Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCharacteristicsTypesImpactCopingTreatmentMyths

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Characteristics

Types

Impact

Coping

Treatment

Myths

A person who has this disorder can have an improved quality of life with better symptom control once the condition is diagnosed and treated with medication and therapy.

Schizoaffective disorder has a combination of traits ofschizophreniaandmood disorders. That means that a person haspsychosis, withhallucinationsanddelusions, as well asclinical depressionor mania.

A diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder is made if a person hasall fourof the following criteria (A, B, C, and D):

A: An episode in which a person has a major mood episode along wth two of the below symptoms of schizophrenia:

B: Hallucinations and delusions for two or more weekswithoutmood symptoms

C. Bipolar symptoms or depressive symptoms are presentmost of the timeover the course of the illness

D. Medical issues and substance use are not responsible for the symptoms

This condition generally develops during late adolescence or early adulthood, and it tends to cause symptoms throughout a person’s lifespan.

If you or a loved one are struggling with [condition name], contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

There are two types of schizoaffective disorder. They differ based on the mood disorder that’s associated with the psychosis.

The two types are:

Similar Conditions

Certain psychiatric illnesses can cause mood and psychotic symptoms and can be confused with schizoaffective disorder, including:

The central distinction between schizoaffective and bipolar disorder is that in bipolar disorder the psychotic symptoms are only present during the presence of an active mood episode.

Schizophrenia vs. Schizoaffective Disorder

The condition affects approximately 3 out of 1000 people, and it is less common than schizophrenia, depression, or bipolar disorder.

Schizoaffective disorder can result in episodes of psychosis and mood instability that impair self-care and interactions with others.

Day-to-Day Effects

A person living with schizoaffective disorder may experience episodes of psychosis, depression, and mania. The disorder can make it difficult to get along with others and it often interferes with a person’s ability to maintain a job and take care of everyday responsibilities.

Some consequences of this disease include:

This condition increases the risk of self-harm, homelessness, and untreated health problems.

If you think you or someone you care about might have schizoaffective disorder, it’s important to be kind and compassionate and to seek professional care.

Many people have heard of schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder—but the term schizoaffective disorder is not as well known and can sometimes lead to confusion for patients and families, potentially delaying diagnosis and treatment.

Getting appropriate psychiatric help is the best way to reduce the effects of the disorder and to improve the lives of everyone involved.

If you or a loved one are struggling with schizoaffective disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

Schizoaffective disorder isn’t curable, but it’s manageable. Treatment includes psychotherapy and prescription medications. Medications can include antipsychotics, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers.

Sometimes, inpatient hospitalization is necessary during severe episodes. While you might continue to have some flare-ups over the years, you can have a happy life with healthy relationships.

Schizoaffective disorder, like many psychiatric illnesses, is often misunderstood. That can make it perplexing for people who have it and can make it hard to explain the condition to others.

Some common myths about the condition include:

Schizoaffective disorder is a split personality: The term “schizo” means split and is often misunderstood as a split personality. While schizoaffective disorder can cause changes in personality, it is distinct fromdissociative identity disorder(which is sometimes known as “multiple” or “split” personality).

Schizoaffective disorder makes people believe conspiracy theories:

Although those suffering from schizoaffective disorder may have a variety of paranoid and delusional beliefs, many peoplewithoutpsychiatric disorders believe in conspiracy theories, and many with schizoaffective disorder do not ascribe to conspiracy theories.

A Word From Verywell

Living with schizoaffective disorder means dealing with many challenges. This condition can be complicated to understand for the person who has the disorder and for others around them. It’s important for a person who has schizoaffective disorder to get support from a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals and to have as much social support as possible.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Malaspina D, Owen MJ, Heckers S, et al.Schizoaffective disorder in the DSM-5.Schizophr Res. 2013;150(1):21-25. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2013.04.026Genetics Home Reference.Schizoaffective disorder.Joshi K, Lin J, Lingohr-smith M, Fu DJ, Muser E.Treatment patterns and antipsychotic medication adherence among commercially insured patients with schizoaffective disorder in the United States.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(5):429-35.doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000549

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Malaspina D, Owen MJ, Heckers S, et al.Schizoaffective disorder in the DSM-5.Schizophr Res. 2013;150(1):21-25. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2013.04.026Genetics Home Reference.Schizoaffective disorder.Joshi K, Lin J, Lingohr-smith M, Fu DJ, Muser E.Treatment patterns and antipsychotic medication adherence among commercially insured patients with schizoaffective disorder in the United States.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(5):429-35.doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000549

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Malaspina D, Owen MJ, Heckers S, et al.Schizoaffective disorder in the DSM-5.Schizophr Res. 2013;150(1):21-25. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2013.04.026Genetics Home Reference.Schizoaffective disorder.Joshi K, Lin J, Lingohr-smith M, Fu DJ, Muser E.Treatment patterns and antipsychotic medication adherence among commercially insured patients with schizoaffective disorder in the United States.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(5):429-35.doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000549

Malaspina D, Owen MJ, Heckers S, et al.Schizoaffective disorder in the DSM-5.Schizophr Res. 2013;150(1):21-25. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2013.04.026

Genetics Home Reference.Schizoaffective disorder.

Joshi K, Lin J, Lingohr-smith M, Fu DJ, Muser E.Treatment patterns and antipsychotic medication adherence among commercially insured patients with schizoaffective disorder in the United States.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(5):429-35.doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000549

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