Some patients with chronic schizophrenia may experience concurrent psychiatric disorders. Some of the criteria for diagnosing psychiatric disorders have exclusion criteria that do not allow for comorbid conditions. This can result in underdiagnosis and undertreatment which can compound the patient’s problems.
Synonym: associated psychiatric syndrome (APS)
Patient selection: chronic schizophrenia
Comorbid psychiatric disorders studied:
(1) anxiety and/or panic disorders including phobias
(2) major depression
(3) obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Other psychiatric disorders are possible:
(1) bipolar disorder
(2) addictive behaviors
(3) body dysmorphic syndromes
Messages:
(1) A patient with chronic schizophrenia can have additional psychiatric disorders.
(2) Comorbid psychiatric disorders can be disabling for the patient.
(3) A patient with chronic schizophrenia should be screened for comorbid problems and treated if they are a significant problem for the patient.
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