Schizoaffective disorder

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of schizoaffective disorder are different in each person.

Often, people with schizoaffective disorder seek treatment for problems with mood, daily function, or abnormal thoughts. Psychosis and mood changes may occur at one time, or off and on by themselves.

Psychotic symptoms can last for at least 2 weeks without major mood symptoms. The course of the disorder involves cycles of severe symptoms followed by improvement.

The symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include:

• Changes in appetite and energy
• Believing that someone on TV or the radio is speaking directly to you or that secret messages are hidden in common objects (delusions of reference)
• Disorganized speech that is not logical
• False beliefs (delusions)
• Feeling that everyone or one person or agency is out to get you (paranoia)
• Irritability and poor temper control
• Lack of concern with hygiene, grooming
• Problems sleeping
• Seeing or hearing things (hallucinations -- especially "hearing voices")
• Trouble concentrating
• Very good or bad mood

Exams and Tests

Your health care provider will do a psychiatric evaluation to find out about your behavior and symptoms.

To be diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, you must have psychotic symptoms - but normal mood - for at least 2 weeks.

The combination of psychotic and mood symptoms in schizoaffective disorder can be seen in other illnesses such as bipolar disorder. The extreme disturbance in mood is an important part of schizoaffective disorder.

The health care provider must consider and rule out any medical, psychiatric, or drug-related condition that causes psychotic or mood symptoms before making a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. Schizophrenic or mood disorder symptoms can occur in people who:

• Abuse cocaine, amphetamines, or phencyclidine (PCP)
• Have seizure disorders
• Take steroid medications

References

Moore DP, Jefferson JW. Handbook of Medical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2004:126-127.

Goetz, CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2003: 48.

Addington D, Bouchard RH, Goldberg J, Honer B, Malla A, Norman R, Tempier R. Clinical practice guidelines: treatment of schizophrenia. Can J Psychiatry, 2005;50:7s-57s.

International early psychosis association writing group. International clinical practice guidelines for early psychosis. Br J Psychiatry, 2005;187:s120-s124.