Hello, I briefly had a post up here but took it down immediately cuz I realized I was freaking out but, I have returned with a question. My therapist has recently suggested I may have schizoaffective disorder, which would explain my bipolar-esque symptoms, and my two psychotic episodes. (Intense paranoia and delusions, neither of which I was hospitalized for but was given seroquel which I no longer take)

One of my ongoing symptoms that made my therapist tell me this was my 'friends'. I have 3... People? That live in my head and have been there since I was a kid. I do not have DID, but I do have ptsd and always considered them a strange coping mechanism.

In my head, they have physical forms. They talk to me, and I can see them, not in the real world but in my head. As far as I'm aware, I've never hallucinated. They feel like full people with full personalities to me. They can influence me or make me do things. One of them is very not happy I'm talking about them but, fuck him. 

When they talk, it's like a thought, but it sounds and feels different than my own, if that makes sense? And when I see them internally, it's not like I'm imagining a person but... Like, a real person but hazy? Idk. I'm trying to figure out how the hell you'd classify them as a psychotic symptom. (I'm still not convinced of this diagnosis so it may seem obvious to you but I grew up with them so I really can't tell).

Thank you so much for any thoughts, and I apologize if this is annoying in any way.