of enjoyment in life, hypersomnia and simply not leaving bed, cessation of many self-care ADLs. My worst depressions simply made me incapable of doing most activities. I would even not go to classes or work, or sometimes even call out sick. Once, my boss and colleagues (when I lived in Taiwan) had to come and get me to leave bed to go to the hospital. I remember, also during that time, being in my bed during an earthquake and simply staying there (with the bed sliding from one side of the room to another) and falling asleep again right after. Extreme psychomotor retardation.

Hi soupe! Thanks for sharing your story.

I have no idea how to tell between negative and depressive symptoms. All I know is that I don't feel right. My flat feeling is slowly morphing into a depressive feeling though. I just have NO motivation or desire to do anything. In all honesty, I'm starting to feel paranoid and scared. I'm going to call my pdoc Wednesday morning before my hernia surgery (he only works Wednesdays).

[Blueberrybook]

For me, psychosis would spin off mania and always end in the hospital. I had automatic writing, grandiose feelings, memory loss (remembering no more than 5 minutes), Catalonia, belief I was conversing with God and God was telling me what to do. It usually lasted 10-14 days.

[MrAbbott]

Psychosis and mania come hand by hand to me and my brain accelerates to such degree that I totally crash when medicated. It's like they don't know how to decelerate the illness, so they just build a brick wall in front of it instead. It's a terrible feeling, but the alternative would be to let the illness follow its course. I've realized my memory keeps getting worse after each crisis, so it worries me, but my pdoc says it's ok. I remember, at first, my psychosis came with feelings of grandiosity and awe at the world, I wanted to discover all its secrets, find the meaning of life or even talk with god... not anymore, I'm afraid, my crises always end out pointing out how human beings behave to each other and end up paranoid, disenchanted and afraid. I'd like to know the reason of this change of attitude, but actually, no health professional that has treated me even cares to consider it as a valid question. It might be useless or too difficult to ponder... best regards, raspberry stay strong.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

It sounds like negative symptoms, agreed.

Here is what Google finds, with a link to a PubMed article:

What are the 5 negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
The negative symptom domain consists of five key constructs: blunted affect, alogia (reduction in quantity of words spoken), avolition (reduced goal-directed activity due to decreased motivation), asociality, and anhedonia (reduced experience of pleasure).Feb 21, 2020 Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: A Review and Clinical Guide for Recognition, Assessment, and Treatment - PMC