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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffThe symptoms of schizoaffective disorder vary from person to person. Generally, people who have the condition experience psychotic symptoms — such as hallucinations, disorganized thinking and paranoid thoughts — as well as a mood disturbance, such as depressed or manic mood. They tend to be very antisocial and shunned by the people around them.
Psychotic features and mood disturbances may occur at the same time or may appear on and off interchangeably. The course of the schizoaffective disorder usually features cycles of severe symptoms followed by an improved outlook. To establish a diagnosis, a person must have demonstrated, at some point, delusions or hallucinations for at least two weeks without evidence of mood disorder symptoms.
Most commonly, the mood disorder accompanying the schizophrenic features is either bipolar disorder (bipolar-type schizoaffective) or depression (depressive-type schizoaffective).
Signs and symptoms of schizoaffective disorder may include:
- Strange or unusual thoughts or perceptions
- Paranoid thoughts and ideas
- Delusions — having false, fixed beliefs
- Hallucinations, such as hearing voices
- Unclear or confused thoughts (disorganized thinking)
- Bouts of depression
- Manic mood or a sudden increase in energy and behavioral displays that are out of character
- Irritability and poor temper control
- Thoughts of suicide or homicide
- Irrelevant or incoherent speech
- Catatonic behavior — lack of response, sometimes with an extreme agitation that's not influenced by the environment
- Deficits in attention and memory
- Lack of concern about hygiene and physical appearance
- Changes in energy and appetite
- Sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
When to see a doctor
If you suspect a friend or loved one may have schizoaffective disorder, be on the lookout for symptoms of psychosis as well as a mood disorder.
People with schizoaffective disorder aren't likely to seek treatment. You might gently suggest that the person seek medical attention, starting with a primary care physician or mental health professional. Be prepared to accompany the person if necessary.
- 1. Schizoaffective disorder. National Alliance on Mental Illness. http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23043. Accessed Oct. 22, 2008.
- 2. Schizoaffective disorder. Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals.
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15/ch202/ch202d.html. Accessed Oct. 22, 2008. - 3. Schizoaffective disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2000.
- 4. Schizoaffective disorder. In: Sadock BJ, et al. Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005:1533.
