Easy Read: Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder

 

What is Schizophrenia?

• Schizophrenia is a mental illness.

• It changes how a person thinks, feels, and understands reality.

• Main symptoms:

  • Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not real).

  • Delusions (strong beliefs that are not true).

  • Disorganized speech or thinking (hard to make sense).

• Other possible signs: moving slowly, avoiding people, showing little emotion.

• Symptoms must last 6 months or longer for a diagnosis.

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What is schizoaffective disorder?

• Schizoaffective disorder is similar to schizophrenia but with added mood problems.

• A person has:

  • Schizophrenia symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking).

  • Mood disorder symptoms (depression, mania, or both).

Depression symptoms:

• Feeling sad most of the time.

• Low energy or always tired.

• Feeling hopeless or worthless.

• Thoughts of self-harm.

Mania symptoms:

• Racing thoughts.

• Very big or unrealistic beliefs about yourself.

• Not sleeping much.

• Taking risks or unsafe actions.

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Easy Read Quiz: Schizophrenia vs. Schizoaffective Disorder

Questions:

1. What does schizophrenia change in a person?

2. Name two main symptoms of schizophrenia.

3. How long must symptoms last to be diagnosed with schizophrenia?

4. What extra symptoms does schizoaffective disorder include?

5. List two signs of depression.

6. List two signs of mania.

Schizophrenia vs. Schizoaffective Disorder