Schizoaffective Disorder Is a Mental

Schizoaffective Disorder is a mental illness characterized by a combination of symptoms of thought disorder (schizophrenia component) and mood disorder (manic or depressive component). There may be two subtypes of schizoaffective disorder, namely, depressive subtype, characterized by schizophrenic symptoms plus major depressive episodes only, and bipolar subtype, characterized by schizophrenic symptoms accompanied by manic episodes with or without depressive symptoms. This paper gives an overview of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of schizoaffective disorder with particular focus on its treatment; it also includes information on the environmental factors that may affect people with the disease and whether the illness discriminates on the basis of age, race, or gender.

Symptoms: The symptoms of schizoaffective disorder fall under two broad categories:

Thought disorder, including psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and disorganized behavior which are similar in nature to the symptoms exhibited in schizophrenia and; b) Mood disorder, with mood changes ranging from extreme "manic" symptoms such as euphoria, irritability, inflated self-esteem, and distractibility to extreme "depressive" symptoms such as lethargy, fatigue, diminished interest, lack of pleasure, and inappropriate guilt feelings (Brannon, 2005; "Facts About..." 2001).

Diagnosis: Diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder can only be carried out by an experienced doctor after a thorough clinical review that may include a complete physical, neurological and psychiatric examination, as well as appraisal of the patient's medical history. The physical and neurological examination help to rule out other conditions, which may mimic the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder, and are brought about by steroid or drug abuse, Cushing's syndrome, HIV-related illness, temporal lobe epilepsy, neurosyphilis, and thyroid problems. The second important part of the diagnosis is that a patient of schizoaffective disorder exhibits signs of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, but does not meet the diagnosis for either illness alone. Moreover, in schizoaffective disorder, the mood symptoms are more prominent and last for a substantially longer time than in schizophrenia; and at the same time, schizoaffective disorder is distinguished from mood disorder by the fact that delusions or hallucinations must be present in persons with schizoaffective disorder for at least two weeks in the absence of prominent mood symptoms (Brannon 2005).

Does the Illness Discriminate on the Basis of Age, Race, or Gender?

Although only limited research is available as yet on the epidemiology of schizoaffective disorder, it is more common in women than in men. Also, the age of onset is usually later for women than for men. Younger people tend to have the bipolar subtype, whereas older people tend to have the depressive subtype. No race-based difference in occurrence of the illness has been observed. (Ibid.)

Environmental Factors: The exact cause of schizoaffective disorder is not known but genetics and brain chemistry appear to play a role. Environmental factors may also contribute to its development in people who have inherited a tendency to develop the disorder, and may include viral infection, poor social interactions or highly stressful situations. (Grayson, 2004)

Treatment: Treatment of schizoaffective disorder usually consists of a combination of medications and psychotherapy or counseling. The exact regimen depends on the type and severity of symptoms, and whether the disorder is of depressive or bipolar type. Medications are usually prescribed to alleviate psychotic symptoms, stabilize mood and treat depression, while psychotherapy can help curb distorted thoughts, teach social skills and diminish social isolation. ("Schizoaffective Disorder," 2006)

Medication: Medications generally include antipsychotic drugs prescribed to alleviate psychotic symptoms, such as delusions, paranoia and hallucinations. Mood-stabilizing medications are prescribed in bipolar disorder, which help to level out the highs and lows of manic depression. Anti-depressants such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac) and escitalopram (Lexapro) are normally prescribed for depressive subtype schizoaffective disorder, as they are likely to alleviate feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or sleeplessness and lack of concentration. (Ibid.)

Psychotherapy and Counseling: Although there has been far less research on psychotherapeutic treatments for schizoaffective disorder than in schizophrenia or depression, the available evidence suggests that cognitive behavior therapy, brief psychotherapy, and social skills training do have a beneficial effect on patients of schizoaffective disorder. By building a trusting relationship with the patients, the psychotherapist can help them understand their condition better and make them feel hopeful about their future. Family or group therapy treatment has also been found to be effective as people with schizoaffective disorder feel better when they can discuss their problems with others, rather than suffer in isolation. Group therapy helps them to overcome their social isolation (Ibid.).