4 Types of Therapy to Treat Schizophrenia

Mental illness is something that most of us are very vary about. Until one of our loved ones has to go through a mental illness of any kind, it is extremely difficult for people to be empathetic or even begin to understand the difficulty of having this disorder. 

Of all the mental illnesses in the world such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, addiction, etc, perhaps the strangest and the most difficult to understand is schizophrenia. There is no real cause to why some of us develop this mental illness but schizophrenia treatment is possible at mental institutions and under competent medical care.

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that can cause weird behavior and indications in young children and adults. This disorder can be identified in childhood as the symptoms may be quite abnormal but can be confused with normal teenage behavior. 

People who suffer from this mental illness can experience many symptoms and these need to be identified and diagnosed by close ones immediately so that the patient can seek medical care as soon as possible. Some of the major symptoms of schizophrenia are:

• Delusions and Hallucinations
• Reclusive social behavior
• Paranoia and extreme fear
• Lack of focus and attention
• Extreme mood swings
• Not being able to manage personal/social relationships

How is Schizophrenia Diagnosed?

Upon identification of these symptoms, a patient must immediately be taken to seek medical assistance or the help of a psychiatrist. Early diagnosis of schizophrenia includes the identification of symptoms and classifying them into positive and negative symptoms. 

A psychiatrist may then perform medical tests such as scans, MRI, blood work, etc to find out the state of the patient and confirm the disorder. 

Some symptoms may overlap with other brain-related disorders, therefore these tests coupled with the study and observation of the patient can help the psychiatrist in making sure that the patient is in fact schizophrenic and not affected by other diseases of the brain such as delirium, tumor, endocrine inflammatory disease, substance abuse or dementia. 

Therapies to Treat Schizophrenia

Once the patient is diagnosed with schizophrenia, they might be requested to seek rehabilitation within the hospital or in a rehab facility so that medical care can be given to such patients. There are 4 major therapies that comprise a Schizophrenia Treatment:

1. Medicinal Therapy

The most important way to control the symptoms of schizophrenia, if not treat it, is through antipsychotic medication. These medicines help in managing psychotic episodes, delusions and control hallucinations, and manage emotions effectively by the patient.

2. Group Therapy

Group therapy helps the patient in understanding that they are not alone in this journey. Sharing their experiences and listening to others in a group session with a trained psychologist can help in managing their behavior overall.
3. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps the patient in dealing with their symptoms using cognitive methods and with consistent training by a psychologist. They are made to take self-assessment tests so that they can understand their state of being and work on their improvement step by step.
4. Rehabilitation and Vocational Therapy

A good rehab center can offer the best method to control and manage schizophrenia in patients. Many rehabs conjoin with NGOs to provide vocational therapy, social skill training, and family therapy so that they can have a steady job and to have social relationships that they can sustain a normal, social relationship in the society.