Schizophrenia Treatment

Schizophrenia: A Complete Guide for You, from Diagnosis to Treatment

24 million people across the world are affected by schizophrenia. Men typically experience symptoms in their late teens or early 20s. Women are diagnosed in their late 20s or early 30s.
However, people with schizophrenia face a two to three times higher risk of premature death. Often due to co-occurring mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. In addition, 5% - 6% of individuals die by suicide.
Schizophrenia has a significant impact on daily life. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are essential for you to manage this disorder.

💡​KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects 24 million people around the world. And can make your daily life difficult to live.
2. Boys typically show signs in their late teens, and girls are diagnosed in their late 20s.
3. Schizophrenia has no cure, but the right treatment can manage your symptoms and you can live a better and peaceful life.
4. Family support is important for patients with schizophrenia.
5. Schizophrenia is a lifetime condition. However, getting diagnosed and treated early can help to manage it better.

What Is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that changes how you think, feel, and act. In this condition, you may see or hear things that aren’t real or believe things that aren’t true. It affects how your brain works and disrupts your thoughts, memory, senses, and behaviors. Schizophrenia usually starts in early adulthood. It can disrupt your relationships, work, and daily routines. It is a lifelong condition, you need treatment such as medication, therapy, and support to manage daily tasks. Early treatment can control symptoms. Without medical treatment, it can lead to more severe problems such as difficulty in thinking and social skills. Schizophrenia affects both men and women equally. However, it often starts earlier in men. It can run in families and is linked to changes in the brain. While there isn’t a cure yet, new research leads to better treatments. People with schizophrenia are not more violent than others.

What Are the Types of Schizophrenia?

Here are the types of Schizophrenia:

1. Paranoid Schizophrenia This is the most common type. It often makes you see or hear things that aren’t there or strongly believe things that aren’t true. Unlike other types, it doesn’t usually change how you speak or show your feelings.
2. Disorganized (Hebephrenic) Schizophrenia : This type of schizophrenia usually starts in people between the ages of 15 and 25. It makes your thoughts and actions very mixed up and confusing. You might have short moments where you see or believe things that aren’t real. Your speech may confuse others and it makes it hard to understand what you say. People with this type often don't show much emotion on their faces.
3. Catatonic Schizophrenia : A person with this schizophrenia acts in very extreme ways. Sometimes, they might move a lot, and other times, they might stay completely still for a long time.
4. Undifferentiated schizophrenia : This type of schizophrenia is diagnosed when a person has different symptoms. They might feel scared, have confused thoughts, or act in strange ways.
5. Residual schizophrenia : This type of schizophrenia was diagnosed when a person had a past of serious mental issues, like psychosis, but now mainly shows "negative" symptoms. These symptoms could be moving slowly, having trouble remembering things, finding it hard to concentrate, or not keeping up with personal hygiene. Unlike other types, they don’t have symptoms like seeing or hearing things that aren’t there.
6. Simple Schizophrenia : This rare type of schizophrenia appears early and mainly has "negative" symptoms. These symptoms, like slow movements, poor memory, or lack of self-care, tend to get worse over time. Unlike other types, this one does not usually have symptoms like seeing things that aren’t there or believing things that aren’t true.
7. Cenesthopathic Schizophrenia : This type involves unusual bodily sensations. It is usually hard to explain or understand.
8. Unspecified Schizophrenia : This diagnosis was used when symptoms met the general criteria for schizophrenia but didn’t fit into any of the above categories.

📝 Editorial Note: In modern psychiatry, these groupings are less commonly used. This is because they do not impact treatment decisions. Instead, schizophrenia is now considered a spectrum of related conditions that may include disorders such as:

1. Schizotypal Personality Disorder: This disorder causes strange beliefs, behaviors, and appearance, but does not lead to full psychosis.
2. Delusional Disorder: In this disorder, a person has strong, false beliefs but doesn’t have other major symptoms of schizophrenia.
3. Brief Psychotic Disorder: This involves a short period of psychotic behavior, which can happen because of stress.
4. Schizophreniform Disorder: This disorder has symptoms like schizophrenia but lasts for less than six months.
5. Schizoaffective Disorder: This disorder has symptoms of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, like depression or bipolar disorder.

How Is Schizophrenia Diagnosed?

In diagnosing schizophrenia, doctors first check the symptoms are not caused by other mental health issues, drug use, or medical problems.

Getting a diagnosis may involve:

1. A doctor or mental health expert will observe how you act and look.
2. They will ask about your thoughts, feelings, hallucinations, delusions, and any substance use.
3. This helps them understand if it’s schizophrenia or something else.

What Treatments Are Available for Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a lifelong mental health condition that needs proper care and treatment. There is no cure, but a mix of medicine, therapy, and support can help people have better lives. Here are the main treatment options for it:

Medication

Medicine is the main option for you to treat schizophrenia. Doctors often use antipsychotic drugs to help control symptoms. It is the best treatment for schizophrenia. There are two types of these drugs:

1. Old Medicines: Haloperidol and Chlorpromazine are included in the older medicines. Their results are fine, but some people may get side effects such as muscle stiffness.
2. New Medicines: Aripiprazole, Olanzapine, and Risperidone are included in the latest medicines. They tend to cause fewer movement problems and come as pills or long-lasting shots.

Common side effects of these medicines are feeling sleepy, gaining weight, or uncontrollable movements.

Psychosocial Interventions

Along with medicine, social skill training is important in the treatment. This training helps people manage their symptoms:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: It helps people understand their symptoms. Find ways to manage them, and change negative thoughts.
2. Social Skills Training: This training teaches people how to communicate better and interact with others. It helps them fit in better with society.
3. Vocational Rehabilitation: It helps people find jobs, and pursue their careers. This helps in boosting their confidence and independence.

Hospitalization and Crisis Intervention

If symptoms become serious a hospital stay may be needed for proper care. It includes food, rest, and hygiene. Crisis Resolution Teams aim to provide care at home to avoid hospitalization when possible.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

If medicines aren’t working or if symptoms like depression are severe, ECT might help you in the treatment. It uses electric currents while you're asleep to reset brain function.

Arts and Creative Therapies

You can Express feelings through art, music, dance, or drama. When it is hard to talk about them. These therapies can also help process difficult or traumatic experiences linked to psychotic episodes.

Family Support and Advanced Care Planning

Families need to understand schizophrenia and how to help. Family therapy improves how they talk and plan for future challenges.

Aftercare and Rehabilitation

Aftercare helps you stay well and avoid getting sick again. It includes special housing, day programs, and support groups to help you get back into the community while still receiving care.

Given its widespread prevalence, early treatment of schizophrenia is a major health priority. The disease can be more detrimental to your day-to-day life than you realize and please seek treatment early on that will help alleviate the symptoms. You will never be cured of schizophrenia. However, with early intervention and appropriate medications, therapy, and assistance from your family you can manage the symptoms and have a good life.

Schizophrenia treatment varies from person to person and is tailored according to the needs of the patient. If you are familiar with the indications of schizophrenia, you can help in treatment by involving doctors. If you get the right care and treatment, you can find mental stability again and with it your quality of life. What matters the most is that family and friends are supportive enough to manage this disorder of Schizophrenia.