Schizoaffective disorder (abbreviated as SZA or SAD) is a mental disorder characterized by abnormal thought processes and deregulated emotions. The diagnosis is made when the patient has features of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, either bipolar disorder or depression, but does not strictly meet diagnostic criteria for either alone. The bipolar type is distinguished by symptoms of mania, hypomania, or mixed episode; the depressive type by symptoms of depression only. Common symptoms of the disorder include hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and disorganized speech and thinking. The onset of symptoms usually begins in young adulthood, currently with an uncertain lifetime prevalence because the disorder was redefined, but DSM-IV …show more content…
Beliefs should not be considered delusional if they are in keeping with cultural beliefs. Delusional beliefs may or may not reflect mood symptoms. Hallucinations are disturbances in perception involving any of the five senses, although auditory hallucinations, or "hearing voices", are the most common. A lack of responsiveness or negative symptoms include lack of spontaneous speech, reduced intensity of outward emotional expression, loss of motivation, and inability to experience pleasure. Negative symptoms can be more lasting and more debilitating than positive symptoms of psychosis.
Mood symptoms are of mania, hypomania, mixed episode, or depression, and tend to be episodic rather than continuous. A mixed episode represents a combination of symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. Symptoms of mania include elevated or irritable mood, inflated self-esteem, agitation, risk-taking behavior, decreased need for sleep, poor concentration, rapid speech, and racing thoughts. Symptoms of depression include low mood, apathy, changes in appetite or weight, disturbances in sleep, changes in motor activity, fatigue, guilt or worthlessness, and suicidal thinking.
Genetics, neurobiology, early and current environment, behavioral, social, and experiential components appear to be important contributory factors; some recreational and prescription drugs may cause or worsen symptoms. People with
These mood episodes include the manic episodes and the depressive episodes. The mood changes of mania include a long period of an overly happy mood and irritability; the behavioral changes are talking quickly, having racing thoughts, being distracted, increasing of activities, being restless, getting little or no sleep, being impulsive, and engaging in high-risk, pleasurable activities or behaviors (NIMH, 2015). The mood changes of the depressive episodes are loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed and a long period of sadness; the behavioral changes are feeling very tired, having trouble with decision making and problem solving, being irritable, changing normal habits, and negative thinking (NIMH, 2015). Sometimes symptoms from both episodes can be present in a person’s current mood episode. This is called a mixed state. In the mixed state, a person can feel agitated, have a change in eating habits, and have suicidal thoughts; they also feel very hopeless and very energized at the same time (NIMH, 2015). About ten percent of people have at least four mood episodes every year which is called rapid cycling bipolar disorder (Schacter el at.,
There are four types of mood episodes in bipolar disorder: mania, hypomania, depression, and mixed episodes. Each mood episode comes with a series of symptoms. In the manic phase of bipolar disorder, feelings of increased energy and extreme happiness are the most common. People who are experiencing a manic episode often cannot stop talking, their talking is fast and very hard to understand, they sleep very little, and are very hyperactive. They feel they are invincible and can do anything in the world. Hypomania is a less severe type of mania.
Despite the similarities, there are more common symptoms in bipolar depression than it is in regular depression. For example, bipolar depression has individuals feeling guilty, hopeless, sad, empty, unpredictable mood swings, and feelings of restlessness. People with bipolar depression also tend to move very slow, gain weight, and sleep a lot (Hatchett). On the other hand the hypomania state has led observers to feel that bipolar patients are "addicted" to their mania. Paranoia or irritable characteristics begin to manifest in this stage. Hyperactive behavior can sometimes lead to violence and speech becomes very rapid (Hirschfeld, 1995). A mixed episode is when you have both manic and depressive symptoms at the same time. According to Hirschfield, “Those afflicted are a special risk because there is a combination of hopelessness, agitation, and anxiety that makes them feel like they,” “could jump out of their skin” (Hirschfeld, 1995). Up to 50% of all patients with mania have a mixture of depressed moods. This episode is considered very dangerous because individuals feel as if they could commit suicide.
According to the DSM-5 (2013), the characteristic symptoms of schizophreniform disorder, such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, or negative symptoms, may present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period. Martin is a 21 year-old college student and he had psychotic symptoms, specifically delusions and hallucinations over the past few weeks. Martin’s family and friends have overheard him whispering in an agitated voice. Recently, Martin refused to use his cell phone, claiming that if he uses it, a deadly chip implanted in his brain by evil aliens will activate. At the same time, he has negative symptoms, such as a lack of motivation, he has stopped attending
The second episode is depressive or depression stage. This episode includes a long period of feeling worried or empty, such as lost of interest in activities once enjoyed. During a manic episode the patient will show signs of talking very fast, being overly distracted, sleeping for 2 hours and feeling really rested, or the patient might even find him or herself quitting a job for no reason, some of the patients experimenting this episode can also charge up huge amounts in their credit cards. During a depressive episode the patient might feel like sleeping for hours or not sleeping at all, also everything people do affects them. Patients with bipolar disorder often go through depression more then they go through a manic episode. These episodes of bipolar disorder can last up for days, weeks, or even months. Patients experiencing these mood swings are not the same as experiencing everyday mood swings; the mood swings of bipolar patients are very severe that they interfere sometimes with the ability to function with their everyday life.
I believe that the most likely causes appear to fall into the area of neurobiology and genetics. I do not discard that environmental factors may influence the aspects of the disorder, but I believe such
Individuals with schizophrenia suffer from numerous symptoms. Some symptoms include perceptual and behavioral abnormalities; for example, peculiar movements, postures, and habits (Walker and Tessner 2008). Sensory experiences, known as hallucinations, occur in the absence of any sensory stimulus and are one of the most common symptoms of the disorder (Walker and Tessner 2008). An individual may suffer from touch, smell, taste, vision, and most commonly, auditory hallucinations such as hearing voices. Delusions are another symptom, which are false beliefs held by an individual. Examples of delusions that
When it comes to mental illness many people are rendered incompetent. One such mental illness is known as Schizoaffective disorders, that have various illnesses combined together to affect one’s perception and judgment. Equally important is when people with schizoaffective disorder have sporadic relapses and symptoms emerge that will cause dilemma. There is uncertainty about the prevalence of schizoaffective disorder, but it is stated that the disorder affect female more than males especially the depressive type. A clinical picture of the disorder and the criteria by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition, text revision, (DSM-IV-TR) for this disorder will be presented. In this paper, various symptoms are presented
It has been said that people with Schizophrenia have hallucinations and Delusions. “Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects the way the person acts, thinks, and sees the world” (“Schizophrenia” 1). This disease makes the person live in fear and horror from how much it controls the person’s head. There are many signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia. The five signs of Schizophrenia are: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, and the negative symptoms. There are also different types of Schizophrenia. The three types are: Paranoid Schizophrenia, disorganized Schizophrenia, and Catatonic Schizophrenia. Each of these different kinds of Schizophrenia has a different affect on people and each one has a different explanation.
Delusions are one of the most common symptoms to schizophrenia. Delusions are false beliefs that the patient believes is true. An example is when the patient believes someone is following them or “out to get them”. Just like schizophrenia, delusions also have subtypes. The first subtype is erotomanic which is when they believe that someone is in love with them and they will go through many obstacles just to try to contact them. The next subtype is grandiose. Grandiose is when the person believes that they are famous or have a lot of power over others. The persecution subtype is when they feel that someone is against them or spreading rumors about them. The forth subtype is jealousy, and is when the patient believes that their spouse isn’t being committed to the relationship. The final subtype to delusions is somatic. The patient believes that there is
Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder that causes the one suffering from it many problems ranging from neurological problems to physical. Not much is known about what causes the disorder other than some cognitive impairment or complications with the home life or life growing up. Many factors can cause schizophrenia, but there is no main cause. Schizophrenia also consists of many symptoms. These symptoms include speech and motor impairment, delusions and hallucinations, feeling as if one is threatened and speaking aloud his or her thoughts without any intention of doing so. There are many other symptoms, some that may be very similar to those a teen may be going through. Which makes it more difficult to pick out among teens than adults. Like the many symptoms and possible causes of Schizophrenia, there are also different treatments that can be used. Many of these treatments involve the use of an antipsychotic such as Abilify. Other therapies and drugs are used as well.
Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic-depression, is a mental disorder. This disorder causes the individual to experience severe mood swings, from elation to depression. Individuals with bipolar disorder can experience serious changes in thinking, energy and behaviour. The different states of those with bipolar experience are referred to as ‘episodes’. These episodes can last days, weeks or months, depending on the severity of the episode. There are three main types of episodes, they are mania, depressive and psychotic states. Mania describes the state in which the individual experiences extreme happiness and euphoria, a ‘high’ of sorts. People who are having a manic episode display symptoms such as; feeling full of energy, not eating
The bridge used to close the gap between mood disorders and schizophrenia is the diagnosis of schizoaffective psychosis. Psychosis
Schizoid Personality Disorder is a personality disorder in which an individual chooses to avoid close relationships with other people, takes pleasure in little, if any, activities, appears to be indifferent to others’ opinions of them, and they are typically asexual. Many people confuse schizoid personality disorder with schizophrenia, but they are two separate disorders. Schizoid personality disorder is not a mood disorder nor does an individual with schizoid personality disorder present with symptoms such as paranoia or hallucinations. In some instances, schizoid personality disorder can be a precursor for schizophrenia, but in order to be diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder, an individual must not present with symptoms of schizophrenia.
These symptoms are: Delusions which are strange beliefs that are not based in reality. Another positive symptom are hallucinations which makes people hear voices, feel touched when they are not touched and see things that are not really there.