Schizophrenia/Bipolar Disorder?

Is their any comorbidity with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder? The schizoid symptoms I do have are only apparent in hypomanic or manic episodes, but they do drive me nuts... I get paranoid, hear voices in my head, think in new languages, and have random, strong impulses that I feel someone else is directing.

I also exhibit several character traits of borderline personality disorder, but my doctor is holding off on the diagnosis until my bipolarity is stabilized. Is it possible for all of these to be present simultaneously? I am confused.

Thanks.

Oh yeah... I am 17 yo and diagnosed with bipolar II. I have had a hellacious several years, trying to pinpoint what exactly is wrong with me and handling the ups, downs, and vicious in betweens. I am taking medications for the bipolar.

YES. It's called schizoaffective disorder (a combination of the two) and I have it so can I tell you... I've experienced what you've experienced. There are two types of schizoaffective disorder: unipolar (depression) and bipolar. You can have psychotic hypomania (without mania) and still hear voices if you're schizoaffective. But here's a way to think about it:

There's a spectrum. On one side is schizophrenia, on the other are affective disorders. Schizoaffective falls in between. I'm schizoaffective but I'm WAY on the bipolar side, so that some docs have thought that I've just been psychotically manic. Basically, if you experience psychotic symptoms two weeks after a mania or depression, you are considered schizoaffective. If you're medicated, though, it's harder to tell.

I hope this helps!

:)

It's so refreshing to see people like the previous answerer who actually know a bit about mental health disorders. Schizophrenia and Bipolar are actually mutually exclusive disorders. I've heard many people saying that they have been diagnosed with both. What that means is that they received two different diagnoses from two different clinicians, or they received both diagnoses from someone who doesn't know what they're doing. The symptoms of each do have some overlap (for example, schizophrenia includes hallucinations and delusions, while bipolar could include one or both, but doesn't always). Schizoaffective disorder is a much more appropriate diagnosis for someone who has the mood fluctuations along with the schizophrenia sympoms.

Paranoia and hearing voices is not so common in Bipolar II. It usually occurs during manic episodes, whic Bipolar II does not have (bipolar II has hypomania which is a lower intensity). If you're having these kind of symptoms, I'd go back to whoever diagnosed you and let them know, or see someone new to get another opinion.

Yes, as the other person said there is a thing called schizoaffective. I have it. You shouldn't worry about labels though, because the same medications are used for schizoaffective as is used for bipolar. I take lithium and SSRI's and antipsychotics and benzos like bipolars take.

It is good that your doctor is holding off because it takes time to diagnose your actual disorder. You should do a search for DSM-IV TR and it will tell you all the criteria for schizoaffective and bipolar I w/psychosis. Bipolar II doesn't have psychosis and if you actually have that there is no chance you have schizoaffective.