Schizoid Affective or Asperger’s? | ADHD Information
I know. This has nothing to do with ADHD, but I have a member of this board for awhile, and I know there are a lot of other members who know about this stuff, so I'm trying to get some advice. This is the deal:
My sister is visiting, and, as some of you know, she is mentally ill. She was hospitalized last year, and came out of the hospital with scripts for effexor and zyprexa, which would make me think her dx was schizoid affective or psychotic depression. (Because she is fifty, her dx is not discussed with us because of doctor/patient cofidentiality.) Because of side effects, she was taken off the zyprexa, but she still takes the effexor. Over the last few days, I have had wonderful conversations with her and been very impressed with her ability to talk, make eye contact, keep up with the conversation, give appropriate responses, give intellectual response, etc. One-on-one, if you did not know her history, you would not think she is mentally ill, rather physically ill, instead, for she is haggard looking. HOWEVER, when she is out in public, she zones. BIG TIME. It's like it's too much stimuli coming in at once. Her body language and her behavior is classic high-funtioning autism; yet, one-one-one, she's fine.
I am sooooo confused. I don't understand why she is not getting dxed with autism and depression, instead of schizoid affective. She's not on an anti-psychotic right now, so I would think I would be seeing schizoid behavior, if she was schizoid. I guess they don't dx a fifty-year-old woman with autism? Hey, they need to talk to me . She's been an odd duck her whole life, but she's always been so smart and talented (professional ballet dancer) that her eccentricities were blown off to her artistic nature.
So I guess my question is, is it normal for Aspies to be O.K. one-on-one? I always thought it was, but maybe I'm wrong. I am hoping you people who live with Aspie people might be able to help me answer this. It seems to me that the shizoid behavior would not be as affected by environment, it would be more generalized. The fact that her behavior is so affected by environment makes me think it's Aspie behavior, not schizoid.
ARRRGGHHH! I hope I'm making sense.
lillian38783.3571296296it may sound arrogant and dismissive of all that learning and study that doctors go through --- but i would take your diagnosis over the doctors 100%. you KNOW your sister - in my opinion.perhaps you could discuss your intuition with her doctor but you are just as likely to come up against a brick wall - when they question your expertise/your seven years of medical training etc. etc. that gives you the temerity to question their diagnosis!! i guess it depends on the character of her doctor more than anything --- but on some levels the effexor is obviously doing some good. what more would you expect if your sister were on medication for autism? would there be a marked difference?
Lillian, just wondering -- has your sister ever had a neuropsych evaluation? Even adults get them if there are questions about what's really going on. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about Aspergers to help you out with your question. was your sister like this as a child?Asperger Syndrome and Girls, Asperger Syndrome: What Is It? i hope this helps....i have plenty more, if you need them...It's possible to have both. If she has disordered thinking, hallucinations, and a thought disorder that would be more schizophrenia than autism. Autistic kids aren't mentally ill and are in touch with reality, although many do tend to withdraw when in crowds. I think stimuli is very hard for schizophrenics too. Years ago I spent ten weeks in a psyciatric hospital for the bipolar. I couldn't take meds due to being pregnant. Saw many schizophrenics. They could be lucid one moment and talking out of their heads the next. Also, they can spontaneously go into remission (some). To me they didn't resemble autistics at all, but I've only had that limited experience.
my mil has been hospitalized on & off for schizophrenia & was on the same meds, but they didn't agree with her either....then later she got diagnosed bipolar...she is now on risperdal & doing well. besides the fact that my ex-herion addict bil is brainwashing her & we haven't spoken in 3 weeks! she completely turned against us & we are her power of attorney.....she also has cancer.
my daughter has mild aspergers & i am praying she does not turn out like my mil.....
Jonesie,
I don't know how she would be medicated for autism. It's a good question. She definitely has the depression along with whatever else she has because anti-depressants make a huge difference in her behavior.
Laura,
That info on girls and autism sounds sooo much like my sister, when she was a little girl. Wow! Thanks so much!!! It's also interesting that your MIL was treated for schizophrenia with the same med combo. Hmm...
SmallMom,
No, she has not been dxed by a neuropsychologist, and I am trying to urge my father to do this because he is the one responsible for her medical care. I really think that neuropsychologists are the best at dxing autism.
OlderMom,
I don't believe my sister is hallucinating, though she might be because she spends time alone just staring into space. She has never talked off her head, though. When she speaks, she is always lucid, which is why I question the schizoid. I just don't know what to make of all of it.
lillian38783.7065393519.IMac38945.7182060185[QUOTE=lillian]Well, just to let you guys know, my sister has been living with me for a month, now, and I don't think there is any doubt she is Asperger's with comorbid depression. Psychiatrist after psychiatrist has dxed her with depression but admitted that s/he did not know why the meds were not more effective. Why? Because she has Asperger's too.
It's funny, but I have not spent this much time with her since we lived at home together as kids, and growing up, she was always "odd" but sweet and thoughtful and kind, so her being odd was O.K. I had no idea what Asperger's was. Now that I know, it is quite obvious, but it takes awhile to see it with her. You have to spend a lot of time with her, and watch her obsessions with cleanliness and animal behavior, listen to her thirty minute conversation about mice, realize that she's echoing what you say, not just repeating it. Fascinating. And DANG she's smart. The girl is a walking encyclopedia, when discussing something she's interested in. I had no idea when I was a kid how smart she was. Whoa! Just ask her about the history of ballet, but be prepared for an hour lecture, filled with dates and very descriptive analyses of different forms of dance 
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my daughter exactly! she can be very thoughtful & sweet, but very emotional at times....if i hear more info. about american girl or build-a-bear, i am going to scream!i also have realized if i am patient, she is & 1 on 1 she's great!
Well, just to let you guys know, my sister has been living with me for a month, now, and I don't think there is any doubt she is Asperger's with comorbid depression. Psychiatrist after psychiatrist has dxed her with depression but admitted that s/he did not know why the meds were not more effective. Why? Because she has Asperger's too.
It's funny, but I have not spent this much time with her since we lived at home together as kids, and growing up, she was always "odd" but sweet and thoughtful and kind, so her being odd was O.K. I had no idea what Asperger's was. Now that I know, it is quite obvious, but it takes awhile to see it with her. You have to spend a lot of time with her, and watch her obsessions with cleanliness and animal behavior, listen to her thirty minute conversation about mice, realize that she's echoing what you say, not just repeating it. Fascinating. And DANG she's smart. The girl is a walking encyclopedia, when discussing something she's interested in. I had no idea when I was a kid how smart she was. Whoa! Just ask her about the history of ballet, but be prepared for an hour lecture, filled with dates and very descriptive analyses of different forms of dance .