Schizoaffective Disorder

“Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic mental health condition mainly characterized by its symptoms of schizophrenia,

One of my closest friends during my undergraduate career has a mental illness called bipolar. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar is defined as a chronic mental illness that causes a range of different shifts in mood, energy, activity occurrence, and the ability to function and carry out the day to day tasks (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). Bipolar disorder is also known as a manic depressive illness due to the shifts in mood. People with bipolar often experience lows and highs. Research substantiates that there is no clear cause for bipolar, but there are many factors that contribute to the likelihood of a person developing bipolar.

There are many concerns when it comes to the mental health of individuals throughout the world. Mental health problems can manifest in a variety of different ways and range in severity from attention deficits to hallucinations. One of the most severe forms of disorders that can affect an individual is bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that presents a wide variety of different symptoms that affect the ability of an individual to live a complete and satisfied life. By examining the overall prevalence of the ailment, its symptoms, and the forms of treatments available, a more complete understanding of bipolar disease can emerge.

Schizophrenia is a disease that is on a spectrum, there are five different subtypes. Paranoid schizophrenia is when a person is delusional and suspicious of others plotting against them or their family members. Disorganized schizophrenia also known as ‘hebephrenia’ includes hallucinations as well as illogical and incoherent thought and behaviors. Little or no interest in things, withdrawing and being in a constant daze describes catatonic schizophrenia. Residual schizophrenia includes not being motivated in life anymore, it is an acute version of the illness. Depression is associated with schizoaffective disorder, with them both having to do with frequent mood changes. All of these different types shows that there are a variety of schizophrenics.

Many have confused schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with dissociative identity disorder. Bipolar disorder also known as manic-depression is a fairly common disorder when compared to schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder. It is also well-understood and treated by a combination of medications and psychotherapy.It is characterized by alternating moods of mania and depression. These usually last weeks or even months depending on the person. People who are manic have a high energy level and often irrational beliefs. After a manic mood, the person will often “crash” into a depressive mood characterized by sadness and lethargy. It is found in both men and women equally and cause significant sleeping problems in both the manic mood and depressive mood. This disorder can pose a great challenge to treat due to the medications that are prescribed causing the patient to feel “zombie like”or “emotionless”. They tend to wean off of their medication and are able to cope well with their mood swings in society. Bipolar disorder can be diagnosed throughout the person 's life. Schizophrenia is less common than bipolar disorder but more common than dissociative identity disorder. Men are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than women and is diagnosed mostly in the person’s late teens to early 20s. Schizophrenia is categorized by having both hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations are defined by an experience involving the apparent perception perception of something

A Schizoaffective disorder is a mental illness. The symptoms of this illness include having strange or unusual thoughts or perceptions, paranoid thoughts and ideas, delusion (i.e. having false, fixed beliefs), hallucination, such as hearing voices, and experience disorganized thinking (i.e. unclear and confused thoughts). They may have manic episodes or a sudden increase in energy and behavioural displays that are out of character. They may become irritable and have poor temper control, and even have thoughts of suicide or homicide. Their speaking style can be erratic, and difficult of others to understand, they may have problems with attention and memory. Their behaviour will be at extreme ends of the normal spectrum (catatonic behaviour)

Clinical diagnoses of Bipolar disorder, (BP) and schizophrenia (SCH) symptoms that are related to mental illness have increased dramatically within the last several years, and treatment is becoming more specialized. But, unless you study these disorders, or have some degree in psychology, the basis of your knowledge of these disorders comes from media, movies and newspapers. Mass media is the public’s primary source for information so when they decide to present breaking news about some criminal felon who reportedly suffers from mental disorders such as

Bipolar disorder, manic episode, is represented by persistently elevated or irritable mood and abnormal and persistent increase of goal directed activity or energy that lasts more than a week (DSM 5). Most of the time, the client presents with inflated self-esteem and grandiosity (DSM 5). In addition, only three hours of sleep may be enough for the patient to feel rested because he/she has a drecreased need for sleep (Tracy, 2012). Usually, the person presents with a pressure to talk without taking any break and is seen more talkative than he/she frequently is (DSM 5).

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mood disorder, characterized by recurrent manic or hypomanic and depressive episodes, (Miller, 2006). It has been know to interfere with cognition and behavior, which ultimately severely

Clinical diagnoses of Bipolar disorder, (BP) and schizophrenia (SCH) symptoms that are related to mental illness have increased dramatically within the last several years, and treatment is becoming more specialized. But, unless you study these disorders, or have some degree in psychology, the basis of your knowledge of these disorders comes from media, movies and newspapers. Mass media is the public’s primary source for information so when they decide to present breaking news about some criminal felon who reportedly suffers from mental disorders such as bi-polar or schizophrenia, that is now the population’s idea of the mental disorder. Ultimately misleading the population’s perception due to one story about a single person. .

Bipolar patients may have the misperceptions about their power and importance and may involve themselves in senseless, irresponsible, or risky activities like thoughts of suicide and addiction. Alternatively, the mood may be irritable, especially when plans are blocked while patients may be argumentative and provoked by seemingly harmless remarks. Self-esteem is inflated during a manic episode, and as the activity level increases, feelings about self-become increasingly disturbed where a patient will be willing to undertake any project possible. "Bipolar patients are extremely self-confident, with an ego that knows no bounds; they are on top of the world." The patient’s boundless energy and inability to anticipate consequences often leads to

During your treatment your doctor may decide to prescribe you medications. The kinds of medications you may be prescribed are antipsychotics, mood-stabilizers, and/or antidepressants. Each of these medications treat a different area of Schizoaffective Disorder depending on the symptoms you have.

Schizophrenia is known to be a devastating brain disorder that negatively affects many aspects of a person’s life, such as; thinking, language, emotions, social behavior, and ability to perceive reality (Varcarolis, 2010). Due to the high comorbidity of schizophrenia, patients often suffer from multiple disorders, when a mood disorder, such as mania, or depression, coexists with the schizophrenia, it is known as a schizoaffective disorder. Patient, A.S., is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder due to her hallucinations, her manic state and paranoia. The purpose of this paper is to form an individualized Care Plan for A.S. in accord with the evidence-based practice and clinical manifestations. It will include the patient’s history (past and present) along with the appropriate interventions. In the paper we will discuss schizoaffective disorder as well as well as the symptoms, thoughts, and actions of a schizoaffective person. Furthermore, the pathophysiology of schizophrenia will be explained thoroughly, followed with the medications and interventions used for this disorder. The hope is to better understand the aspects of schizoaffective disorder and its manifestations, so one better care for a patient with such a disease.

Schizoaffective disorder is a disorder that is exhibited similarly to schizophrenia and mood disorders. Schizoaffective disorders characteristics consist of both auditory and visual hallucinations, delusions, mania, and depression. According to Pagel, “This seems all the more plausible because SAD (schizoaffective disorder), by definition, is characterized by criteria of two disorders (Pagel, 2014, p.239).” Many people have difficulty understanding the differences between schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia, and the difference simply is that schizoaffective disorder also exhibits the symptoms of an affective disorder, along with hallucinations. Affective disorders consist of anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. The affective disorder that will be exhibited with schizoaffective disorder is either bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder. The bipolar type of schizoaffective disorder will exhibit episodes of hypomania and mania, whereas the major depressive disorder type will exhibit only depression. Other symptoms that can occur with schizoaffective disorder are paranoia, impaired socialization skills, lack of proper hygiene, and inability to perform ADL’s properly. There can be many contributing causes of schizoaffective disorder such as, genetics, substance abuse, brain chemistry, and stress. Schizoaffective disorder can be related to brain chemistry, by chemical and hormone imbalances, delayed development, and exposure