[ECHOES]

Has anyone read books about Schizoaffective Disorder that they would recommend?

[Sometimes psychotic]

That's a tough one, all of the really good books are about schizophrenia or bipolar. I read across the entire spectrum since my dx is currently just psychosis although I have some mood symptoms mixed in. What I've noticed reading a lot of books on schizophrenia is that people are entirely different in their symptoms and its hard to find someone who matches you. Are you looking for a first person account or sort of a general guide as what to expect like hallucinations etc?

For a first person account you can't beat the center cannot hold by Elyn Saks and Surviving Schizophrenia by E fuller torrey.
For bipolar anything by Kay Redfield Jameson is a good read while the bipolar surivival guide by David Miklowitz is a nice view overall.

Personally I would read these high quality books on Schizophrenia and bipolar rather than the worse books on Schizoaffective where I've only read 1st person accounts that were frankly scary because it was clear that the psychosis was not completely under control by the person writing.

[ECHOES]

I absolutely loved The Center Cannot Hold. Thank you for the other suggestions.
I guess I just want to know more. What's out there seems vague, and not very hopeful.

My dx has changed from Borderline to Schizoaffective, and I do believe I am on the 'better' rather than 'worst' end of the continuum. My accompanying mood disorder is major depression, recurrent. This dx seems more serious and scary to me.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by ECHOES

I absolutely loved The Center Cannot Hold. Thank you for the other suggestions.
I guess I just want to know more. What's out there seems vague, and not very hopeful.

My dx has changed from Borderline to Schizoaffective, and I do believe I am on the 'better' rather than 'worst' end of the continuum. My accompanying mood disorder is major depression, recurrent. This dx seems more serious and scary to me.

I've been reading for like 2 years even at the research stage and I can tell you that schizoaffective is a better dx than schizophrenia in terms of recovery and that supposedly 1/4 to 1/3 recover completetly for schizophrenia so be realistic that the odds are against you but there is recovery its not nothing. I'm not sure about comparisons to borderline. Both my former therapist and pdoc say that people who get well don't get publishing deals so you never read about the well ones. One set of books you might be interested in is by Mark Vonnegut, the eden express was a little dated in terms of some of the theory but basically that's his story while sick and then he has a second book where he goes to Harvard medical school and becomes a pediatrician. He now believes he's bipolar due to changes in the DSM but was originally diagnosed as schizophrenic. I'm not sure that either book is special on its own but the combination of the two is good, you can see how successful someone with a dx can be even when they've been horrible sick----but he also has several videos on you tube where he talks about his life and I actually enjoyed those more than the books.

Because my dx is psychosis I posted my recovery story in the SZ and psychosis forum but essentially I am recovered and my pdoc is actually trying to get me off the meds so people do get better. The last voice I heard was 5 months ago with a year voice free before that. I also have some mood symptoms but on the hypomanic end of things. Anyway there is hope and there is recovery.