A sense of suspiciousness. Unusual or strange thoughts, such as believing someone close to you wishes you harm. Hallucinations, or changes in your sensory experiences; for example, seeing, tasting, smelling, hearing, or feeling things that others don’t experience in situations where they should if you are experiencing them. [2] X Research source Disorganized thinking or speech. ‘Negative’ symptoms (i. e. , reductions of typical behavior or functioning) such as a lack of emotion, a lack of eye contact, a lack of facial expression, neglect of hygiene, and/or social withdrawal. Disorganized or abnormal motor behavior, such as putting one’s body into weird postures, or engaging in pointless or excessive movements.
Having a family history of schizophrenia. Taking mind-altering drugs as a young adult or teenager. Certain types of experiences in the womb, such as exposure to viruses or toxins. Increased immune system activation from things like inflammation.
Remember that everyone is different—not all medications or therapies will work for everyone, but you must keep trying to find the treatment that works best for you.
If the medications you are taking are making you feel uncomfortable, tell your doctor. She may opt to adjust the dosage or recommend a different medication for you to try. Common medications used to treat schizophrenia include antipsychotics that act on the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. [4] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Atypical antipsychotics tend to have fewer side effects and so are generally preferred, they include [5] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source : Aripiprazole (Abilify) Asenapine (Saphris) Clozapine (Clozaril) Iloperidone (Fanapt) Lurasidone (Latuda) Olanzapine (Zyprexa) Paliperidone (Invega) Quetiapine (Seroquel) Risperidone (Risperdal) Ziprasidone (Geodon) First generation antipsychotics tend to have more side effects (some of which may be permanent. They tend to be cheaper. First generation antipsychotics include[6] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source : Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) Fluphenazine (Prolixin, Modecate) Haloperidol (Haldol) Perphenazine (Trilafon)
Individual psychotherapy: This therapy involves you meeting with a therapist one-on-one to discuss how you are feeling, problems you may be facing, and the relationships you have, among other topics. The therapist will attempt to teach you how to face your day to day issues and understand your condition better. Family education: This is where you and your immediate family members go to therapy together so that you can all learn about your condition and work towards effectively communicating and interacting with each other. [8] X Research source Cognitive therapy is helpful for people with schizophrenia. [9] X Research source Importantly, however, psychotherapy in combination with medication is the most effective way to treat schizophrenia. [10] X Trustworthy Source National Institute of Mental Health Informational website from U. S. government focused on the understanding and treatment of mental illness. Go to source [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Assertive community treatment involves the use of an interdisciplinary team who is involved in assessment and intervention in various forms. These forms may include substance abuse specialists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and nurses. [14] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source To find assertive community treatment opportunities near you, search the internet for “assertive community treatment + your city or state”, or ask your doctor for a recommendation.
Remind yourself that your medications treat, but tend not to cure, schizophrenia. This means for you to continue to feel better, you likely need to keep taking your medications. Use any social support you have; tell your family or friends when you are feeling well to strongly encourage you to keep going on with your meds when you feel like stopping. You could record yourself a message for your future self, telling you to keep going with your meds and why (they are a treatment not a cure) and have your family play it back to you when you feel like quitting.
Yes, you have schizophrenia and it will be challenging to deal with. But yes, you can live a normal, happy life. Schizophrenia isn’t a hopeless condition. You can learn to live with it. While accepting your diagnosis is important for seeking treatment, being willing to fight for a normal life can help you to live the life that you want to live.
People with schizophrenia who take their medications and go to therapy can have very few problems with social interactions, holding a job, having a family or otherwise excelling in life.
Each individual will have different stressors. Going to therapy can help you to identify the things that cause you stress, whether it be a specific person, situation, or place. Once you know your stressors, work hard to avoid them when you can. You can, for example, practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing. [19] X Research source Allen, Francis. “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (4th Ed. ), American Psychological Association, 1990. pp. 507-511.
Try listening to music that pumps you up and helps you get through your workout.
If you have trouble sleeping, try making you bedroom completely black and silent by blocking out sounds, changing your environment, or wearing a sleeping mask and earplugs. Get into a routine and follow it every night.
Try eating lean meats, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. [26] X Research source Eating healthy involves having a balanced diet. Avoid eating too much of any one food.
You can, for example, use a technique called normalization. In this technique you see your psychotic experiences as part of the same continuum that includes normal experiences, and acknowledge that everyone has experiences that vary from normal, everyday life. This may make you feel less alienated and stigmatized, which can have a positive impact on your health outcomes. [27] X Research source To cope with auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices, try listing evidence against the content of the voice. For example, if a voice is telling you to do something negative, like stealing, list reasons why that is not a good idea (e. g. , you could get into trouble, it is against social norms, it would cost someone else, most people would tell you not to do it, so don’t listen to this one voice).
Remind yourself that in a crowded room there are many people, and so people’s attention is likely bouncing around to all of them, and they are probably not just all focused on you.
Put in an effort at your job. Organize time to spend with your friends and family. Take up a new hobby. Help out a friend or volunteer somewhere.
Avoid people who are not sensitive to what you are going through or who may stress you out.
Make time to do things you enjoy with the people that you love.
You should share what you are going through, even if the person you are sharing with does not necessarily have any advice to give. Simply putting a voice to your thoughts and emotions can help to make you feel calmer and more in control.
Participating in a support group may also make you more confident in your own abilities and less scared of the disorder and what it might do to your life.
