My brother got diagnosed with one of these conditions about 8 months ago and the psychiatrist used both terms during different appointments which freaked our whole family out. Mom’s convinced the doctors don’t know what they’re doing but I think maybe there’s just overlap or something? I want to understand what separates schizophrenia from schizoaffective disorder so I can actually help him instead of just nodding along when he talks about his treatment. What should I be looking for that makes them distinct from each other?
I get why that’s confusing. When my cousin was going through diagnosis they also used both terms at first because apparently the symptoms can look really similar early on. The main thing is schizoaffective includes mood episodes like depression or mania along with the psychotic symptoms, while schizophrenia is primarily the psychotic stuff. Check out difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder for a clearer breakdown. It helped me understand why my cousin’s treatment included mood stabilizers on top of antipsychotics. The doctors aren’t confused, they’re just watching how symptoms develop over time to get it right.
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