Schizoaffective disorder is a condition that affects thoughts, moods, and behavior. It has some symptoms of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Treatment can improve outcomes.
The cause of schizoaffective disorder is not known. It may be due to genes or environment. This may make changes in the brain.
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This problem is more common in women than men.
A family history of mental illness may also raise the risk of this condition.
Symptoms of schizoaffective disorder may vary between people. There may be symptoms of depression, mania, or psychosis.
Depressive symptoms may be:
Manic symptoms may be:
Psychotic symptoms may be:
The person may have problems with basic self-care. They may not wash or bathe. They may not keep jobs and relationships.
The doctor will ask about symptoms and health history. Diagnosis is based on symptoms. A mental health doctor can diagnose the condition.
The goal is to ease symptoms and prevent them from getting worse. Treatment will depend on the type of symptoms. A combination of treatments may be used.
Options may be:
Outcomes vary. Many people will get better. Some will have lasting or worsening symptoms.
National Institute of Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov
National Mental Health Association
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net
Canadian Mental Health Association
https://cmha.ca
Canadian Psychiatric Association
http://www.cpa-apc.org
Miller JN, Black DW. Schizoaffective disorder: A review. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2019;31(1):47-53.
Schizoaffective disorder. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/schizoaffective-disorder. Accessed March 11, 2021.
Schizoaffective disorder. National Alliance on Mental Illness website. Available at: https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Schizoaffective-Disorder. Accessed March 11, 2021.
Last reviewed January 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrian Preda, MD