“Oh, he's just different. » "They're weird." “I just don’t understand how anyone can act like that.” These are all phrases that can be heard on any street, in any country and in just about any situation. People are constantly judged by others based on their weight, appearance, clothing, marital status, wealth, personality and much more. Our society continues to dictate what is acceptable and unacceptable in how others live their lives. However, some people cannot control the aspects on which they are judged. People live in all kinds of circumstances and no two things impact two people in the same way. People who live with schizoaffective disorder are just one example of this type of person. Schizoaffective disorder is a serious mental illness that is characterized by two different conditions. It is a combination of schizophrenic disorder and mood disorder. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that distorts the way a person thinks, acts, and what they perceive as reality. The mood disorder most commonly associated with schizoaffective disorder is bipolar disorder. It is an illness characterized by emotional ups and downs as well as problems concentrating and remembering specific details. Patients may experience deep depression, then turn around and be at an emotional high. However, schizoaffective patients live with the effects of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, making daily life difficult. Schizoaffectivity is a lifelong illness that affects all areas of daily life. Work, school, relationships, and everyday aspects of life are difficult situations for schizoaffective people. (WebMD, 2013) Although the symptoms of both disorders are combined and form a seemingly more complicated middle...... middle of paper ...... on. Ultimately, harsh comments and judgment from others benefit no one. Like everyone else in life, people with schizoaffective disorder deserve to be given a chance. Works Cited Mayo Clinic Staff. (December 21, 2013). Schizoaffective disorder. Accessed September 3, 2013 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/schizoaffective-disorder/DS00866WebMD. (2013). Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. Retrieved September 3, 2013 from WebMD: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=42963 Haywood, T., Kravitz, H., Grossman, L., Cavanaugh, J., Davis, J. and Lewis, D. (1995). Predicting the “revolving door” phenomenon in patients with schizophrenic, schizoaffective, and affective disorders. The American Journal Of Psychiatry, 152(6), 856-861. O'Donnell, K. (December 10, 2012). In the beautiful spirit of Brian Wilson. People, 76(24), 76.