A mental health condition in which symptoms are very similar to schizophrenia and a mood disorder is called schizoaffective disorder. Those who develop this disorder may experience depression, psychosis, and mania. In most cases, doctors treat this condition with medicines and therapy.
Furthermore, this condition may negatively affect the way you think, act, perceive reality, and express emotions. While there is no way to cure this mental disorder, with treatment, you can lessen the symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Types
Physicians have divided this disorder into two types based on the mood disorder symptoms. For example:
- Bipolar type – It occurs when you experience a few days of extreme highs (mania) and severe lows (depression). Some people may have episodes of increased energy with irritability, which are followed by a period of low energy with sadness.
- Depressive type – In such cases, people experience lows (depression) only. This type of condition makes it difficult to perform daily tasks and may cause feelings of hopelessness.
In general, this mental condition occurs quite rarely. According to certain studies in Finland, about 3 in every 1,000 people will develop schizoaffective disorder at least once during their lifetime. However, it is roughly impossible to tell with certainty how much people suffer from this mental disorder because it is difficult to diagnose. Furthermore, in some cases, the symptoms of this disorder may overlap with symptoms of another mental health condition, which often leads to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms
The symptoms occur differently among people with schizoaffective disorder because it depends on the type and severity of the condition, age, existing health problems, and other factors. However, the symptoms also fall into 2 categories. For example:
- Psychosis (similar to schizophrenia) – In such cases, the symptoms negatively affect your perception of reality, thoughts, and behaviors.
- Mood (similar to bipolar disorder or major depression) – This category often affects your feelings and emotions.
While the symptoms range from mild to severe, in most cases, the symptoms appear during the teen years or early adulthood. In rare cases, the first symptoms occur after 50 years old.
Psychosis Symptoms
Check below the most common symptoms:
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Disorganized thoughts and speech
- Unexpected behaviors
- No emotional expression
- Inability to feel pleasure
Mood Symptoms
For example:
- Mania – This includes a few days of feeling very energetic with racing thoughts, a desire to engage in unsafe behaviors, distractibility, reduced need for sleep, agitation, and others.
- Depression – In such cases, you may feel a period of sadness that is accompanied by worthlessness, fatigue (extreme tiredness), insomnia or excessive sleep, reduced energy, difficulty concentrating, and others.
It is important to know that mood symptoms may lead to suicidal thoughts. In such cases, you should seek emergency help or call 988 in the U.S. immediately.
Causes
While experts do not fully understand why this mental disorder happens, they believe a combination of factors contributes to it. Examples include:
- Genetics – There are some genetic changes (mutations) that may significantly increase the risk of this mental disorder. While the exact genes are not known, the research is ongoing.
- Brain chemicals – Certain chemicals in the brain (also known as neurotransmitters) help nerve cells communicate. According to some studies, problems with neurotransmitters (including Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Serotonin) may affect the way nerves communicate.
- Brain structure – Irregularities in the structure and size of parts of the brain (including the hippocampus, thalamus, and white matter) may also increase the risk of schizoaffective disorder.
Risk Factors
While healthcare providers cannot identify the exact cause of schizoaffective disorder, they have identified some factors that may increase the risk of developing it. Check below some examples:
- Sex – Females are more likely to develop this disorder compared to males.
- A family history of schizoaffective disorder – If you have a parent or sibling with this disorder, your risk of developing it significantly increases.
- Other mental disorders (such as bipolar disorder)
- Extreme stress or emotional trauma (such as the death of a loved one)
- Misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, drugs, or other substances
What Happens if Schizoaffective Disorder is Left Untreated?
People with this mental condition may also experience some complications, especially without treatment. Check below some examples:
- Substance use disorder
- Other mental health problems (such as depression, anxiety, and others)
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
- Problems with maintaining proper hygiene
- Relationship issues
- Social isolation
This document does not contain all possible complications of this mental disorder. Consult with your doctor about ways to reduce the risk of the previous complications.
Additionally, it is not possible to prevent this health condition because experts do not know what causes it. However, you can identify symptom triggers and reduce stress to prevent the symptoms from worsening.
Diagnosis
Usually, it is difficult to diagnose this condition because it causes symptoms similar to multiple mental disorders. Moreover, if you suspect a friend or a loved one has schizoaffective disorder symptoms, it is difficult for that person to reach out for help or understand he/she need help. In most cases, people with this disorder are referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist.
In general, there are no specific tests used to diagnose this condition. That’s why physicians use the criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Commonly, the schizoaffective disorder is confirmed when the following factors occur. For example:
- A prolonged period that negatively affects your mood (mania or depression), including schizophrenia symptoms (such as slurred speech, hallucinations, and others)
- Most of the time, symptoms are present
- There is no evidence of substance use disorder or specific medications that cause these symptoms
Treatment
Physicians usually treat this condition with medicines and psychotherapy (also called talk therapy). Check below some options often recommended by doctors for people with schizoaffective disorder:
- Antipsychotics – This group of medications is primarily used to treat this mental disorder. It helps reduce symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking.
- Mood stabilizers – These medicines are used to prevent or relieve mania symptoms. One of the most common medicines prescribed by doctors is Lithium and Valproate.
- Antidepressants – Healthcare professionals usually prescribe Fluoxetine and Sertraline to reduce the symptoms of this disorder.
Talk Therapy
The goal of this treatment is to learn more about the disease, establish personal goals, and manage daily challenges linked to this mental disorder. In some cases, physicians may recommend family therapy. It is a type of psychotherapy that may help family members learn how to support a loved one and contribute to improve him/her mental health.
People with schizoaffective disorders may be hospitalized if they are at risk of harming themselves or other people. The recovery time varies among people. While some people may get better within a few months, others notice improvements over the years.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I go to the ER?
If you or a loved one is in danger or harming themselves, it is advised to go to the nearest emergency room (ER) or call 911.
Can a person with schizoaffective disorder live a normal life?
A lot of people who are diagnosed with this mental health problem live a normal and happy life. For more details, discuss it with your doctor.
What is the best drug for schizoaffective disorder?
One of the most effective medicines for people with this disorder is Paliperidone, which is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). However, physicians may also prescribe antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers to relieve the symptoms. Ask your healthcare professional if you have any other questions.
