Schizoaffective disorders: symptoms, treatment, prognosis

Endogenous diseases, or, more simply, diseases caused by internal disorders, such as schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis, functional psychosis and schizoaffective disorders, are serious but treatable. Such disorders can be manifested in mild or severe degree, have acute, dramatic or lethargic, hardly noticeable for the surrounding current. Such diseases are not uncommon, they amaze both men and women, both young, maturing and professionally improving, as well as mature and approaching old age.

What is schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorders, having several forms, are psychotic pathologies bordering on schizophrenia and affective disorders, depression and bipolar psychosis.

Schizophrenia is based on the disintegration of the way of thinking and the disturbance of emotional perception.

Affective disorders are manifested in a decrease in emotional perception and negative perception of the surrounding world.

Disease of this type can affect all life spheres and social relations. Characteristic for schizoaffective psychosis is a paroxysmal course with manifestations of affective disorder (mania, depression).

As a result, schizoaffective psychosis occurs

Schizoaffective disorder, the symptoms of which will be presented below, has an undefined etiology. Doctors and scientists tend to argue that it can lead to both genetic and biochemical factors, as well as factors of the surrounding world.

Biochemical causes are associated with an imbalance of chemicals, neurotransmitters, responsible for the process of transmitting messages between cells in the human brain.

Infections of the viral type, severe stressful situations, social isolation of the person provoke schizoaffective disorder. The case history of patients indicates that such external factors of the surrounding world lead to a disease if a person has a genetic predisposition.

Symptomatic disorder

The first symptoms of the disease can occur at any age. The clinical picture has signs of schizophrenic and affective disorder, if manifested:

- decreased appetite;

- Sleep disturbance (drowsiness or insomnia);

- increased excitability against aggressive background;

- fast fatigue;

- a complex of inferiority, accompanied by deep hopelessness and fatalities;

- Difficult concentration on actions, blurred intellect;

- obsessive suicidal disposition;

- acceleration of the rate of speech, but at the same time, its violations are also evident, manifested by stuttering or "swallowing" the endings of words;

- dangerous social behavior, threatening their own lives and the lives of others (during exacerbations);

- Strange, unusual, incorrect behavior;

- an illogical expression of emotions.

Typology of pathology

Schizoaffective disorders can be accompanied by different background moods, depending on the prevalence of which we can speak of three main types of developing pathological process:

- Increased mood with delusions of grandeur, with mania about a great origin and about your own super abilities is a manifestation of a manic type disorder. Infinite gaiety, hyperactivity with a reduced need for sleep, an accelerated pace of speech, thoughts and actions, delusional ideas that take a cosmic or magical character - all are schizoaffective disorder (manic type). Overexcitation, irritability, aggressiveness and bright disrupted behavior with proper treatment can be eliminated within a few weeks.

- If the depressive type has a schizoaffective disorder, then it manifests itself in a reduced mood with elements of hypochondriac delirium, poor appetite, a decrease in body weight, apathy to everything around and to life, a general weakness, a sense of despair. Often, with such a violation, there is a marked deterioration in memory and concentration of attention.

- May be both depressive and manic schizoaffective disorder. Mixed type is characterized by the fact that in this pathology, fear and apathy are replaced by happiness and vice versa.

How to diagnose a disease correctly

Since schizoaffective disorders have manifestations of two mental illnesses, it is sometimes difficult even for doctors to put a correct diagnosis. Laboratory tests in the diagnosis of such disorders will not help. However, a doctor can appoint X-rays or blood tests to make sure that the symptomatology is a manifestation of this particular pathology.

For diagnosis, doctors use a differential method and to schizoaffective psychosis carry only those cases when there are:

- for a long time manic-depressive syndrome;

- for two or more weeks hallucinations and delusions as independent symptoms.

The doctor will need to be convinced of the absence of an apparatus and clinically confirmed illness or injury in the brain, as well as to exclude the effects of toxic and drug medications.

If physical causes are not detected due to a survey, the patient will be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist who, through specially designed interviews and tests, will determine if the person is sick or healthy.

Schizoaffective disorder: treatment

Therapy of schizoaffective psychosis begins with the specification of the form of the disorder. After this, a drug course is prescribed, which allows to stabilize the mood. It is complemented by psychotherapy and practical training that improves interpersonal and social skills.

Drugs, as already mentioned, are selected depending on the type of disorder and the condition of the patient. The use of such neuroleptics as "Amitriptyline," "Melipramine," "Maprotiline," is justified for depressive-paranoid attacks. Expansive-paranoid disorders are treated with beta-blockers, lithium, "carbamazepine". For prevention, a maintenance dose of potassium carbonate, contained in the preparations "Contemnol", "Litinol", "Lithobid", is prescribed.

Psychotherapy for schizoaffective disorders

The goal of psychotherapy is to tell the patient as much as possible about the disease and help him to understand the reasons that led him to a painful condition. Connecting a family to psychotherapy sessions will help to help a person who has a disorder.

Hospitalization with schizoaffective psychosis is not always required. In most cases, patients undergo outpatient treatment. Hospitalization to stabilize the condition can only people with strong and vivid symptoms, as well as those who threaten the safety of their own lives or the lives of others.

What can be the forecast

Schizoaffective disorder, the prognosis of which in most cases is favorable, does not cause gross personality changes, although it has a fairly long course.

This disorder does not have a special treatment. All individually. To improve the quality of life, the patient should regularly visit a psychiatrist and take antipsychotic medications.

Is it possible to avoid this pathology

Since it is difficult to establish the exact etiology of the disorder, it is not possible to prevent the development of this disease. But diagnostics at an early stage and adequate treatment make it possible to avoid frequent outbreaks of the disorder, hospitalization, provide an opportunity to preserve social, personal relationships that, without treatment, this pathology can destroy.

Schizoaffective disorder, the syndromes and symptoms of which were presented above, being an endogenous ailment, is still incurable, and it is not possible to cope with it on its own. However, preventive treatment with consultation in a psychiatric clinic will allow the patient to become a full-fledged person, have a normal habitual way of life, learn and work. Health to you!