What is schizoaffective disorder?

Schizoaffective disorder is a serious mental health condition. 

It has features of two different disorders:

  • “Schizo” means the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia
  • This brain disorder changes how a person thinks, acts and 
  • expresses emotions. It also affects how someone perceives 
  • reality and relates to others.
  • “Affective” refers to a mood disorder, or severe changes in a 
  • person’s mood, energy and behavior.

There’s no cure for schizoaffective disorder.

What are the types of 

schizoaffective disorder?

There are two types of schizoaffective disorder: 

bipolar schizoaffective 

disorder and depressive schizoaffective disorder. 

The two types are based 

on the associated mood disorder the person has:

  • Bipolar disorder type: This condition features one or 
  • two types of 
  • different mood changes. People with bipolar disorder 
  • have severe highs 
  • (mania) alone or combined with lows 
  • (depression).
  • Depressive type: People who have depression 
  • have feelings of 
  • sadness, worthlessness and hopelessness. 
  • They may have suicidal 
  • thoughts. They may also experience concentration and 
  • memory problems.

How does schizoaffective disorder 

affect people?

This lifelong illness can affect all areas of a person’s life. 

A person with schizoaffective disorder can find it difficult 

to function at work or school. 

It also affects people’s relationships with family, 

friends and loved ones.

Many people with schizoaffective disorder

have periodic episodes. 

There are times when their symptoms surface and times 

when their symptoms might disappear for a while.

Who gets schizoaffective disorder?

The condition usually begins in the late teens or early 

adulthood, up to age 30.

It rarely occurs in children. Studies suggest the disorder 

is more likely to occur in women than men.

How common is schizoaffective disorder?

Schizoaffective disorder is rare. Research estimates that 

3 in every 1000 people (0.3%) will develop 

schizoaffective disorder in their lifetime.

Still, it’s difficult to know exactly how many people have the 

condition because of the challenging diagnosis. 

People with schizoaffective disorder have 

symptoms of two different mental health conditions. 

Some people might get misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. 

Others might get misdiagnosed with a mood disorder.


What causes schizoaffective disorder?

Researchers don’t know the exact cause of 

schizoaffective disorder. 

They believe several factors are involved:

  • Genetics: Schizoaffective disorder might be hereditary. 
  • Parents may 
  • pass down the tendency to develop the condition to 
  • their children. 
  • Schizoaffective disorder can also occur in several 
  • members of an 
  • extended family.
  • Brain chemistry: People with the disorder may have 
  • an imbalance 
  • of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. 
  • These chemicals help 
  • nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other. 
  • An imbalance 
  • can throw off these connections, leading to symptoms.
  • Brain structure: Abnormalities in the size or composition 
  • of different 
  • brain regions (such as the hippocampus, thalamus) 
  • may be associated 
  • with developing schizoaffective disorder.
  • Environmental factors: Certain environmental factors 
  • may trigger 
  • schizoaffective disorder in people who inherited a 
  • higher risk. 
  • Factors may include highly stressful situations, 
  • emotional trauma or 
  • certain viral infections.
  • Drug use: Using psychoactive drugs, such as marijuana, 
  • may lead to 
  • the development of schizoaffective disorder.


What are the symptoms of 

schizoaffective disorder?


Symptoms of schizoaffective disorder vary from one 

person to the next. 

They can range from mild to severe.

Someone with schizoaffective disorder experiences 

psychotic symptoms. 

They also experience severe mood changes, with 

symptoms of depression, 

mania or both. A person with schizoaffective disorder 

will have psychotic 

symptoms that occur alone and with mood changes.

Psychotic symptoms:

  • Delusions (false beliefs with no basis in reality 
  • that the person won’t 
  • give up, even if given evidence to the contrary).
  • Hallucinations (perceived sensations that aren’t 
  • real, such as hearing 
  • voices or seeing shadows).
  • Inability to tell real from imaginary.
  • Disorganized speech (difficulty producing clear 
  • and coherent sentences).
  • Unclear thinking.
  • Odd or unusual behavior.
  • Paranoia.
  • Lack of emotion in facial expression and speech.
  • Poor motivation.
  • Slow movements or inability to move.

Depression symptoms:

  • Low or sad mood
  • Thoughts of death or suicide.
  • Feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness.
  • Guilt or self-blame.
  • Lack of energy and low mood
  • Loss of interest in usual activities.
  • Poor appetite.
  • Changes in sleeping patterns (sleeping a little or a lot).
  • Trouble thinking or concentrating.
  • Weight loss or gain.

Mania symptoms:

  • Agitation.
  • Distractability.
  • Increased or rapid talking.
  • Increased work, social and sexual activity.
  • Inflated self-esteem.
  • Not sleeping much.
  • Rapid or racing thoughts.
  • Self-destructive or dangerous behavior 
  • (spending sprees, reckless driving, 
  • unsafe sex).

  • THIS BEHAVIOR IS PROBABLY COVERED
  • BUT I WOULD ADD
  • THEFT AND DEFAMATION AND 
  • CONVERSION OF ASSETS
  • TO PROMOTE SOCIOPATHIC BELIEFS.