Schizoaffective Disorder- Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

What Is Schizoaffective Disorder?

An individual suffering from schizoaffective disorder suffers from hallucinations, delusions, and illusions, which are peculiar features of schizophrenia, along with depression, mania, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorders, which are typical symptoms of mood disorders. The onset of symptoms starts with episodes of delusions or depression (frequently includes bouts of clinical depression) and often ends with full-blown episodes or cycles of mania and psychosis.

The name schizoaffective disorder is a self-explanatory term. The word schizo means psychotic symptoms, a derivative of schizophrenia. These symptoms affect the cognitive ability of the individual in the way they act, react, think, and express their emotions. It also includes their confusion associated with their surroundings, reality, and their environment. The word affective cites mood disorders or symptoms associated with mood disorders which include drastic fluctuations in mood (characterized by unexplained mood swings).

Schizoaffective disorders, like many other mental illnesses, have no prevention map. However, the success rate of treatment is pretty high in comparison to other mental disorders.

The primary representation of schizoaffective disorder can be confusing to a healthcare professional as, on first look, the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder appear similar to that of bipolar disorder.

What Are the Types of Schizoaffective Disorder?

As explained above, schizoaffective disorder is an amalgam of schizophrenia and mood disorders. When a disorder is based on the adjunction of two major mental illnesses, the symptoms are divided amongst them, and so is the disorder. Schizoaffective disorder is broadly classified into three subtypes, and they are:

1. Bipolar Schizoaffective Disorder: Bipolar schizoaffective disorder is a condition wherein the individual has episodes incorporating both schizophrenia and mania, in simpler terms, lows and highs, respectively.

2. Depressive Schizoaffective Disorder: Depressive schizoaffective disorder is a subtype wherein the individual has episodes consisting of schizophrenia and depression. Individuals suffering feel low on energy, hopeless, worthless, and often in a dark space. They have continuous and repetitive suicidal thoughts, which can be fatal and life-threatening. This subtype requires constant care and professional help.

3. Mixed Schizoaffective Disorder: Mixed schizoaffective disorder subtype contains episodes including all the above, which means schizophrenia, depression, and mania. These episodes can be milder in the form which requires limited to no professional help or can be borderline fatal, which requires constant professional help or admission into a facility.

What Causes Schizoaffective Disorder?

Like many other mental illnesses, the exact cause of schizoaffective disorder is yet to be discovered. However, many psychologists believe that schizophrenia or mood causes can give rise to schizoaffective disorder. Probable causes of schizoaffective disorder are:

1. It can be a hereditary condition (genetic predisposition or positive familial history).

2. Dysfunctional neurotransmitters (which are a result of an imbalance in the brain chemicals).

3. Abnormal brain structure (abnormal size or composition of the brain).

4. Substance misuse or abuse disorder (illicit drugs or alcohol).

5. Stress (stressful condition, traumatic condition, or stress caused due to trauma).

6. Environmental factors (infections such as meningitis can cause severe deformity of the brain, which can lead to the development of schizoaffective disorder).

What Are the Symptoms of Schizoaffective Disorder?

Episodes of schizoaffective disorder have symptoms ranging from schizophrenia, mania, and depression. The episodes can have dominant manic symptoms or depressive symptoms, or all of them combined. Symptoms depend on the severity of the disorder, and with every individual, the onset and duration of the symptoms changes and vary. The symptoms of schizoaffective disorder are divided into the following types:

• Psychotic symptoms (schizophrenic symptoms).

• Depressive symptoms.

• Manic symptoms.

1. Psychotic Symptoms: Psychotic symptoms include schizophrenic symptoms. Elaborative symptoms of schizoaffective psychotic disorder are:

• Delusion.

• Hallucination.

• Illusions.

• Fumbled or disorganized speech.

• Foggy or clouded mind (unclear thinking).

• Strange and odd behavior.

• Paranoia (a characteristic feature of schizophrenia).

• Lack or absence of emotion (with respect to oneself and others).

• Insufficient motivation.

• Euphoria.

• Mood swings (drastic changes including sudden highs and lows).

• Psychosis.

• Isolation or solitude.

• Suicidal tendencies.

• Failure to control impulses.

• Self-harming activities.

2. Depressive Symptoms: Schizoaffective depressive disorder symptoms include symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both. Symptoms include:

• Low energy level.

• Suicidal behavior.

• Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness (the individual is often in a dark place).

• Constant feeling of remorse, guilt, and blaming oneself repeatedly.

• Difficulty concentrating.

• Grandiose behavior (rare but seen behavior).

• Eating disorders (change in appetite).

• Sleeping disorders (insomnia and sleep deprivation).

• A drastic change in weight (unexplained weight gain or loss).

• Racing (self-harming or dark) thoughts.

• Restricted emotional range.

• Hears false voices.

• Excessive talkative behavior.

• Anxiety disorders.

• Bipolar disorder.

• Personality disorder.

3. Manic Symptoms: Schizoaffective manic disorder symptoms include symptoms of mania, bipolar disorder, or both. Symptoms include:

• Aggression (or agitation).

• Distraction (or having a hard time concentrating).

• Rapid talking instances.

• Inflated ego (or increased self-esteem).

• Lack of sleep.

• Jumbled up speech and thought processes.

• Self-destructive thoughts and activities.

• Bizarre or absurd behavior.

• Episodes of mania.

• Destructive activities which hinder personal and professional relationships.

What Is the Difference Between Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder?

The schizoaffective disorder consists of an individual suffering from schizophrenia and mood disorders. However, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are two different psychotic disorders, according to the fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-V).

As the definition of schizoaffective disorder states, an individual shows symptoms of schizophrenia and mood disorders which directly dictates that the similarities between these two disorders lie within the presentation of their symptoms, and so makes the difference.

The dominating difference is drastic mood change, which is an essential criterion in the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder.

The difference in the disorders also lies in persistent and continuous mood swings an individual goes through as a part of the disorder. An individual suffering from schizoaffective disorder has frequent episodes of mania, clinical depression, and anxiety.

The standard difference between the two lies in their diagnosis. According to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V), an individual must present with a minimum of two symptoms of the following:

• Cloudy or confused thought and speech process.

• Delusions.

• Hallucinations.

• Absence of emotions and expression (also known as a negative symptom).

• Unusual or abnormal body movements.

What Is the Treatment of Schizoaffective Disorder?

Treatment of schizoaffective disorder includes a combination of both medicinal therapy and psychotherapy. Treatment with only medicinal therapy can provide symptomatic relief, but it is not a permanent treatment plan and cannot be trusted to last long, and therefore an added account of psychotherapy is required to prevent recurrence and provide long-term symptomatic relief from schizoaffective disorder.

1. Medicinal Therapy: Medicinal therapy for schizoaffective disorder includes antipsychotics to calm psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and confusion. The Food and Drug Association (FDA) has approved (atypical) second-generation antipsychotics for the treatment of schizoaffective disorder.

For the accompanying mood disorders, antidepressants are provided in order for the individual to have a better hold of themselves. Antidepressants prescribed are Valproate and Lithium. In case of increased severity of mood disorders, mood stabilizers are also prescribed.

2. Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is prescribed in the case of schizoaffective disorder for the patient to talk about their fears, issues, and conditions. It is especially prescribed in case an individual experiences repetitive episodes of hallucinations. Different psychotherapy advised is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and family therapy (for people whose family members suffer from schizoaffective disorder).

Conclusion:

An individual suffering from schizoaffective disorder might get confused with the disorder due to its similarity to schizophrenia. Marker features of schizoaffective disorder include hallucinations and delusions. These mood disorders can easily be detected as they are reflected through daily activities in the way an individual behaves. Treatment of schizoaffective disorder is necessary as it not only provides symptomatic relief to the patients but also reduces the chances of recurrence. To minimize the chances of recurrence, an individual must take up therapy and continue with the therapy, and reduce any feeling they might have of isolation or solitude.

Individuals with family members suffering from schizoaffective disorder must provide care and love to the one suffering, but at the same time, they must also attend therapy to take care of themselves.