schizoaffective1

ROOM 104A
SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER

Schizoaffective Disorder was first proposed in 1980 in the DSM-III. It was a compromise diagnosis used to describe patients who showed symptoms of both schizophrenia and either depression or bipolar disorder (manic-depression). Many psychiatrists believe that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are at the ends of a long continuum. At one end is the mood disorder, manic-depression. At the other end is the primarily thought disorder called schizophrenia. Historically, people were lumped into one of the two categories. This changed in 1980 with the advent of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Third Edition (DSM-III). With the overwhelming evidence that some patients exhibited both schizophrenic and bipolar symptoms, a new diagnosis had to be found. Shizoaffective Disorder is that diagnosis.

What is Schizoaffective Disorder? In its simplest form, Schizoaffective Disorder occurs when someone has both symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder or depression (here we will focus on the bipolar disorder part of the diagnosis). For the diagnosis to be made, there must be at least a 2-week period where symptoms of the mood disorder are not present, while at the same time, symptoms of schizophrenia persist. For an indepth discussion of schizophrenia, please return to SCHIZOPHRENIA: THE BASICS..

The bipolar aspect of the disease will be discussed here; the depressive aspect will be described concurrently and in the context of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder (BPD) can come in two forms, aptly named Bipolar I and Bipolar II. The Bipolar I diagnosis is given for those who have had at least one episode of full-blown mania with intermittent depressive episodes or times of relatively stability in mood. The Bipolar II diagnosis is given for those who have experienced only hypomania (a mild form of mania) with intermittent depressive episodes or times of relative stability in mood. It is important to note that some persons with BPD go years without significant changes in their moods, only to have an episode or episodes later. On the other hand, some people with this disorder can "cycle" several times a day. And of course, there are the many people with this disorder who cycle every few days, every few weeks, or every few months. Likewise, it is important to remember that in the person with Schizoaffective Disorder all of this is happening concommitantly with symptoms of schizophrenia. In fact, many people with sz battle depression also. This is thought to be most prevalent when a person has just come out of a psychotic episode and realizes that his or her life is not what she wants it to be.

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ROOM 104B
SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER
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