Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a combination of schizophrenia and mood disorder, in which people experience abnormal thought processes, hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and deregulated emotions. The diagnosis is made when the patient has features of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, usually belonging to either bipolar disorder or depression. The bipolar type is distinguished by symptoms of mania, hypomania, or mixed episode; whereas the depressive type presents with symptoms of depression only. Treatment for schizoaffective disorder typically involves a combination of medications, such as antipsychotics and mood stabilizers, and psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy.