Schizoaffective Disorder - What is it? How is it Treated?

by bob the builder of luv Surely one of the most difficult mental disorders to diagnose. At various times during its grim procession across the mind

Schizophrenia Schizoaffective Disorder Symptoms and Treatment

by bob the builder of luv

Surely one of the most difficult mental disorders to diagnose. At various times during its grim procession across the mind of the patient, it inflicts both psychotic symptoms on the sufferer, as well as severe mood disorders, decidedly conspicuous in their intensity and much more long lasting than most.

The complexities for the physician stem from the facts that at different times, the disease may take the form of a bipolar disorder, major depression with psychotic features thrown in and even schizophrenia. The particularly unpleasant aspect of schizoaffective disorder is that the symptoms may show up simultaneously, and the mood disorder can be very long lasting.

In this condition, at least two of the major symptoms of psychosis must be evident. They pick and choose their appearance! Sometimes during mood disorders and again when there are no mood changes, or at least ones that are very minor.

Psychotic symptoms which are evident include hallucinations, delusions, strange body movements, or on the other hand, no movements at all, so that the patient's catatonic. Add to this the fact that impaired speech is experienced, or speech that is peculiar and senseless. Sometimes the patient has no wish to do anything for himself, even to wash and keep himself clean. Instead, they exhibit many forms of bizarre behaviour, such as removing their clothing at the most inopportune times and, it seems, anything to cause embarrassment to others, or to elicit shock or outrage.

At other times, their emotions seem to leave them, effectively making them shells of their former selves. Mood disturbances can be chaotic and often occur at the same time as the psychosis. The moods may be manic, depressive or take both forms. The causes are more often than not, obscure, although it's generally considered that somewhere, usually deep down, there's a genetic stressor at work. The big problem is to find this stressor, as it may reach far back into early childhood.

Normally, schizoaffective disorder strikes in early adulthood, but of course like most mental conditions, nothing can be written in stone. Hopefully, of course, a trigger can be found. Perhaps the person witnessed a particularly nasty accident when he or she was very young. They may even have been involved. Perhaps repeated abuse by one or both parents, either mental or physical, or abuse between parents. This could be especially telling if the father was psychologically abusive to the mother when the patient was a young child, perhaps too young to physically remember, certainly to understand.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - IV - TR, states that at least two of the following symptoms are present for at least one month for a proper diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder.

Delusions, hallucinations, speech that makes no sense or is difficult to understand, childlike behaviour, a catatonic state and virtually not talking at all, a condition approaching mutism. If there haven't been any mood symptoms, then delusions and hallucinations must have occurred during the past two weeks.

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Source : http://imentalhealth.net/mental-health-disorders/psychotic-disorders/schizoaffective-disorder-what-is-it-how-is-it-treated

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Question :

Schizoaffective Disorder?

I have Schizoaffective Disorder and i was wondering if anyone else had any expericne with this disorder, and if so what do you find helps, im on risperdal, but that seems not be helping as much anymore and i went back to my gp and they just said give it time, but does anyone else know any other medicenes they found helpfull? Thank you.

Answer :
My husband has this. He takes Risperdal, Ritalin, Geodone, Seroquel, and Lithium. The Seroquel seems to help him the most.

Question :

Schizoaffective disorder?

What would you do if you had Schizoaffective disorder? I was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder when I was 20. I m 32 now and have had problems with work. I have never had a real love relationship. On good days, I think that maybe I will attain a good job, and possibly fall in love. But on other days, perhaps when I am being realistic, I think it will never happen. The worst thing would be having to explain to someone my condition. I don t think very many people would accept it. At this point in my life, I can see that I may not have the life I grew up dreaming I would have. Which is a normal life, with friends, marry someone, have kids. If that is not attainable, I question whether my life if worth living. Do I have a shot at having a normal life?

Answer :
I can relate to you. I was just diagnosed as bipolar and it is absolutely devastating. Currently I am in therapy and taking lithium (which i hate). I feel there s no hope out there for me. Maybe you could do therapy and learn to cope. It s hard having a mental disorder!!

Question :

Schizoaffective disorder?

so I was at the psychologist today and she said that i may have schizoaffective disorder. Years ago I was diagnosed with depression and ocd by different doctors (but the ocd was after I alerted a doctor to symptoms). It s possible that I was misdiagnosed before or something new showed up. However I don t understand the delusions and hallucinations part. Sometimes I do have a little bit of paranoia, strange thougths, and disordered thinking, but I don t know if it qualifies as psychotic. I don t see anything that isn t there, but I do often have wierd images that flash into my head. For example i have certain phobias and at times images reflecting what i fear will flash into my brain. It s almost like watching a movie in my brain, but i never see these things in reality. Also I don t hear voices that aren t there. I ll admit that there have been times when I have thought someone was calling me and noone was but usually it s because they called someone with a similar (to be cont

Answer :
i am not a psychologist but i am studying to be one. from you have described some type of schizo disorder could be possible. hearing voices is not necessary to be schizo its just very common. but at the same time it kinda sound like bipolar. schizo and bipolar are often confused. just going based on the fact that you have been diagnosed with depression and you mentioned paranoia bipolar could be plausible as well. to me it sound s lie mild bipolar. and if so it is easily treatable as long as u take well to the meds you could live normally and no one will knwo u r bipolar.

i am very interested in this type of stuff hope i could help. :