Schizoaffective disorder is characterized by the presence of mood symptoms, such as depression or mania, plus the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia.
Psychosis refers to symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and speech, and bizarre and inappropriate behavior (including catatonia) that indicate loss of contact with reality. Affect refers to people's emotions and mood.
Doctors consider schizoaffective disorder when people have both psychosis and mood symptoms (such as depression or mania). The mood symptoms should be present for a substantive portion of the active and residual phases of the illness (ie, more than half of the total duration of illness) and occur with 2 or more of the following symptoms of schizophrenia:
Delusions
Hallucinations
Disorganized speech
Grossly disorganized behavior
Negative symptoms (showing little or no emotion, decreased speech, inability to feel pleasure, lack of interest in relationships with other people)
For doctors to differentiate schizoaffective disorder from schizophrenia and mood disorders, they may need to do a long-term assessment of the person's symptoms and the nature of their progression. In schizoaffective disorder, there must be 2 weeks where the person experiences hallucinations or delusions without a major manic or depressive episode.
Treatment of Schizoaffective Disorder
Medications, psychotherapy, and community support
Because schizoaffective disorder often leads to long-term disability, people require comprehensive treatment, including antipsychotic medications, psychotherapy, and community support.
