Schizoaffective Disorder Depressive Type Treatment

Carefully Monitor Medication Use And Its Effects

Schizoaffective disorder is treated with a combination of antipsychotics and antidepressants, and possibly mood stabilizers if manic episodes are experienced. Because these substances are used to treat specific symptoms, which may wax and wane at different times, medication use for men and women with schizoaffective disorder must be carefully monitored at all times.

Adjustments in dosages and the medications used may be necessary, and it is important when youre not in residential treatment to pay close attention to how the medications youre taking are affecting you. Mental health professionals need accurate reports to make sure medication use continues to be appropriate and safe.

Diagnosing Schizoaffective Disorder: Dsm

Schizoaffective disorder is, like schizophrenia, a psychotic disorder. In addition to psychotic features, schizoaffective disorder has significant mood symptoms. This rare mental illness is related to both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder and affects approximately one-third fewer people than schizophrenia.

To receive a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, someone must meet all the primary criteria for schizophrenia and have prominent mood disorder symptoms as well. This basic description of this disorder is accurate, but it falls a bit short. Lets take a deeper look to answer the question: What is schizoaffective disorder?

Start Your Recovery Today

If you think that you or a loved one are living with schizoaffective disorder, the best time to seek help is right now. Our team of healthcare professionals are dedicated to helping you find the treatment plan thats right for your situation.

Whether thats mental health treatment, a dual diagnosis mental health and substance abuse treatment plan, or a partial hospitalization plan, we provide all the tools you need to take control of your mental health. From support groups to individual therapy treatment options, we are here to fight the battle with you.

If you have any questions about our mental health care, you can reach our admissions specialists at 335-0400 or fill out our confidential contact form.

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When Should I Go To The Emergency Room

If you or a loved one seems in danger of harming themselves or others, get help right away. Go to an emergency room, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255. This national network of local crisis centers provides free, confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Its available 24/7.

What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider

If you or a loved one has schizoaffective disorder, ask your provider:

• What medication will help?
• What other therapy can help?
• Will this disorder ever go away?
• How long will treatment continue?
• Is there a higher risk for other conditions or disorders?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Schizoaffective disorder is a serious mental health condition. It has features of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder. Schizoaffective symptoms may include symptoms of mania, depression and psychosis. Its important to get treatment as soon as possible. If you notice symptoms of schizoaffective disorder, talk to a healthcare provider. Treatment for schizoaffective disorder includes medication and therapy. While theres no cure for this disorder, treatment helps improve peoples symptoms and quality of life.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/24/2021.

References

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Be Honest With Everyone

People with schizoaffective disorder shouldnt ignore recurrent symptoms, even when they seem to be minor. They should be open and honest with their family about what theyre thinking and experiencing, and they must be even more honest during sessions with their therapists.

New symptoms or changes in the intensity of old ones could be a sign that you need to adjust your medication. They could also mean that stressful situations are compromising your recovery. Either way, you have to talk about what youre feeling so others can offer support and assistance, whether of a personal or professional nature.

Years Leading Up To Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type With Pmdd

Allow me to flesh out the story of getting PMDD as a pre-teen and, later, bipolar disorder. I got my first period at 10, and I first suffered from depression around the age of 12. But I was quite manic at the age of 11, and it felt great, so I didnt complain to anyone. It turned out I had a great figure and I showed off my body with tank tops and miniskirts. My mom didnt mind she thought I looked great, a teen of the ’60s who wore miniskirts herself. I was enamored with the ’60s, right down to my music tastes: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Janis Joplin, to name a few. I liked to wear my moms vintage fashions.

What triggered my depressive episode when I was 12 was that a friend accused me of having made a potentially racist comment about a character in a TV show. I didnt mean it that way. I didnt ever want to be racist. But I didnt defend myself, and just from having made what someone else considered an insensitive comment, I plummeted into a depression, right in time for my paternal grandfathers death and the whole family plummeting into sadness.

I had similar ups and downs all through adolescence that culminated in a schizoaffective psychotic episode when I was in college.

I dont use birth control to treat my schizoaffective disorder but for other symptoms. But my schizoaffective disorder makes my PMDD worse. My birth control helps a lot with my PMDD, and I dont want to give it up. Hopefully, I, and millions of other women, wont have to.

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Medication For Schizoaffective Disorder

Your doctor may prescribe medication to help to alleviate symptoms. Medications for schizoaffective disorder can include:

• Antipsychotics: Antipsychotic medications target psychosis. They can help to alleviate the severity of hallucinations and delusions.
• Mood stabilizers: Mood stabilizers are typically prescribed for conditions such as bipolar disorder. They can help with symptoms of mania and depression.
• Antidepressants: Antidepressants target depressive moods. Your doctor may prescribe these for depressive-type schizoaffective disorder, where symptoms of mania are not present.

What Causes Schizoaffective Disorder

Researchers dont 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 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.

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Support And Next Steps

If you or a loved one struggle with schizoaffective disorder, the most important thing to remember is that you are not alone, nor should you be. Families of those affected by schizoaffective disorders should not only seek care for their loved ones, but also for themselves. Mental illness in general, and schizoaffective disorder in particular, can be taxing both on the family relationships and on individuals who care about the sufferer. There are mental health help lines, organizations dedicated to the support of suffers and loved ones, and treatment facilities such as Destination Hope that all play a role in the management of symptoms associated with this insidious disease.

How To Make Your Treatment Most Effective

Schizoaffective disorder is a serious and lifelong mental health condition. If you’ve been diagnosed with this condition, it means you’ll likely be treating its symptoms for the rest of your life. The good news is that there are effective treatments and therapies that can make your symptoms more manageable. Here are some tips to make these treatments most effective:

• Cut out drugs and alcohol: You should avoid alcohol and any substances that are not your prescription drugs when treating schizoaffective disorder. Alcohol and certain substances can interfere with your treatment.
• Have a daily routine: Sticking to a constant daily routine can make symptoms of mania and depression more manageable.
• Have a support system: Maintain a healthy relationship with your family and friends. Keep them updated on your treatment plan and progress, and allow them to support you in whatever ways they can.
• Keep stress in check: Being stressed can exacerbate your symptoms even if you are getting treated for this condition.

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Bipolar Or Mixed Type Schizoaffective Disorder

In this type, people present both psychotic and mood symptoms in one episode. During this period there is evidence of a major mood disorder, either depression or mania. Bipolar type schizoaffective disorder symptoms may include:

• Feeling constantly sad and fatigued
• Paranoia

• Suffering from sleeplessness

Coping With Schizoaffective Disorder Depressive Type

If you have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder depressive type , you may feel overwhelmed by the diagnosis and your symptoms. You may also be worried about how your condition will affect your relationships, work, and day-to-day activities.

To help cope with schizoaffective disorder depressive type, here are some tips:

• Take care of yourself: Try to get enough sleep and eat a well-balanced diet. Exercise can help you feel better physically and mentally.
• Reach out for support: If you have a family member or friend that you trust, consider talking to them about your feelings. You can also contact a trusted clergy member, spiritual leader, or someone else in the community who is trained to offer support.
• Join a support group: Talking to others who are facing similar challenges can be comforting. Seek out schizoaffective disorder depressive type peer support groups in your area.
• Learn about schizoaffective disorder depressive type: The more you know about schizoaffective disorder depressive type, its symptoms, and how it’s treated, the better equipped you will be to make decisions about your care.

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What Types Of Teen Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment Are Available

Teen schizoaffective disorder treatment typically focuses on various forms of psychotherapy, with occasional medical intervention based on the severity of an individuals symptoms.

Talk Therapy Talk therapy includes mentally and behaviorally-centered approaches, in which therapists help teens to address and clarify any delusions or hallucinations and evaluate and implement behaviors to help replace unhealthy tendencies or habits. Therapists also work with teens during teen schizoaffective disorder treatment to address any symptoms of depression or mania they may be experiencing, and work to alleviate anxiety and change unhealthy thinking patterns.

Group Therapy Different from one-on-one talk therapy sessions, group therapy focuses instead on utilizing the social dynamic of a group to help patients cooperate and work through their issues. At times, group therapy sessions can also be extremely helpful in assuring teenagers that theyre not alone and that other people understand where theyre coming from and dont judge them for their experience. Through group therapy, teens can also learn to view their illness objectively by hearing about it through another persons perspective.

Therapy For Schizoaffective Disorder

Because schizoaffective disorder is lifelong, long-term treatment is necessary. People who feel better for a while may stop taking their medication, but this can cause symptoms to come back. Its important to work with a treatment team and stick to a treatment plan. Continuing the treatment recommended by a care provider can make it more likely symptoms will go into remission. Going to therapy and joining a support group can help prevent isolation and lead to a better quality of life.

For therapy to be effective, its important to get the correct diagnosis. A misdiagnosis of schizophrenia often means psychotic symptoms become the primary focus of treatment. Mood symptoms that go untreated then continue to negatively affect well-being. Its important to talk over all symptoms with a therapist, even the symptoms that seem less important or unrelated.

Mood symptoms are generally addressed first in therapy. This is partially because depression and mania tend to respond better to treatment than psychotic symptoms. Its also often difficult to tell whether symptoms best fit a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, or schizoaffective disorder. When mood symptoms respond to treatment but psychotic symptoms persist, it can be easier for a mental health professional to tell what the person seeking help is dealing with.

Therapy for schizoaffective disorder often includes individual counseling, group therapy, and family or relationship counseling.

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Helping A Loved One With Schizoaffective Disorder Depressive Type

While many people diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder depressive type can lead fulfilling lives, symptoms of the condition may make it challenging for some to succeed at work or school.

If you are caring for someone who is living with schizoaffective disorder depressive type, here are some ways that you can help:

• Offer support and understanding: Although schizoaffective disorder depressive type symptoms can make it difficult for your loved one to have a typical social life, they may appreciate the chance to spend time with you.
• Help set realistic expectations: Most people living with schizoaffective disorder depressive type function well during periods of symptom relief.
• Reinforce your loved one’s treatment plan: Encourage your loved one to take their medications and attend therapy appointments.
• Help with day-to-day activities: Even if your loved one is able to work, they may find it useful to have you help with daily tasks such as food shopping or paying bills.

Types Of Schizoaffective Disorder And Treatment Strategies

Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic mental health illness that affects thoughts, emotions, and actions. Those with schizoaffective disorder often experience both psychotic episodes and mood instability. As a result, the symptoms are often mistakenly diagnosed as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. An accurate diagnosis relies on medical professionals that have experience and a deep understanding of this disorder.

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An Overview Of Schizoaffective Disorder

Manouchehr Saljoughian, PharmD, PhDAlta Bates Summit Medical CenterBerkeley, California

US Pharm. 2019 44:10-12.

Schizoaffective disorder, a perplexing and chronic mental-health condition, is a hybrid of two mental illnesses in that it incorporates features of schizophrenia and mood disorders . Symptoms may occur simultaneously or at different times. Cycles of severe symptoms are often followed by periods of improvement or high energy. This mental condition causes both a loss of contact with reality and mood problems.1 It is not known whether schizoaffective disorder is related mainly to schizophrenia or to mood disorder. Although schizoaffective disorder can be managed, it cannot be cured, and most patients will experience relapses.1

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, defines the disorder as the presence of schizophrenia symptoms concurrent with mood symptoms that last for a considerable portion of a 1-month period.1 Schizoaffective disorder is classified into two kinds: type 1 , which involves some schizophrenia symptoms and episodes of mania and bipolar disorders, and type 2 , which includes schizophrenia symptoms and major depressive episodes.1

Schizoaffective disorder usually begins in an individuals late teens or in early adulthood, often between the ages of 16 and 30 years. It appears to occur slightly less often in men than in women, and it is rare in children.1

Symptoms Of Schizoaffective Disorder

A person with schizoaffective disorder may experience delusions and/or hallucinations as well as depression and mania . Women and men experience schizoaffective disorder at the same rate less than a half of one percent lifetime prevalence. Men usually develop the condition at an earlier age than women.1

Due to the overlap in symptoms with other major mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more, it is important that other disorders are ruled out before a definitive diagnosis can be made.

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Schizoaffective Disorder Plus Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is the first major mood disorder I suffered from as a kid. However, I did develop early symptoms of bipolar disorder as a teen as well, and that later led to schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a very extreme form of what is commonly known as premenstrual syndrome . Untreated, I dont have minor bouts of irritability or sadness during my period–I have full-on depression accompanied by suicidal thoughts. The way I treat my PMDD is with birth control pills.

Maybe its my schizoaffective anxiety or even paranoia, but Im honestly afraid my right to birth control might be taken away now that Roe vs. Wade has been overturned. Lets just say there are some people on the U.S. Supreme Court who worry me. But, for now, I have my birth control, so I guess Ill cross that next bridge when I come to it. I hope voting can keep that from ever happening.

What Treatments Are Available

Everyone is different and people’s experience of schizoaffective disorder will vary from person to person, as will the treatments that work best for them.

On this page you can find information on:

These are taken from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on the treatment of schizophrenia, which also covers schizoaffective disorder.

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Treatment And Your Life Beyond Schizoaffective Disorder

Self-help and self-care is an essential part of anyones recovery from serious mental illness. But your pursuit of wellness should begin with residential treatment for schizoaffective disorder, where you can receive guidance and appropriate medical services from mental health experts who understand the nature of your difficulties.

Treatment can help you chart a new course in life. If you embrace the possibilities, your time in residential treatment could be the beginning of something very special.

If youre concerned about a loved one and believe they may need residential care, we can help. BrightQuest offers long-term treatment for people struggling with complex mental illnesses. Contact us to learn more about our renowned program and how we can help you or your loved one start the journey toward recovery.