Can certain types of Schizophrenia, especially at initial onset or in the first few years of onset, be likened to A “Jekyll and Hyde” problem, or for those of us who need a more contemporary example, “The Nutty Professor” starring Eddie Murphy or perhaps The Incredible Hulk, who morphs back into sweet, nice Bruce Banner after he cycles out of an angry spell, and then can’t remember what the incredible Hulk did? I realize Schizophrenia, though it means “split brain” is NOT multiple personality disorder, but a totally different illness. However, it seems to me that that’s what I have observed in my significant other. I finally had to move out --again–for the second time in two years—and if he in fact has this disease—which runs in his family—it would be the Late Onset type that was triggered by stressful events that occurred in the last two years rather than the ‘classic’ type of schizophrenia that starts when you’re only 21, or as young as 16. Ironically, my (ex?) boyfriend’s best friend has the same illness, but his buddy’s schizophrenia symptoms started in his early 30’s rather than in his early 40’s, and his buddy inherited it from his grandfather. Coincidentally, I believe my significant other (or former partner? --Since I had to move out for safety reasons) may have inherited this condition from his grandfather as well. Both of these men seem to go in cycles where they can act “normal” and “fine” for awhile, and then cycle into another psychotic episode rife with delusional thinking, neurotic/manic activity and in some cases violent or aggressive behavior that they cannot control as their body has to work off the frustration that is pent up. As the neurotransmitters get more and more out of balance, they get more and more all-powerful or ‘at the end of their rope’ and ready to retaliate/ kick some butt for whatever is being done against them —or do what’s necessary to protect their territory/home from mayhem and bad outside influences/infiltration…
These episodes are exacerbated by alcohol and marijuana they smoke, two substances that would typically ‘relax’ a normal person if used in moderation. In their case, however, it seems that during a psychotic episode, their delusional thoughts and paranoia are magnified instead.
Also, I was wondering how often bipolar disorder or clinical depression of some sort can be a dual (coexisting) diagnosis for a person with schizophrenia. I know bipolar disorder can often be depicted like a sine wave or in some cases like an electrocardiogram. How would you depict schizophrenia if it were coexisting with bipolar disorder in the same Venn Diagram? Would it be like a hurricane or a tropical storm swirling through on a weather map? Or some kind of circular weather pattern you see on TV with the weather lady gesticulating?
What if that circular pattern is rolling along on the same path as the bipolar sine wave, and the person happens to be having a manic episode at the same time they are having a psychotic episode?
What happens when they get into the depressive phase of the sine wave?
If their psychotic episode happens to be timing out, do they just crash and then sleep all day for a couple of days?
Thanks for reading. What would an expert on this topic have to say to my analogies?
Am I in the right ballpark or somewhat off base?