Schizophrenia Treatment

There are a number of treatment options^[14] for people diagnosed with schizophrenia. If possible, patients should start treatment as soon as possible after receiving a diagnosis and continue to receive treatment throughout their lives to gain the maximum possible benefits. Most treatment for schizophrenia is overseen by a mental health expert specializing in the disorder. Treatment^[15] often includes:

• Medication: Antipsychotic drugs can be extremely effective at preventing hallucinations and delusions. However, these medications can have severe side effects. Because many schizophrenic patients forget that they have the disorder or don’t believe the medical advice they receive, convincing them to continue taking medication can be difficult.

Schizophrenia medication

Your provider may prescribe the following medications for schizophrenia:

Some forms of therapy that may be beneficial for patients with schizophrenia include:

• Therapy: Several types of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), individual therapy, family therapy, cognitive enhancement therapy, and more, can be helpful to schizophrenic patients and their families.
• Psychosocial treatments: Social skills training, vocational training, supported employment, and peer support groups can all help people affected by schizophrenia learn to deal with the disorder and maintain productive lives.
• Electroconvulsive therapy: This therapy, which involves shocking the brain, is controversial but it has been shown to help schizophrenic adults who do not respond to medication or who can no longer take medication because of its side effects. It is generally only used as a final effort when patients fail to respond to all other forms of therapy.

When symptoms are especially severe or when medication causes extreme negative side effects, the best way to help a person with schizophrenia can be hospitalization. While in a hospital, the patient can be monitored by medical staff until they are stable enough to go home.