Schizophrenia spectrum is a term used to group together several mental disorders that have shared characteristics. This particular spectrum is a bit confusing because it includes disorders that are considered psychotic, mood disorders, and diagnoses that are considered primarily personality disorders. There is often a big difference between aspects of a personality disorder and psychosis, but the common thinking in this area is that these conditions all belong in the same group due to their commonalities.
There are a number of illnesses that are part of the schizophrenia spectrum and naturally schizophrenia is included in this list. So is schizoaffective disorder and schizophreniform disorder. The main personality disorders added to this are schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders. Some diagnoses such as delusional disorder can be classified in more than one way.
The term schizophrenia is not just a single diagnosis, and people can express this disorder in many ways. They may be virtually devoid of emotion, with little or no interest in the environment, and no engagement with others. Alternatively, many people suffer from delusional thoughts and several people have hallucinations. It is possible to view all manifestations of schizophrenia as a spectrum within the spectrum of schizophrenia. There are many possible ways to express this disease, but they are usually quite obvious if the disease is moderate to severe.
A related medical condition is schizoaffective disorder, which often has features of delusions or hallucinations in addition to severe mood swings. It has been called bipolar disorder plus schizophrenia. For both illnesses on the schizophrenia spectrum, the common treatment is antipsychotic therapy and mood stabilization therapy for schizoaffective. Another illness that may benefit from brief antipsychotic therapy is schizophreniform disorder, which tends to occur in short episodes rather than last as regular schizophrenia does.
The personality disorders included in the schizophrenia spectrum are schizotypal and schizoid personalities. Of these, only the schizotypal could receive regular treatment, while the schizoid personality may be functional, although it is believed to be better with therapy. Schizotypal illness is characterized by few social relationships, bizarre behaviors, beliefs or thought patterns, and difficulty adjusting. People with this condition generally appear different from the rest of society. The schizoid personality tends to be emotionless, but can be highly functional. Difficulties tend to arise for this person if he or she is in a relationship with others, as dissatisfactions arise about that person's ability to connect.
People with personality disorders are more often treated with psychotherapy than with medication. Successful therapy can take significant time due to ingrained belief systems or lack of affection in these clients. It can take many years for people to learn to live with and compensate for a personality disorder.
Other illnesses such as delusional disorder can be mild or severe. The degree to which these are curable depends on a variety of factors. Almost any condition on the schizophrenia spectrum is serious, and successful treatment is a complex matter that begins with an accurate diagnosis.