Lixy .... some is familiar, yet most not ... gratefully, she hears her voices, and has night terrors, whether or not on medication .... they started out with a diagnosis of bi-polar/manic-depressive .... she definately has OCD's, thoughts of germs and bugs make her "crazy"... she cuts on herself, though she had managed with therapy to get that under control most of the time ... used to cut on herself at least daily ... now just once every couple of months or so .... says she actually feels the pain leave her body as she slices at her skin ... She hates the kind of out of it feeling of the meds, but so far ... for nearly 15 years now, she takes the pills the Dr. prescribes and only stops with Dr. approval or serious signs of reaction to a drug ... then reports it to Dr. as soon as possible .... though there have been times when it has taken a lot of talking to get her to keep going with a medication.

A lot of the problem I think in diagnosis is that so many of the "mental disorders" have overlapping symptoms, and some have multiple disorders (such as your mom). My friend has never responded well to any of the drugs, and so they are constantly (even still) playing with the dosages, mixtures and adding new drugs into the mix ... and she reacts negatively - stomach problems and such in many of the drugs, so she suffers through weeks of being nearly bedridden trying out new drugs or dosages or combinations.

She is a functional person and lives in a state/federal aid housing situation, near a couple of members of her family who are there for her in such great and positive ways and so she is able to make it through day to day, but for those of us who love her (as I'm sure it was for you) it is hell to see her so different from who she was before most of this. Of course not nearly as much hell as it is for her. I am grateful that my personality seems to be a calming and normalizing influence for her, many times I've called and she's been in such a strong disassociative state that I've kept her on the phone just babbling about whatever for several hours until I can hear her personality begin to shine through and then finally a few giggles and common sense type responses.

Anyway, thanks Lixy ... you are such a gem!!!