Schizoaffective disorder is a complex mental health disorder encompassing features from both schizophrenia and a mood disorder. Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic condition that will require lifelong management. Schizoaffective disorder is a rare form of mental illness, with approximately 0.3% of the population affected by it. It is difficult to quantify the exact number of people affected, however, because many times the individual will be incorrectly diagnosed with either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
As with all psychotic disorders, science has still not determined the exact cause of schizoaffective disorder. However, there are some risk factors that may contribute to the development of this mental health disorder. These include:
Because schizoaffective disorder is a blend of the features of schizophrenia with the features of a mood disorder, it may present in varying ways. These include:
Signs and symptoms of schizoaffective disorder may include:
According to the DSM-5, a diagnosis requires that the individual experiences an uninterrupted period of active illness during which there will be a major mood episode, either depressive or manic. During this period there must be two of the following symptoms also present: delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech. The symptoms must not be caused by the effects of substance abuse, from a side effect of a medication, or from a health condition.
Schizoaffective disorder is manageable with treatment compliance. Treatment may include the following interventions: