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Can Schizophrenia Cause Depression?

Posted on Wed, 14 Dec 2016

Question: Hi
I had schizophrenia for about an year and and it has been kinda cured for about an year and half. I had no psychotic sympoms for quite some time. However, I always noticed that my personality shifts into some other personality, or disappear, leaving me with deep emptiness inside(I feel weak, small, phony, and unmotivated when I feel empty). On some other occasions, I feel a piece of personaity come to me, and I can usually think and feel that this personality is a remnant of the past(usually a part of personality before having schizophrenia, etc) I am obsessed, from time to time, to hold that remnant of past, desirable personality, or sometimes, I constantly check and search out what kind of personality type I am right now. I really thought a lot about my ego, read many books about personality types, and deeply thought about it while being high on cocain(this worsen my schizophrenia). I understand that schizophrenia based imagination can cause me to feel what is not really true. Regarding this personality change/disapperance issue, is it a problem that my personality is really scattered and empty, or is it a problem that my schizophrenia causes me to feel imaginary ego so I am hypnotized to think and feel as if my personality shifts? Is this issue a "personality" problem, or "schizophrenia" problem?

Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
it is not personality problem

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for writing to us. I can understand your concern.

Many patients with schizophrenia often suffer from depression or some kind of change in nature after recovery from schizophrenia. This has likely happens in your case also. These changes occur due to neurochemical changes during schizophrenia and treatment of schizophrenia as well as due to some effects of drugs on brain. In your case cocaine also could be one of the contributing factors.

You mentioned that your premorbid personality was also some kind of obsessed type. This personality has also made you think deeply about schizophrenia. Deep emptiness can be part of post psychotic depression and that should be rules out with detail mental status examination.

In conclusion it is not personality problem but problem related to schizophrenia and your premorbid nature. You need psychotherapy and may be some anti depressant medicines to control excessive thinking.

Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Chintan Solanki (34 minutes later)

I used to have a episode of feeling every part of the brain connected with how I act and feel. This symptom disappeared after I intensly realized that it was fake symptom due to some deep hypnosis. Like the example above, is there any reminders or acknololedgement that would help me recover faster from personlity related confusion?
Or should I just avoid thinking about it and take medication and relax?

Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
relax and avoid thinking

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for follow up.

If you can avoid thinking on your own that is the best. Actually you are disturbed only due to excessive thinking about your illness and brain process. Psychotherapy by a professional would certainly help. Meditation, yoga and relaxation techniques will help to avoid thinking. You can also try to be busy with your work which ultimately does not allow you to think excessively about your brain processes.

In any case if you cannot avoid thinking medicines will help for sure.

take care.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar