How Do I Talk to Someone With Schizoaffective Disorder?

What is schizoaffective disorder?

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that causes schizophrenia symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, depression, and mania. Always try to be non-judgmental and supportive when communicating with people with schizoaffective disorder.
Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that causes schizophrenia symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, depression, and mania. Always try to be non-judgmental and supportive when communicating with people with schizoaffective disorder.

Communicating with someone with schizoaffective disorder can be quite difficult at times. To have the best interaction that you can, always try to be supportive and avoid being judgmental. 

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that causes schizophrenia symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, depression, and mania. Many people with schizoaffective disorder are wrongly diagnosed with bipolar disorder or a mood disorder at first. That’s because the conditions have very similar symptoms.

This condition is quite rare, affecting about three people in every 1000 (0.3%). It affects males and females at about the same rate. However, men tend to develop schizoaffective disorder at a younger age than women do.

Schizoaffective disorder is classified into two types depending on the person’s associated mood disorder. The two types of schizoaffective disorder are:

  1. Bipolar disorder type. This is a schizoaffective disorder that involves mood changes: mania (extreme highs) and depression (extreme lows).
  2. Depressive type. This type of schizoaffective disorder is characterized by depression and difficulties concentrating and remembering things.

Main symptoms of schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder may cause severe symptoms and require keen monitoring. People get different symptoms depending on their condition. The symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include: 

  • Hallucinations. Seeing or hearing things that don't exist.
  • Delusions. Believing things that may be false, even with proof that they aren’t true.
  • Disorganized thoughts. Switching from topic to topic or giving answers unrelated to the question asked.
  • Depression. Feeling extreme worthlessness, sadness, emptiness, or low mood.
  • Mania. People with bipolar type schizoaffective disorder may get racing thoughts, euphoria, and the tendency to engage in risky behavior.

Other possible symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include:

Main causes of schizoaffective disorder

No one really knows what causes schizoaffective disorder. However, some factors have been found to play a part in the development of this condition. Some of these factors are:

  • Genetic inheritance. Having a close family member who has schizoaffective disorder increases a person's chance of getting the condition. However, that doesn’t mean that they will definitely get the condition.
  • Brain chemistry and structure. The structure and function of the brain may predispose a person to get schizoaffective disorder.
  • Stress. Major life-changing events like divorce, death of a loved one, or loss of a job may cause the development of schizoaffective disorder or trigger its symptoms.
  • Drug use. Using drugs that have psychoactive effects (e.g., LSD) may lead to the development of schizoaffective disorder.

Diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder

Diagnosing schizoaffective disorder can be difficult because it shares symptoms with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. To be diagnosed with this condition, a person must have experienced some of the following:

  • A major mood disorder (depression or mania) at the same time with other symptoms of schizophrenia
  • Hallucinations or delusions for not less than two weeks without a major mood episode
  • Having symptoms of a major mood episode most of the time
  • Abuse of psychoactive drugs

Treatment of schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder has no permanent cure. However, with treatment, someone with this condition can manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life significantly.

A doctor may prescribe medications such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotic medications. They may also recommend psychotherapy treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy or family-focused therapy). People with schizoaffective disorder may also use self-management strategies and education to help manage it.

Therapy treatment should be combined with skills training to help with developing relationships and improving coping skills. Skills training helps people with schizoaffective disorder to learn how to groom, work, manage daily life activities, and improve their social skills. Family-focused therapy is also a good way to help the person's family cope with the condition and learn how to support the affected member.




QUESTION

Laughter feels good because…
See Answer

Why is talking to someone with schizoaffective disorder difficult?

Some of the reasons that might make it difficult to talk to someone with schizoaffective disorder include that they may:

  • Switch topics quickly
  • Be hard to follow or understand
  • Speak very slowly or very quickly
  • Have different beliefs from you
  • Be sluggish or lethargic
  • Have problems with memory and concentration
  • Get easily distracted by things they see, hear, or feel that you may not sense
  • Use words and phrases that might be difficult for you to understand

How to talk to someone with schizoaffective disorder

As mentioned earlier, always try to be non-judgmental and supportive when communicating with people with schizoaffective disorder. Also, try using the same language they use to tell you about what they're going through. To communicate well with someone with schizoaffective disorder, try:

  • Talking calmly and using a non-threatening voice
  • Using short, clear sentences
  • Showing empathy for their feelings, beliefs, and what they are going through
  • Treating them with respect
  • Not being judgmental about their beliefs and experiences
  • Validating the positives and the things they find distressing or frustrating
  • Appreciating that they may be fearful of what they are going through
  • Avoiding arguing or challenging their beliefs or experiences
  • Accepting when they don’t want to talk to you, but being available when they need to
  • Listening carefully to them and understanding what they experience

Associated conditions

People with schizoaffective disorder will often have another mental condition. Besides schizoaffective disorder, they may also have:

Check Also

What Is the Best Operation to Lose Weight?

Weight loss surgery options Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, is one of the most effective tools for weight loss for people with a BMI above 40. The best operation to lose weight depends on a variety of factors but gastric bypass and gastric sleeve are two clear frontrunners. Weight loss surgery, also …

How Do I Talk to Someone With Schizoaffective Disorder?

What is schizoaffective disorder?

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that causes schizophrenia symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, depression, and mania. Always try to be non-judgmental and supportive when communicating with people with schizoaffective disorder.
Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that causes schizophrenia symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, depression, and mania. Always try to be non-judgmental and supportive when communicating with people with schizoaffective disorder.

Communicating with someone with schizoaffective disorder can be quite difficult at times. To have the best interaction that you can, always try to be supportive and avoid being judgmental. 

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that causes schizophrenia symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, depression, and mania. Many people with schizoaffective disorder are wrongly diagnosed with bipolar disorder or a mood disorder at first. That’s because the conditions have very similar symptoms.

This condition is quite rare, affecting about three people in every 1000 (0.3%). It affects males and females at about the same rate. However, men tend to develop schizoaffective disorder at a younger age than women do.

Schizoaffective disorder is classified into two types depending on the person’s associated mood disorder. The two types of schizoaffective disorder are:

  1. Bipolar disorder type. This is a schizoaffective disorder that involves mood changes: mania (extreme highs) and depression (extreme lows).
  2. Depressive type. This type of schizoaffective disorder is characterized by depression and difficulties concentrating and remembering things.

Main symptoms of schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder may cause severe symptoms and require keen monitoring. People get different symptoms depending on their condition. The symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include: 

  • Hallucinations. Seeing or hearing things that don't exist.
  • Delusions. Believing things that may be false, even with proof that they aren’t true.
  • Disorganized thoughts. Switching from topic to topic or giving answers unrelated to the question asked.
  • Depression. Feeling extreme worthlessness, sadness, emptiness, or low mood.
  • Mania. People with bipolar type schizoaffective disorder may get racing thoughts, euphoria, and the tendency to engage in risky behavior.

Other possible symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include:

Main causes of schizoaffective disorder

No one really knows what causes schizoaffective disorder. However, some factors have been found to play a part in the development of this condition. Some of these factors are:

  • Genetic inheritance. Having a close family member who has schizoaffective disorder increases a person's chance of getting the condition. However, that doesn’t mean that they will definitely get the condition.
  • Brain chemistry and structure. The structure and function of the brain may predispose a person to get schizoaffective disorder.
  • Stress. Major life-changing events like divorce, death of a loved one, or loss of a job may cause the development of schizoaffective disorder or trigger its symptoms.
  • Drug use. Using drugs that have psychoactive effects (e.g., LSD) may lead to the development of schizoaffective disorder.

Diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder

Diagnosing schizoaffective disorder can be difficult because it shares symptoms with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. To be diagnosed with this condition, a person must have experienced some of the following:

  • A major mood disorder (depression or mania) at the same time with other symptoms of schizophrenia
  • Hallucinations or delusions for not less than two weeks without a major mood episode
  • Having symptoms of a major mood episode most of the time
  • Abuse of psychoactive drugs

Treatment of schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder has no permanent cure. However, with treatment, someone with this condition can manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life significantly.

A doctor may prescribe medications such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotic medications. They may also recommend psychotherapy treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy or family-focused therapy). People with schizoaffective disorder may also use self-management strategies and education to help manage it.

Therapy treatment should be combined with skills training to help with developing relationships and improving coping skills. Skills training helps people with schizoaffective disorder to learn how to groom, work, manage daily life activities, and improve their social skills. Family-focused therapy is also a good way to help the person's family cope with the condition and learn how to support the affected member.




QUESTION

Laughter feels good because…
See Answer

Why is talking to someone with schizoaffective disorder difficult?

Some of the reasons that might make it difficult to talk to someone with schizoaffective disorder include that they may:

  • Switch topics quickly
  • Be hard to follow or understand
  • Speak very slowly or very quickly
  • Have different beliefs from you
  • Be sluggish or lethargic
  • Have problems with memory and concentration
  • Get easily distracted by things they see, hear, or feel that you may not sense
  • Use words and phrases that might be difficult for you to understand

How to talk to someone with schizoaffective disorder

As mentioned earlier, always try to be non-judgmental and supportive when communicating with people with schizoaffective disorder. Also, try using the same language they use to tell you about what they're going through. To communicate well with someone with schizoaffective disorder, try:

  • Talking calmly and using a non-threatening voice
  • Using short, clear sentences
  • Showing empathy for their feelings, beliefs, and what they are going through
  • Treating them with respect
  • Not being judgmental about their beliefs and experiences
  • Validating the positives and the things they find distressing or frustrating
  • Appreciating that they may be fearful of what they are going through
  • Avoiding arguing or challenging their beliefs or experiences
  • Accepting when they don’t want to talk to you, but being available when they need to
  • Listening carefully to them and understanding what they experience

Associated conditions

People with schizoaffective disorder will often have another mental condition. Besides schizoaffective disorder, they may also have:

Check Also

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강남 셔츠룸 매정한 나라에요 ㅋㅋㅋ 신규오픈 매장으로 설치 물품들이 많습니다. 역시 시부야 아니랄까봐 우리 나라 정서가 두 들겨야 흥이 더 나는듯 합니다. 아직 소버일때 우리 여자 예쁘니 직원들이랑 사진찍고 놀기  5~2배 정도 들었던것같아요 일환이었던 월성 원전 1호기 조기폐쇄에 대한 감사는 수위 조절이 실패해서 포기 햇엇드랫죠;; 대량 매출 가능한 입지라 확신합니다. 게임센터 규모도 장난 아니더라구요 차량…

How Do I Talk to Someone With Schizoaffective Disorder?

What should you know about this condition?

Schizoaffective disorder causes detachment from reality and severely affects mood. Besides delusions and hallucinations, people with schizoaffective disorder also have disorganized speech, thinking difficulties, and trouble relaying their thoughts, making it difficult to communicate.
Schizoaffective disorder causes detachment from reality and severely affects mood. Besides delusions and hallucinations, people with schizoaffective disorder also have disorganized speech, thinking difficulties, and trouble relaying their thoughts, making it difficult to communicate.

About 0.3% of the population is affected by schizoaffective disorder.

The schizoaffective disorder begins in the late teens to early adulthood, up to the age of 30. Doctors can form a treatment plan to manage symptoms. However, most people diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder experience relapses.

Caring for someone with schizoaffective disorder becomes challenging because of the severe symptoms of mania, depression, and psychosis. The schizoaffective disorder also causes challenges in communication and speech.

Impaired speech and incoherence make it difficult to talk to someone with schizoaffective disorder. If you're looking after someone with schizoaffective disorder, you need to manage a treatment plan, work on communication and create a safe environment. But, first, you must learn more about this condition to understand how to communicate better.

Schizoaffective disorder is commonly misdiagnosed as it combines the symptoms of two mental illnesses; schizophrenia and an affective or mood disorder such as bipolar disorder. This lifelong mental illness causes mood swings and psychosis which interferes with a person's daily life activities.

A psychiatric evaluation can help diagnose the condition so you can form a treatment plan which commonly includes therapy and medication.

What is schizoaffective disorder?

While schizophrenia makes a person hear voices and hallucinate, the schizoaffective disorder also causes detachment from reality, and severely affects mood. Thus, this chronic condition involves combined schizophrenia and major mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania. 

What are the types of schizoaffective disorder?

Depressive type and bipolar type are the two types of schizoaffective disorder. Depressive schizoaffective disorder results in major depressive episodes, while bipolar schizoaffective disorder also features episodes of mania and extreme mood swings.

What causes schizoaffective disorder? 

Schizoaffective disorder has a range of risk factors, such as the following.

  • Genetics
  • Lower levels of dopamine, a brain chemical that controls mental and emotional responses
  • Environmental factors such as extreme stress
  • Use of psychotropic or psychoactive drugs 
  • Taking mind-altering medications

What complications does schizoaffective disorder cause?

People with schizoaffective disorder may have suicidal tendencies. They are also at an increased risk of unemployment, social isolation, poverty, and homelessness.

The schizoaffective disorder also puts an individual at risk of substance abuse. They are more likely to have anxiety disorders and significant health problems.

Why is it difficult to talk to people with schizoaffective disorder?

Besides delusions and hallucinations, people with schizoaffective disorder also have disorganized speech, thinking difficulties, and trouble relaying their thoughts, making it difficult to communicate.

They experience impaired speech because their cognitive function is affected. This impacts expressive and receptive language, resulting in difficulty in conveying meaning to others and weak understanding and perception. 

What helps communicating with someone with schizoaffective disorder?

Knowledge, compassion, and empathy are crucial for effective communication with someone with schizoaffective disorder.

As a caregiver, you must play an active role in understanding the disorder. Besides learning more about schizoaffective disorder, you must also acknowledge the person's experience.

  • You should actively listen as it is equally important to understand as it is to be understood. 
  • Offer help with daily activities and avoid prodding a lot.
  • Overdoing reminders can result in a risk of violence. You must set limits for verbal abuse for effective communication.
  • Talk clearly by using shorter sentences.
  • Keep your tone calm and non-threatening.
  • It would be best to devise a plan for handling violent situations because it will help you manage violent episodes.
  • Do not argue with the person about their perception of reality.
  • Be patient and say encouraging words.
  • Make every effort to acknowledge the individual's feelings.
  • Validate the person's experience of frustration and distress.




QUESTION

Laughter feels good because…
See Answer

What are the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder?

Symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include schizophrenic symptoms combined with the symptoms of bipolar disorder or depression. Symptoms greatly vary from person to person. 

Mild symptoms include insomnia, despair, euphoria, lack of interest in activities, high and low energy periods, lack of personal care, poor communication, and speech issues. In contrast, severe symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include the following:

  • Delusions such as forming false beliefs 
  • Major symptoms of depression 
  • Hallucinations
  • Hearing voices
  • Psychotic episodes 
  • Sudden outbursts of energy 
  • Inappropriate emotional responses 
  • Disorganized thinking 
  • Violent episodes
  • Trouble comprehending social settings
  • Risky behavior 

What triggers schizoaffective episodes?

A combination of genetic, psychological, and physical factors develops the condition. Moreover, major stressful or emotional events can trigger schizoaffective disorder.

Psychoactive drugs such as amphetamines or LSD trigger the manic episode in people with schizoaffective disorder.

When to see a doctor

If you know someone with schizoaffective disorder or if you notice similar symptoms, encourage them to seek professional help or find a qualified mental health professional for them.

If an individual with schizoaffective disorder experiences a severe manic episode, you must consult emergency responders as violent behavior is a common symptom of manic episodes. 

Violent behavior can put anyone at risk. If someone's safety is a concern, you must immediately contact a psychiatrist. 

Treatment of the schizoaffective disorder

Psychotherapy is combined with skills training and medication to treat schizoaffective disorder. The medication stabilizes a person's mood and manages psychotic symptoms, while therapy and skills training improve coping skills.

Medication for schizoaffective disorder

Medication depends on the severity of depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder symptoms. Doctors prescribe antipsychotics for hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking.

The FDA has only approved Invega paliperidone extended-release tablets to treat schizoaffective disorder. The doctor may also prescribe antidepressants or mood stabilizers for mood-related symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Counseling as treatment helps people learn about their illness and manage their symptoms. Individual therapy helps normalize thinking patterns and disordered thinking.

Effective psychotherapy focuses on coping strategies and managing relationships and everyday problems. Psychotherapy is more effective when people with schizoaffective disorder discuss their problems with others.

Family therapy and support groups also allow people to express themselves better while others around them also understand how to communicate and look after someone with schizoaffective disorder effectively.

Skills training 

Skills training focuses on self-care and grooming. It helps individuals focus on work and social skills and teaches them about home management.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy is essential for adults who do not respond to medications and psychotherapy.

ECT is a brief electrical stimulation of the brain. The doctors give general anesthesia before the electroconvulsive therapy.

When to see a doctor

If you know someone with schizoaffective disorder or if you notice similar symptoms, encourage them to seek professional help or find a qualified mental health professional for them.

If an individual with schizoaffective disorder experiences a severe manic episode, you must consult emergency responders as violent behavior is a common symptom of manic episodes. 

Violent behavior can put anyone at risk. If someone's safety is a concern, you must immediately contact a psychiatrist. 

Check Also

강남 셔츠룸 서울부장

강남 셔츠룸 매정한 나라에요 ㅋㅋㅋ 신규오픈 매장으로 설치 물품들이 많습니다. 역시 시부야 아니랄까봐 우리 나라 정서가 두 들겨야 흥이 더 나는듯 합니다. 아직 소버일때 우리 여자 예쁘니 직원들이랑 사진찍고 놀기  5~2배 정도 들었던것같아요 일환이었던 월성 원전 1호기 조기폐쇄에 대한 감사는 수위 조절이 실패해서 포기 햇엇드랫죠;; 대량 매출 가능한 입지라 확신합니다. 게임센터 규모도 장난 아니더라구요 차량…

How Do I Talk to Someone With Schizoaffective Disorder?

What should you know about this condition?

Schizoaffective disorder causes detachment from reality and severely affects mood. Besides delusions and hallucinations, people with schizoaffective disorder also have disorganized speech, thinking difficulties, and trouble relaying their thoughts, making it difficult to communicate.
Schizoaffective disorder causes detachment from reality and severely affects mood. Besides delusions and hallucinations, people with schizoaffective disorder also have disorganized speech, thinking difficulties, and trouble relaying their thoughts, making it difficult to communicate.

About 0.3% of the population is affected by schizoaffective disorder.

The schizoaffective disorder begins in the late teens to early adulthood, up to the age of 30. Doctors can form a treatment plan to manage symptoms. However, most people diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder experience relapses.

Caring for someone with schizoaffective disorder becomes challenging because of the severe symptoms of mania, depression, and psychosis. The schizoaffective disorder also causes challenges in communication and speech.

Impaired speech and incoherence make it difficult to talk to someone with schizoaffective disorder. If you're looking after someone with schizoaffective disorder, you need to manage a treatment plan, work on communication and create a safe environment. But, first, you must learn more about this condition to understand how to communicate better.

Schizoaffective disorder is commonly misdiagnosed as it combines the symptoms of two mental illnesses; schizophrenia and an affective or mood disorder such as bipolar disorder. This lifelong mental illness causes mood swings and psychosis which interferes with a person's daily life activities.

A psychiatric evaluation can help diagnose the condition so you can form a treatment plan which commonly includes therapy and medication.

What is schizoaffective disorder?

While schizophrenia makes a person hear voices and hallucinate, the schizoaffective disorder also causes detachment from reality, and severely affects mood. Thus, this chronic condition involves combined schizophrenia and major mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania. 

What are the types of schizoaffective disorder?

Depressive type and bipolar type are the two types of schizoaffective disorder. Depressive schizoaffective disorder results in major depressive episodes, while bipolar schizoaffective disorder also features episodes of mania and extreme mood swings.

What causes schizoaffective disorder? 

Schizoaffective disorder has a range of risk factors, such as the following.

  • Genetics
  • Lower levels of dopamine, a brain chemical that controls mental and emotional responses
  • Environmental factors such as extreme stress
  • Use of psychotropic or psychoactive drugs 
  • Taking mind-altering medications

What complications does schizoaffective disorder cause?

People with schizoaffective disorder may have suicidal tendencies. They are also at an increased risk of unemployment, social isolation, poverty, and homelessness.

The schizoaffective disorder also puts an individual at risk of substance abuse. They are more likely to have anxiety disorders and significant health problems.

Why is it difficult to talk to people with schizoaffective disorder?

Besides delusions and hallucinations, people with schizoaffective disorder also have disorganized speech, thinking difficulties, and trouble relaying their thoughts, making it difficult to communicate.

They experience impaired speech because their cognitive function is affected. This impacts expressive and receptive language, resulting in difficulty in conveying meaning to others and weak understanding and perception. 

What helps communicating with someone with schizoaffective disorder?

Knowledge, compassion, and empathy are crucial for effective communication with someone with schizoaffective disorder.

As a caregiver, you must play an active role in understanding the disorder. Besides learning more about schizoaffective disorder, you must also acknowledge the person's experience.

  • You should actively listen as it is equally important to understand as it is to be understood. 
  • Offer help with daily activities and avoid prodding a lot.
  • Overdoing reminders can result in a risk of violence. You must set limits for verbal abuse for effective communication.
  • Talk clearly by using shorter sentences.
  • Keep your tone calm and non-threatening.
  • It would be best to devise a plan for handling violent situations because it will help you manage violent episodes.
  • Do not argue with the person about their perception of reality.
  • Be patient and say encouraging words.
  • Make every effort to acknowledge the individual's feelings.
  • Validate the person's experience of frustration and distress.




QUESTION

Laughter feels good because…
See Answer

What are the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder?

Symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include schizophrenic symptoms combined with the symptoms of bipolar disorder or depression. Symptoms greatly vary from person to person. 

Mild symptoms include insomnia, despair, euphoria, lack of interest in activities, high and low energy periods, lack of personal care, poor communication, and speech issues. In contrast, severe symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include the following:

  • Delusions such as forming false beliefs 
  • Major symptoms of depression 
  • Hallucinations
  • Hearing voices
  • Psychotic episodes 
  • Sudden outbursts of energy 
  • Inappropriate emotional responses 
  • Disorganized thinking 
  • Violent episodes
  • Trouble comprehending social settings
  • Risky behavior 

What triggers schizoaffective episodes?

A combination of genetic, psychological, and physical factors develops the condition. Moreover, major stressful or emotional events can trigger schizoaffective disorder.

Psychoactive drugs such as amphetamines or LSD trigger the manic episode in people with schizoaffective disorder.

When to see a doctor

If you know someone with schizoaffective disorder or if you notice similar symptoms, encourage them to seek professional help or find a qualified mental health professional for them.

If an individual with schizoaffective disorder experiences a severe manic episode, you must consult emergency responders as violent behavior is a common symptom of manic episodes. 

Violent behavior can put anyone at risk. If someone's safety is a concern, you must immediately contact a psychiatrist. 

Treatment of the schizoaffective disorder

Psychotherapy is combined with skills training and medication to treat schizoaffective disorder. The medication stabilizes a person's mood and manages psychotic symptoms, while therapy and skills training improve coping skills.

Medication for schizoaffective disorder

Medication depends on the severity of depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder symptoms. Doctors prescribe antipsychotics for hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking.

The FDA has only approved Invega paliperidone extended-release tablets to treat schizoaffective disorder. The doctor may also prescribe antidepressants or mood stabilizers for mood-related symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Counseling as treatment helps people learn about their illness and manage their symptoms. Individual therapy helps normalize thinking patterns and disordered thinking.

Effective psychotherapy focuses on coping strategies and managing relationships and everyday problems. Psychotherapy is more effective when people with schizoaffective disorder discuss their problems with others.

Family therapy and support groups also allow people to express themselves better while others around them also understand how to communicate and look after someone with schizoaffective disorder effectively.

Skills training 

Skills training focuses on self-care and grooming. It helps individuals focus on work and social skills and teaches them about home management.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy is essential for adults who do not respond to medications and psychotherapy.

ECT is a brief electrical stimulation of the brain. The doctors give general anesthesia before the electroconvulsive therapy.

When to see a doctor

If you know someone with schizoaffective disorder or if you notice similar symptoms, encourage them to seek professional help or find a qualified mental health professional for them.

If an individual with schizoaffective disorder experiences a severe manic episode, you must consult emergency responders as violent behavior is a common symptom of manic episodes. 

Violent behavior can put anyone at risk. If someone's safety is a concern, you must immediately contact a psychiatrist. 

Check Also

What Is the Best Operation to Lose Weight?

Weight loss surgery options Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, is one of …

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