The treatment I receive is broken up into 2 parts really. One is the sessions with the psychiatrist and the second part is medication.
The psychiatrist is an effective one who I totally trust. In the beginning I thought he was a bit pushy but in retrospect I needed that because I had very little insight into my condition.
My sessions are pretty frequent and sometimes intensive which is needed really for shizoaffective disorder. I have been admitted both through the public health system and the private health system.
I think the admission through the public system is very professional and I always feel good when I am there. Both are good.
On the medication side, it took me a long while to get to the right mix that was effective. SchizoA is difficult to treat properly so the right medication has been crucial for me.
Some of the symptoms such as voices, hallucinations and delusions can be intractable if not properly dealt with. The line between reality and unreality frequently vanishes. So you really have to get on top of it.
However, medication is a mixed bag. I was on the gold standard drug for schizophrenia which was amazingly effective. But the side effects after 6 months were intolerable and so serious I had to abandon it.
After a lot of trial and error I am very satisfied with the effectiveness of the medication I now take. I am on 2 antipsychotics and 2 mood stabilisers, one of which is an anti convulsant. Of course there have been supplimentary things like ECT but they really are an adjunct to the medication regime.
The down side is that any reduction in the antipsychotics or ceasing them can lead to very very serious withdrawal symptoms. So care has to be taken to understand this and make an informed decision before starting. They also have side effects and this has to be weighed up as well.
Nevertheless this combination works for me and the alternative without them would be a very poor quality of life and outcome personally.
Professional peer support is limited where I live. My flatmate acts as a bit of a carer in making sure I take my medication, eat and look after my health and hygiene.
He is a top guy and is a great example of someone living with his MI (schizophrenia) and managing effectively in addition to supporting other people who may not be as effective in managing their own illnesses.
I occasionally go to clinic but that is quite irregular and I haven't found it that effective as a support mechanism. I do find online peer support of enormous value though and it is an integral part of my treatment overall. I would access peer support more if it was available.
