Is this just health anxiety or psychosis?

[Louisamith]

Im a 17 year old girl and am really scared i have Psychosis as a couple of years ago at some point I thought people could hear what I was thinking, these phases passed and I didn't really believe at the time and I defiantly don't believe in them now? I also used to think I was going to discover that I had superpowers or something when i was older? these thoughts happened around when I was 13-15 and I do not have them now do you think it could schizophrenia? The reason I am so worried is because I'm pretty sure i have health anxiety last week i was sure i had MS :((

But the symptoms of schizophrenia/psychosis seem to fit me so well because i am constantly dizzy my muscles twitch all the time and i have derealisation 24/7 and also have a hard time concentrating... Please tell me what i have is just health anxiety???

Also the main reason for my worry as these thoughts I had when i was 13-15 i did not have anxiety at the time and they did not worry me i thought the were 'normal' should i still be worried about schizophrenia or perhaps psychosis ?? please reply thank you

[BonnieSue]

I'm sorry that you're so stressed over the problems you are having. I don't think you're as bad off as you fear. Anxiety and derealization go hand in hand. The fact that you can identify something as unrealistic saves you from being categorized as psychotic. But truthfully, you don't seem to be either one.

And, no, I am not a psychiatrist, just a medical professional and a person willing to do some research and add to that some common sense and make a guess based on just a little information you have given here. Keep in mind that there's very limited info here for me to guess about so I could be wrong. But so far if I was you I would stop worrying about being schizophrenic or psychotic especially based on a 13-15 yr-old's thinking and imagining.

I was just diagnosed as bipolar II about 1.5 years ago and what a surprise that was! Anyway it brought only a little change to my life but you haven't mentioned anything that shows that change. So see a doctor and give him/her your description of your health needs. Take care.

[Louisamith in reply to BonnieSue]

Hi thank you so much for your reply, If i give more information on my symptoms would you be willing to reply again? if so I'm extremely grateful Ok so some of my symptoms are 24/7 derealisation so feeling disconnected from my family and friends constantly. I also have these weird thing where my mind kinda latches onto something like a line in a song or a sentence and repeats constantly round and around and its really hard to think of anything else (idk its really hard to explain). I also experience thinking in my head like full sentences like i am forcing myself to think straight ? I have muscle spasms and my hands tremble constantly. I also feel really dizzy and lightheaded. One of the main ones is just not feeling like myself, I feel like I do things and say things that i wouldn't normally say and I also get angry really easily and I also ramble a bit. Another thing i have is laughing hysterically at somehting that isnt really funny and crying a lot too (but this might just be my hormones haha) Im also just really worried I'm going crazy or I'm going to go crazy in the future. so do you think its just really bad anxiety or could it be psychosis ?

[Louisamith in reply to Louisamith]

Oh and I'm also forgetting really simple things a lot (like i forgot to write this symptom down)

[BonnieSue in reply to Louisamith]

When your mind latches onto something and it constantly goes round and round in your head, that's OCD. Not a big deal and easy to treat with a drug. It's what you tell me after that that's the problem symptoms.

The trembling hands, the saying things you wouldn't normally, the getting angry easily, and rambling and now this is REALLY big to me: laughing hysterically at something that isn't funny and crying a lot too...I think these things indicate bipolar I disorder but I am not a psychiatrist and I am guessing here.

You may also be something more than bipolar and I simply am not qualified to say. But you don't mention voices or paranoia so I haven't said anything more than bipolar I. You seem to be describing mania. I am bipolar II which never gets manic, I get hypomanic which means "less than manic". So some increase in energy but not manic.

So I can stay up all night but I'm reading or on my laptop quietly where a bipolar I person is laughing or out spending money at the casino or shopping all night or out with the ladies all night or partying or giving speeches all night or grinning at his jokes for hours or days or whatever. High energy and feeling their wheaties and something of a god complex.

Because you said laughing at something that's not funny and both crying too, I have just checked and that is what is called a "mixed state" in bipolar language. That's the best I can do for now.

[Louisamith in reply to BonnieSue]

When I said laughing at something that's not funny I meant laughing at a joke someone has said but for longer than usual idk I might just be paranoid ? I don't think I'm god or anything and definitely don't have any urges to stay up all night so that's good I suppose ? But thank you so much for all the details you are giving me

[BonnieSue in reply to Louisamith]

Ok, I get what you're saying but I don't think it changes the picture too too much, unless you really want to add paranoia in, which I don't. That would be inviting trouble.

I didn't attribute a god complex to you, I was describing other bipolar people to you. You may look at that whole description and in the future see if you find yourself staying up late and wanting to do any of that stuff. That's why I put it in there.

Just like when I was diagnosed I didn't stay up all night, but darned if I didn't start to do it 6 months later. But no one told me to be aware of it so I wasn't. I'm just helping you to be aware of what the diagnosis consists of in case these things start to happen in even small amounts you will know to expect them and not be surprised or alarmed. Everybody is different and you may be a mild case and only do a tiny bit of what I described. But being informed is better than not being informed to my way of thinking. And you are asking for information so I gave it.

[BonnieSue in reply to BonnieSue]

I forgot to tell you that there's a really decent site for bipolar people called bipolarsupport.org. It's different than this one and harder to get acquainted with but it's got a lot of supervision and you really get your questions answered in a timely manner. Good support from the people who know their stuff. Notice it's not a commercial site but an .org. Not too long ago they lost most of their site and they're rebuilding a lot of their knowledge but that's okay. I can mention it here because healthunlocked has no bipolar support group. Maybe I'll see you there! I'm Found77 there, with the red flower.

[Deb1658]

I agree with BonnieSue, I don't think you're as bad off as you seem. I know it feels bad but it's certainly treatable. And you are not alone, so many people are going through the same. My 11 year old daughter has been battling anxiety for years and she feels that disconnection. We listen to guided meditation at bedtime every night to help control unwanted thoughts and we get outside everyday for at least an hour. She's also on Prozac. Over the last few months she's improved 70%. I went through this as a child and young adult and I never want anyone to needlessly suffer. This is very treatable, don't worry! All the best! Deb

[Louisamith in reply to Deb1658]

Thank you so much for your reply ! I have talked to my parents about going to a doctor but they just brush it off and tell me to get over it .. what do you think I should do ?

[Deb1658 in reply to Louisamith]

I can relate to that. When I was a kid, I was a wreck. I had OCD that kept me awake. I was afraid of everything. My father would dismiss me. I've learned he was a wreck himself and couldn't cope with himself, let alone his child. I believe my parents loved me and would have helped me but they didn't know what to do. So I suffered quietly until I was old enough to understand anxiety and depression for myself.

I would talk to your doctor about an antidepressant. It's your life and your choice. It's your choice if you want to tell your parents. Every individual has the right to be healthy! I believe that you need to read about anxiety, depression, etc and become an expert at bettering your life in body, mind and spirit..You can find happiness. I did!

[Schmecks]

Growing up is a really hard time especially around the teenage years, I went through a tough time at that age and that's when I started with anxiety. I really don't think you have schizophrenia or psychosis but I would suggest you talk to your doctor, to me it sounds more like anxiety but as I say go see your doctor and they will know. You're not alone hun. I use to have the same fears. We all get thoughts sometimes but if it is causing you to suffer then you need to speak to someone, don't suffer alone. I hope this helps, try not to fear, easy said than done I know. All the best hun x

[jrcnpg]

Schizophrenia is an illness whose symptoms include inordinate thought patterns, a sense of grandiosity, a firm unshakeable belief that whatever you can see and hear is real although other people cannot see or hear as you do. Voices are common and tend in general to be of an offensive nature demanding that you harm yourself in one way or another. These are psychotic descriptives and I cannot understand why it is that you feel psychoses are distinct from schizophrenia itself. You are of the right age, 17, for the illness to begin but a GP would not be able to confirm such a diagnosis themselves simply because it is a complex mental health concern and they would, in all probability, refer you to a psychiatrist for further investigation. I am speaking now as if you are a UK resident since that is all I have ever had experience of and in one sense I can understand your parents not wishing to take you to see a doctor because of the cost of it together with the fact that in a non-nhs system you would be referred to another doctor and then another and then another.,.....over investigated as my GP once described it to me. I have had many psychotic episodes in my life yet because I do not hear voices per se, I was without the correct diagnosis and medication for years. I have never, in any of my psychotic episodes, heard voices but the people I see in my psychotic state 'speak' to me through a kind of mutual intuition and for years I have been told that such symptoms occur only in matters where drugs are involved. I have never taken any illicit drugs in my whole life and I did suffer terribly until I saw a psychiatrist who had the gumption actually to speak to me rather than reach for the prescription pad and to see how I got on for the next two or three months. Yet this was in a clinical setting where the psychiatrist had the time to speak to me and saw me twice weekly for nine months during which time he had decided on the most appropriate medication to give me and which to this day I still take without relapse. Having said all of these things it would be better should you persuade your parents to make an appointment to see your primary doctor to get things sorted as soon as possible. I wish you well.

John