Schizo-Affective Disorder is defined as the uninterrupted period of illness during which a person experiences a combination of schizophrenia symptoms like hallucinations and delusions and mood disorder symptoms such as mania and depression.
Schizo-Affective Disorder is not attributed to substance use, and is diagnosed under schizophrenia, if the symptoms occur only for a brief period of time.
Schizo-affective disorder is characterised by abnormal thought process and deregulated emotions resulting in social isolation and difficulties in self care.
SYMPTOMS
- Paranoid thoughts
- Social isolation
- Confusion
- Poor personal hygiene
- Change in appetite
- Frequent thought of suicide
- Speaking too quickly
- Hyperactive/manic mood
- Depression/irritability
FACTS
It is a rare disease, with 1 out of 100 people getting affected by it.
CASE STUDIES
Mrs V G, 25 had to be given a home visit, due to her reluctance to leave her house in the past couple of months. Her family states she has become increasingly fearful and suspicious of everyone around her as she thinks they are poisoning her; she mostly keeps herself locked in her room and only eats food, when everyone is asleep in the house. She becomes violent whenever someone tries to come close to her and breaks whatever she can get her hands upon. And sometimes she becomes excessively depressed and harms herself; there are numerous cuts on both her wrists. V G in the meanwhile becomes restless and anxious, screaming for us to leave the house, as she thinks even we are there to harm her.
