I'm speaking about people I've known and been close to. As an example, my brother shifted around diagnosis between bipolar I, schizoaffective, and schizophrenia often while I was growing up. He's not the only person I know like this. I've spoken to psychiatrists about the ambiguity between these diagnoses.

I also know of numerous people who have spoken publicly about receiving a schizophrenia diagnosis and having it later be revised to schizoaffective disorder.

I also came to the impression that it is common to receive a bipolar I diagnosis during a psychotic episode and have it later the diagnosed as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Sometimes if your doctor sucks you may stay in the less accurate diagnosis, sometimes for years.