AZ: Losing It

[AgentZero]

Hey folks, I'm just looking for a bit of help diagnosing one of my characters in a story I'm writing. She suffers from difficulty or a complete inability to seperate fantasy from reality, is a compulsive liar, is often concerned that others around her know what she's thinking, and tends to feel as though mundane, random events are directed at her, ie: while waiting a longer than usual amount of time to cross a busy road, she begins to feel that all the cars whizzing by are doing it on purpose to make her late for work, etc.
The symptoms have always been present, but haven't been pronounced enough for anyone around her to take notice, aside from thinking she's a bit 'odd'. Now, however (in her early 20s) the symptoms have grown progressively worse, prompting her to visit a psychiatrist who eventually tells you "You seem to be suffering from-" And that's where I'm stuck because I've just realized I don't know.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Azselendor]

Are you making us do your clinicals? lol

[Raging Deadstar]

Sounds like the character your describing could suffer from any number of things, nothing is that hard-fixed when it comes to psychology. I'd recommend reading through this Wikipedia article, it might help in some way http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis

The sections on Hallucinations, Delusions/Paranoia, Lack of Insight and Thought Disorder might be what you're looking for.

[Renegade 13]

Sounds to me like a combination of disorders.

Paranoid Schitzophrenia (Might work for thinks people know what she's thinking, random events directed at her)
Mythomania (Compulsive lying)
Not entirely sure what you'd call failing to separate fantasy from reality.

[Cipher7071]

There was a man on the "Dr. Phil" show a short while back that had very similar symptoms to what you describe in your character. This particular man was described as "bipolar."
In his manic phase he was obsessed with Hollywood, heard voices, and couldn't distinguish fantasy from reality.

[Ed Kolis]

I used to tell my parents I was psychotic and they said "no, psychotic means someone who can't distinguish fantasy from reality"...
Hmmm, does that mean the Thermians from the Klaatu Nebula who need your help are psychotic?

[Caduceus]

Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia would most likely fit your bill.

Bipolar is the new "buzzword" as many mental health specialists think that it is underdiagnosed. Most have a depressive phase - sadness, poor energy, suicidality, with or without intruding psychoses (voices, visions). Some have a manic phase (the "bi" in bipolar) - spending sprees, sexual promiscuity, poor judgement.

Schizophrenics have walled themselves off from the world in various ways. They don't interact with stimuli that others can see and hear. They have deeply intrusive thoughts/voices and visions. Schizophrenics are more often born in the winter months, and have their first psychotic break in their late adolescence (late high school or college age) and are typically quite intelligent.

Suicide rates for both problems are much higher than the general population.

[Azselendor]

I think bipolar is being overdiagnosed, personally. The way some of these doctors talk at times, they make it sound like anyone who had a bad relationship is mentally disturbed.

That doesn't mean there are genuine cases, I just think more time should be spent on geniune patients and not making sure one has enough new clients to make put down for a new boat.

[Renegade 13]

Isn't it a little odd that those who suffer those sorts of disorders tend to be more intelligent than average? I know it's true, just a little strange.

[Raging Deadstar]

From Personal Experience I wouldn't exactly say that was true

Generally speaking though it does have some ground. It might interest you to know that one of Albert Einstein's sons, Eduard, was institutionalised for Schizophrenia.