What is the specific difference between psychotic depression and schizoaffective and schizophrenia?

I have Psychotic Depression, but I would like to know specifically what is the difference between these disorders. All I can find so far the difference being the insight and depression, but there has to be more to it than that, because if there isnt, it is such a fine line between them. I would like some different insight and information from you all. It would help me a bunch to try to explain it to my skeptical family.

In depression with psychotic features, a person's depression is accompanied by delusions or hallucinations. Often these are filled with self-hate or expectations of being punished. (Delusions are patently absurd or falsifiable thoughts; hallucinations are seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling or otherwise sensing things that are not there.) The primary issue is a depressed mood and the consequent symptoms (poor sleep, appetite, lack of pleasure, low-self-esteem, low sexual drive, suicidal ideation, difficulty concentrating, etc.). Like most depressions, a depressive episode with psychotic features is usually time-limited, and one can usually emerge from the episode to achieve full recovery.

Schizophrenia is a more pure thought disorder that affects about 1% of the US population. It involves extremely disorganized thinking, delusions, hallucinations, social problems, difficulty maintaining employment, and generally poor overall functioning.

Schizoaffective disorder is diagnosed when someone has schizophrenia but with a co-occurring depression or mania.

Most people find that schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are much more long-lasting, usually life-long. The primary problem with both of them is the thought disorder.

thanks i am also a psychotic depressive and it really helped me too xx only this is with PD u kno that u are hallucinating whereas schitzophrenics dont reallise it ... Report It

go to this link you can read all about them. http://www.psychologynet.org/dsm.html

Psychotic depression is curable. If you can clear up the depression, you lose the psychotic symptoms. Schizophrenia describes a disease when the victim is experiences one or more of the following: paranoia, dellusions, and hallucinations. It is not curable. Schizoaffective disorder is similar to bipolar disorder. It is also not curable

This is a very good blog, a beginner鈥檚 guide to abnormal psychology.
Short, clear and simple; and you can even post your question and contact the author regarding particular subject you are interested in

http://sensitive-psychoworld.blogspot.co...