Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder

This information is for you or anyone you know who has been diagnosed with, or you suspect may have, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

If you need help NOW, you can call:

Your GP surgery
The 111 service
Your healthcare team if you have one
Your local NHS urgent mental health helpline (England only) – find yours on the NHS website

What’s the difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder?

You might have heard of schizophreniform disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Some doctors say that these are all just types of one condition. Some doctors say they are different but related conditions.1,2 One thing most doctors agree on, though, is that these conditions are treated in the same way. 1,3

Quick facts
About 1 in 100 people will have at least one episode of a type of schizophrenia in their lifetime4

REFERENCES:

Hartman LI, Heinrichs RW, Mashhadi F. The continuing story of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: One condition or two? Schizophr Res Cogn 2019;16:36-42.
NHS. Schizophrenia diagnosis. Available at:
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/schizophrenia/diagnosis/ Last accessed: March 2022.
Noel JM, Jackson CW. ASHP Therapeutic Position Statement on the Use of Antipsychotic Medications in the Treatment of Adults with SChizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder. AJHP 2020;17(24):2114-2132.
Royal College of Psychiatrists. Schizophrenia leaflet. Available at:
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/schizophrenia Last accessed: March 2022.