Schizophrenia Treatment

So what happens after a person is diagnosed with schizophrenia?  They’ve accepted they have this psychological illness, and they’ve sought help.  The doctors have determined what the problem is, so what kind of help do they get?

Well, they get treatment designed specifically for schizophrenia.  This means that four things will occur.  First the person has to have a realistic view of what is possible in their recovery.  They can’t think that within a month they’ll be feeling fine and dandy.  They have to know that recovery is never complete and may never be full.  Full recovery happens for a lot of people, but not everyone.

The person, as far as actual activity treatment goes, will be taking part in group, individual, and family therapy.  This is important so that the person with schizophrenia, no matter what type they have, will have insight into their condition and the way others perceive it.  That means their family and friends, coworkers, and strangers they may meet along the way.

Finally, a person will also receive medication to help reduce the expression of symptoms.  This is an important part of managing schizophrenia because it can and will have its ups and downs, but those waves will be tighter with constant medication.  There is a stigma against medication but really it seems to be a gift from heaven for most people, even with the side effects that may occur.