Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic condition that affects approximately .3% of the American population. We often experience psychosis and mood instability. Symptoms can happen independently or overlap. To fight the isolation, fear, and confusion around this condition, we created a place for schizoaffective individuals, caregivers for schizoaffective individuals, and those curious about schizoaffective disorder. This is a place without judgement where one can vent, discuss symptoms, look for
I want to know your experiences because I’m sure there are other stories. I feel like a lot of severe and complex mental health conditions, Schizoaffective included, are heavily stigmatized even in clinical or professional settings. Some examples from my experiences; some clinicians don’t want to see you or pass you around like a hot potato because nobody ever seems “knowledgeable” enough to apparently help (even though I was left seeing nobody for several months because of this unstablity). Focus on only medication for treatment and the reluctance to offer me therapy, case management or social support programs despite asking. All services I was offered and used before my Schizoaffective diagnosis. Even when I got therapy, I felt like I was treated as a specimen or case study. Only asked about my diagnosis while ignoring my personal aims, life experiences and skills. Also just pushing meds even when I said my deep depression (which affects my other symptoms) is due to having no job or safe future access to housing after my aging parents pass away. It’s all just reduced to my diagnosis. Even when not, they act like I’m kinda a lost cause anyway. It also seems like some professionals assume the worst out of you before even meeting you, with only your diagnosis known beforehand. Admittedly, this is perhaps to due to poor past experiences or stereotyping clients according to what they have read in the academic literature or heard from others. Lastly, I often feel like mental health awareness campaigns rarely mention or try to destigmatize conditions like Schizoaffective. It feels like they only focus on the more “acceptable” mental health disorders if even that.
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I worked at a workshop for disabled people. Most of the people there were schizophrenics like me. The staff there was not mean but they treated me like a idiot. The way they were talking always rubbed me the wrong way. I know that some schizophrenics are intellectually impaired but I'm not one of them. When I moved away from there they were surprised and sceptical that I could pull it off.
I can connect to this. The professionals I’ve seen treat me like I’m intellectually underdeveloped and spell out everything like I’m a child and it’s so patronizing. That’s bad enough by itself but then imagine how this affects treatments and enrollment in social services or programs. The bias is insane and I wish mental health advocates actually railed against this, instead we hear stuff like “those Schizos” or “at least you aren’t as crazy like them” even among people who try to fight against mental health stigma.
Stigma of psychotic disorders is extremely pervasive in the mental health industry. I have never been treated worse by anyone than I was by those who were supposed to help me. Even the police were kind to me.
I thought I was the only one who also believed so, because so many people even with these conditions and mental health advocates seem to ignore the institutional and social stigma around it. I notice stigma around mood, anxiety and some personality disorders being reduced significantly for some time now but psychosis is still demonized. Just ask the average therapist or mental health advocate and describe the challenges even beyond just the symptoms, you’ll mostly hear crickets or be told you need more meds. It’s gotten so bad that even applying or enrolling in many programs quietly drop you or find a technicality (often caused by the social side effects of the illness) to filter you out, something I never encountered before my Schizoaffective diagnosis. The bias is insane and I’m sad nobody seems to care (even within the community).
Right. I don’t even know what else to say but it is horrible and wrong and it seems like there is little we can do to correct the stigma. I try to go to therapy and speak out when I can and that is all we can do.
I work as a doctor... I am treated by a psychiatrist, was treated by a psychologist, and my friends are doctors themselves. I, as probably many among us, have various diagnosis. When I told them about my diagnosis when it was bipolar type 1 and I told them about my Borderline Personality Disorder and I have been gaslighted and stigmatized by... well, basically everyone who knows about my disorders. The only condition I disclose at work is my ADHD because the meds show up in exams. I was stigmatized by myself haha ... it took me years of looking up to Pete Wentz and Carrie Fisher to accept I had bipolar disorder. I think, until now, it's the BPD for which I have been more stigmatized BUT I haven't told anyone that it's not bipolar, but schizoaffective, because I know that despite being health professionals, they all have bias and will either not trust me or somehow will take advantage of the situation. I trust nobody with this diagnosis but my psychiatrist, obviously. Nobody really understands it unless they have it.
That’s interesting, where I live Bipolar (while still demonized to a degree) is more accepted than Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective in the mental health industry or among medical professionals. Also, you’re a doctor which is great way to help destigmatize Bipolar and other severe mental health conditions through your lived experiences and success. It’s sadly more effective when people hear a doctor sharing their mental health struggles than say, a guy who’s been living with their parents all their life while struggling to get a job or going to school. Thanks for your sharing.
I have a rare disease and am treated horribly by professionals who know my diagnosis.