Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental health condition that can hamper a person’s ability to live a normal and functioning life. However, people can still improve their outcomes with the treatment methods available to them. This article will discuss these options, including the types of therapy that can be useful for individuals with schizophrenia.
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How Is Schizophrenia Treated?
Schizophrenia is a disorder that is characterized by two broad symptoms – delusions and hallucinations, and to the outside observer, this can make the individuals with the illness appear that they are disconnected from reality.
These symptoms can largely be summed up as psychosis, and while they’re an integral part of a schizophrenia diagnosis, it’s not the only one. Psychosis can occur in other conditions, like bipolar or schizoaffective disorder, but when it’s combined with other indicators, it may point to schizophrenia. Therefore a diagnosis must be made by a mental health professional.
For example, people with schizophrenia also often have disorganized thinking patterns, trouble staying motivated, a lack of emotion and pleasure, become socially withdrawn and generally struggle to function normally.
When it comes to treating schizophrenia, managing the psychotic symptoms is always a priority and antipsychotic medication, which is prescribed by a psychiatrist, is the first-line treatment protocol for the disorder.
However, even though medication is absolutely necessary, therapy can also prove to be very useful as well, and it can address some of the other issues that make living and coping with schizophrenia difficult. The next section will cover some of these options so that you or a loved one can start getting help in ways that medication can’t.
Therapy & Schizophrenia
Therapy can be an excellent way to supplement any medication, and there are several different types of techniques that can help patients with schizophrenia cope with the challenges that they face on a daily basis.
For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a very versatile method that can help people deal with countless mental health disorders, including schizophrenia. CBT works by addressing a person’s negative thinking patterns, which affect a person’s emotions and the way they behave towards them.
The thought processes in those with schizophrenia, such as delusions and hallucinations, can be very distressing for those with the disorder, and CBT can help change the way they feel about them. It can also help identify some of the triggers for psychotic thinking patterns.
Cognitive enhancement therapy is another method that can assist with helping people stay organized with their thoughts, and it can potentially help improve their memory and ability to pay attention.
The symptoms of schizophrenia can make living a normal life extremely difficult, but there are ways for patients to improve their functioning and start getting back on track. There are different programs that can help work on a person’s social skills and even provide them with job skills training and educational resources.
It’s also important for loved ones with schizophrenia to get involved. If friends and family members learn more about the condition, they can provide better support and this can greatly improve everyone’s quality of life.
BetterHelp is there for you, and the licensed counselors and therapists found here online can teach everyone effective ways of coping with the disorder. Living with schizophrenia is not easy, but it can certainly be distressing for others and caring for someone who has been diagnosed can be life-changing.
Conclusion
With a combination of medication and therapy, schizophrenia can be managed, and many people continue to live productive and fulfilling lives. It also requires commitment and support from others, and by reaching out and learning more about the disorder you can make coping with it easier.
