I think I have McDD

Post Reply New Topic

Many of you will be surprised to find out about an autism-spectrum disorder called McDD, or Multiple-complex Developmental Disorder. The big three autism spectrum disorders are: traditional autism, Asperger's, and PDD-NOS, but McDD is a much lesser known disorder.

It is a combination of the autism-spectrum and the schizophrenia-spectrum.

I had a pretty severe psychosis 2 1/2 years ago. I am doing much better now, but nevertheless a combination or autistic symptoms and the symptoms of psychosis qualify me for this disorder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDD

What does everyone think about this disorder?

There was a thread on this topic started on 21 February with activity until 13 March (although I will resurrect it). Several people have contributed to that discussion. Go to Search and look for keyword "MDD" - it will be the first entry.

By most versions of the MDD criteria (several posters on the earlier thread have supplied links), I am knocking at the door but probably still standing outside. While the mood disorder symptoms (section A) are quite severe, particularly #1, #4 and #5, with more than a few traces of #2 and #3, the section C (psychotic) symptoms are almost insignificant, especially when compared to the intensity of the emotional regulation and autistic characteristics. While I have elements of #4, and #5, and particularly #3, the serious core stuff (#1 and #2) is completely absent.

Because I want to quote other posters, I'll discuss any further particulars on the other thread.

First Asburger syndrome, and now McDDs? @_@

I'm noticing a pattern here...

Thanks, Melissa. I think resurrecting that post would be a good idea.

I will certainly read it sometime, but I am drunk right now, so I probably wouldn't understand it.

LOL! Not to mention that the thread was started by someone with the word "shake" in his name.

LOL, you want a shake with that ass-burger?

Haha I thought about something similar at first, thought it might be a joke.

(No offence intended, Master Shake.)

My personal view is that since the only major difference between autism and schizophrenia (because they are very, very similar anyway) is the more psychotic symptoms (hallucinations, paranoia) then if you have the psychotic symptoms you would be schizophrenia.

The existance of McDD as a separate diagnosis really depends on whether autism and schizophrenia are that different to begin with. I think because they already share so many symptoms, any overlap doesn't need to be called something new. It's just the natural overlap of the two.

Recognising the considerable overlap between symptoms of autism and schizophrenia, the DSM IV explicitly states that when a primary diagnosis of autism (any PDD, actually) is present, then schizophrenia is also diagnosed only in the presence of the core psychotic symptoms of delusions or hallucinations, which are not typical in autism but are very common (although not universal) in schizophrenia.

Also, most of the literature on MDD seems to characterise it specifically as PDD-NOS plus schizoaffective symptoms (both the psychotic characteristics and the affective conditions); i.e., the autism is usually "incomplete", being subclinical or atypical in at least one pillar of the Triad. AS, HFA or LFA (or, for that matter, CDD or Rett's) with additional core psychotic symptoms is generally characterised simply as the appropriate autism spectrum condition plus the appropriate schizophrenia spectrum condition, without a particular name for the combination.

The core distinction between schizophrenia and autism is, in fact, the psychotic part. This is why it's so important NOT to combine pdd-nos or autism with schizophrenia. How many autistic people who talk to themselves (common) are/or have been fighting a misdiagnosis and referred to as delusional, paranoid. The dividing line should not be crossed. You are either schizophrenic or not. If I have a cold and then develop strep throat, you can not say the two are similar because they share overlapping symptoms. Flat affect and delusional/psychosis (break from reality) is more than likely schizophrenia or bipolar. This is not HFA or Aspergers as defined by DSM or Hans Asperger's original findings. As a matter of fact, he and Kanner found the distinction between a psychotic patient and one that seemed at first glance to be off but upon further study was indeed internally distracted but not delusional or suffering from hallucinations.

If one is to later develop a psychotic break, then he/she should receive the diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar (seperate from Asperger or autism). The dividing line should remain. Otherwise, one would assume that pdd-nos or Asperger or HFA will, eventually, morph into a psychotic disorder. This is inaccurate and does not reflect the current research.

Thank you equinn. I had autistic symptoms as a child, as far back as age 2-3. I had all the signs of an autistic disorder but no-one ever diagnosed it as such. I've always stimmed, rocked back and forth, all my life. I had "little professor syndrome", I talked in a pedantic manner. I did not play with other children. I never had psychotic symptoms as a child.

Only later, when I was 22 did I have a psychotic break with reality. I don't have these psychotic symptoms anymore, but at the time a doctor diagnosed me with schizophrenia. Only after I got the schizophrenia diagnoses did I get any help from the mental health system, and I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS later, after I had my psychotic break.

I KNOW I have schizophrenia AND autism.

Yeah, I had some different childhood problems than adult problems, I didn't go psychotic till older too. What is weird about me is I barely am considered schizoaffective, and on top of that I think I have good facial expression recognition skills (though online tests suggests I have trouble with subtle ones) and I don't have alexythmia or however you spell it. I started stimming a lot on my meds too, which is weird, but I was told I did some of those movements since I was a child. Mostly what I have that I don't think fits with mental illness is special interests, which can get bad when it comes to me. My psychologist and my therapist said I was Bill Gates-like, and my therapist thinks I have very high functioning AS, but other people say I'm too good of a conversationalist and I have excellent eye contact. This kind of thing can be very confusing... are there cases of schizophrenics with special interests?

That list is so vague that I am pretty sure everyone here will qualify for it.

Dr. Google strikes again.

I believe schizophrenics tend to lose interest. They typically lack motivation to be interested in anything, this is a "negative" symptom of schizophrenia.

Hmm. I don't have any negative symptoms, I had positive symptoms during my break, mostly delusions. As a child, my main symptom was horrific meltdowns, and ADHD-like things, but with the special interests and lack of social skills. Bah, I'm some sort of salad, random things from different disorders mixed together :P :x

Hm, I'm curious what constitutes a psychotic break. If you feel like explaining your experience I'd appreciate it. Is that actually losing touch with reality and having delusions or simply becoming extremely depressive or low functioning or something?