What is schizoaffective disorder?
Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic mental illness marked by symptoms of both mood disorders and psychosis (for example: seeing or hearing things that are not there). Some symptoms of schizoaffective disorder can cloud a person’s thinking and judgment, and can affect how a person relates to others. Managing emotions may also be difficult. The mood symptoms in schizoaffective disorder may be depressive, manic (excessive excitement), or a combination of both.
Schizoaffective disorder is a distinct mental disorder. Often people who have it have been diagnosed with other mental illnesses in the past because its symptoms can be similar to schizophrenia, depression, or bipolar disorder.
Schizoaffective disorder is a life-long illness that can affect other areas of
daily living.
Schizoaffective disorder can go unrecognized, because some of the symptoms may mimic other illnesses. That’s why it’s important and helpful to discuss your symptoms, thoughts, and feelings with your healthcare provider. Talking about your experiences with your treatment team may help them create a better treatment plan for you.
What types of schizoaffective disorder are there?
There are 2 types of schizoaffective disorder: the bipolar subtype and the depressive subtype. People with the bipolar subtype usually have manic or mixed episodes when undergoing periods of mood symptoms. People with the depressive subtype have depressive episodes when undergoing periods of mood symptoms. For more information on mood symptoms, please see “What are the mood symptoms of schizoaffective disorder?”
People with schizoaffective disorder experience the following:
- A long period in which psychotic symptoms and mood symptoms occur at the same time
- A period in which psychotic symptoms occur without mood symptoms
- Psychotic symptoms and mood symptoms that are not caused by drug abuse, medication, or another medical condition
To find out more about the treatment of schizoaffective disorder click here.
