freakazoid
07-28-2009, 02:45 PM
Hi.
A few months ago, on top of general stress I had a specific worry/ anxiety which I couldn't stop thinking about. I saw my GP who said I had anxiety and gave me sleeping pills as I told him I couldn't get to sleep because of the worry. He booked me in to see him the following week. When I saw him next, my anxiety had got worse and was coupled with some paranoid thoughts which were a lot less rational than the original anxiety. He seemed to panic and referred me to this "crisis" team, who came and saw me at home the next day.
They gave me some anti-psychotics as they thought I was having an acute psychotic episode. I agreed a low dose with them as I was concerned about the side effects. Over the following week and a half I was off work as I couldn't think of anything other than my worries, but once the source of the initial anxiety was removed, my symptoms went away as quickly as they came on. I went back to work as normal and the "crisis" team discharged me.
I'm seeing a psychiatrist next month who specialises in psychosis. However, after reading about what the CPNs said they thought I had, I disagree and believe I had severe anxiety coupled with paranoia. My basis for this is:
- I was very anxious and had other physical symptoms of anxiety, as well as my persistent worries
- I did not experience hallucinations of any kind
- I did not have disorganised speech
- I did not do anything "mad" or "crazy"
- My paranoid thoughts always had an element of doubt, e.g. at one point I had paranoia over the CPNs being spies for a criminal gang, but it was not strong enough for me to refuse them to see me, whereas if it was a fixed deluded belief, I would have been too afraid of them seeing me
- My symptoms quickly went away once the source of the anxiety had resolved and I returned to normal
Additionally I have no personal or family history of any kind of mental illness, have never taken drugs, and don't drink much. I am generally quite a worrier.
Do you think my "breakdown" was severe anxiety with paranoia, or an acute psychotic episode? My current thinking is I want to see the psychiatrist next month with view to getting the diagnosis corrected (if the latter has already been formally made).
A few months ago, on top of general stress I had a specific worry/ anxiety which I couldn't stop thinking about. I saw my GP who said I had anxiety and gave me sleeping pills as I told him I couldn't get to sleep because of the worry. He booked me in to see him the following week. When I saw him next, my anxiety had got worse and was coupled with some paranoid thoughts which were a lot less rational than the original anxiety. He seemed to panic and referred me to this "crisis" team, who came and saw me at home the next day.
They gave me some anti-psychotics as they thought I was having an acute psychotic episode. I agreed a low dose with them as I was concerned about the side effects. Over the following week and a half I was off work as I couldn't think of anything other than my worries, but once the source of the initial anxiety was removed, my symptoms went away as quickly as they came on. I went back to work as normal and the "crisis" team discharged me.
I'm seeing a psychiatrist next month who specialises in psychosis. However, after reading about what the CPNs said they thought I had, I disagree and believe I had severe anxiety coupled with paranoia. My basis for this is:
- I was very anxious and had other physical symptoms of anxiety, as well as my persistent worries
- I did not experience hallucinations of any kind
- I did not have disorganised speech
- I did not do anything "mad" or "crazy"
- My paranoid thoughts always had an element of doubt, e.g. at one point I had paranoia over the CPNs being spies for a criminal gang, but it was not strong enough for me to refuse them to see me, whereas if it was a fixed deluded belief, I would have been too afraid of them seeing me
- My symptoms quickly went away once the source of the anxiety had resolved and I returned to normal
Additionally I have no personal or family history of any kind of mental illness, have never taken drugs, and don't drink much. I am generally quite a worrier.
Do you think my "breakdown" was severe anxiety with paranoia, or an acute psychotic episode? My current thinking is I want to see the psychiatrist next month with view to getting the diagnosis corrected (if the latter has already been formally made).