Self-destructive or dangerous behavior (such as going on spending sprees, driving recklessly or having unsafe sex)
Schizophrenia
Delusions (strange beliefs that are not based in reality and that the person refuses to give up, even when presented with factual information)
Hallucinations (the perception of sensations that aren't real, such as hearing voices)
Disorganized thinking
Odd or unusual behavior
Slow movements or total immobility
Lack of emotion in facial expression and speech
Poor motivation
Problems with speech and communication
What Causes Schizoaffective Disorder?
While the exact cause of schizoaffective disorder is not known, researchers
believe that genetic, biochemical and environmental factors are involved.
Genetics (heredity): A tendency to develop schizoaffective
disorder may be passed on from parents to their children.
Brain chemistry: People with schizophrenia and mood
disorders may have an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. These
chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are substances that help nerve cells in
the brain send messages to each other. An imbalance in these chemicals can
interfere with the transmission of messages, leading to symptoms.
Environmental factors: Evidence suggests that certain
environmental factors -- such as a viral infection, poor social interactions or
highly stressful situations -- may trigger schizoaffective disorder in people
who have inherited a tendency to develop the disorder.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Schizophrenia is a disabling brain disorder that may cause hallucinations and delusions and affect a person's ability to communicate and pay attention. Symptoms of psychosis appear in men in their late teens and early 20s and in women in their mid-20s to early 30s. With treatment involving the use of antipsychotic medications and psychosocial treatment, schizophrenia patients can lead rewarding and meaningful lives.
Bipolar disorder (or manic depression) is a mental illness characterized by depression, mania, and severe mood swings. Treatment may incorporate mood stabilizer medications, antidepressants, and psychotherapy.
Psychotic disorders are a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. Different types of psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, shared psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, substance-induced psychotic disorder, paraphrenia, and psychotic disorders due to medical conditions.
Mental illness is any disease or condition affecting the brain that influence the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, and/or relates to others. Mental illness is caused by heredity, biology, psychological trauma and environmental stressors.
Factitious disorders are conditions in which people pretend to have physical or mental illnesses when they aren't sick. These people may lie about or fake symptoms to obtain the sympathy and attention given to people who are genuinely ill. Symptoms of factitious disorders include dramatic, inconsistent medical history, the presence of many surgical scars, and a history of seeking treatment at many different hospitals.
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