Summary
- Drug and talk therapy is effective
- Person must stay on medicine
- Group and family support improve outlook
The outlook for people with schizophrenia used to be quite bleak. The lack of helpful treatment left them with little hope. Many were forced to live out their lives inside institutions. Today the picture is much brighter. While no cure has been found, there have been great advances in treatment. The result is that people with the disease can now live fruitful lives.
Drug therapy
The onset of antipsychotic drugs in the 1950s brought welcome relief to people with schizophrenia. Positive symptoms of the disease, such as hallucinations and delusions, were greatly subdued. Later on, a second wave of antipsychotic drugs became available. These new drugs gave new hope to people with little desire for life.
Second generation antipsychotics may have side effects. One of the most common side effects is weight gain. There is also a greater risk of getting diabetes. Milder issues, such as feeling dizzy or drowsy, usually go away on their own. Sometimes the drug or dose may need to be switched to reduce side effects or increase benefits. This must only be done at a doctor’s direction.
Staying on the drug treatment is the key to success. This is not always easy. Individuals often stop treatment for various reasons. The person may feel that the drugs no longer work or are no longer needed. Another reason is the unwanted side effects. There is also the lack of insight that is part of the disease itself. Those who stop drug treatments are at great risk of relapse. This may result in the need to be hospitalized.
Non-drug therapy
Non-drug therapies include support groups, as well as one-on-one counseling. They are not to be used in place of drug treatment, but along with it. These talk therapies are a vital part of the recovery process. People learn how to better cope with and manage their illness. They are also more likely to remain on their medication.
Individual therapy, or counseling, provides help on a one-on-one basis. The individual is taught proper coping skills for dealing with his illness. This may include learning practical things like healthy eating habits and having regular sleep routines. The therapist will also help the individual to work through her depressive and delusional thoughts.
Group therapy brings people together to discuss their disease. Members encourage each other through their success stories. They can also console each other by sharing their failures. Just hearing that someone else struggles with the same things you do can be helpful. Group therapy lets you know that you are not alone in the fight.
Family support is crucial to any person’s recovery. Therefore, it is advised that family members also take part in sessions. This begins with learning about the disease. The family is taught how to look for signs of oncoming schizophrenic episodes. They can then help ensure their loved one receives and remains on the needed treatment.
Help and hope
People with schizophrenia can lead rich and rewarding lives. The key is to find the proper treatment and to stay on it. Therapy and family support also play a vital role in recovery. Long-term support is offered through self-help groups and rehab programs. These teach skills for coping with the illness and better managing life.
Resources
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 10-week education course on the topic of recovery for any person living with a serious mental illness.
www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-Programs/NAMI-Peer-to-Peer
National Alliance on Mental Illness ”Tell Me About Schizophrenia” video
www.nami.org/Videos/Tell-Me-About-Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America
www.sardaa.org
Schizophrenia Digest is a magazine dedicated to hope, dignity, and support by providing information about schizophrenia for individuals, families, friends, and others.
www.szdigest.com
Schizophrenia for Dummies by Jerome Levine, MD and Irene S. Levine, PhD. For Dummies, 2008.
Summary
- Drug and talk therapy is effective
- Person must stay on medicine
- Group and family support improve outlook
The outlook for people with schizophrenia used to be quite bleak. The lack of helpful treatment left them with little hope. Many were forced to live out their lives inside institutions. Today the picture is much brighter. While no cure has been found, there have been great advances in treatment. The result is that people with the disease can now live fruitful lives.
Drug therapy
The onset of antipsychotic drugs in the 1950s brought welcome relief to people with schizophrenia. Positive symptoms of the disease, such as hallucinations and delusions, were greatly subdued. Later on, a second wave of antipsychotic drugs became available. These new drugs gave new hope to people with little desire for life.
Second generation antipsychotics may have side effects. One of the most common side effects is weight gain. There is also a greater risk of getting diabetes. Milder issues, such as feeling dizzy or drowsy, usually go away on their own. Sometimes the drug or dose may need to be switched to reduce side effects or increase benefits. This must only be done at a doctor’s direction.
Staying on the drug treatment is the key to success. This is not always easy. Individuals often stop treatment for various reasons. The person may feel that the drugs no longer work or are no longer needed. Another reason is the unwanted side effects. There is also the lack of insight that is part of the disease itself. Those who stop drug treatments are at great risk of relapse. This may result in the need to be hospitalized.
Non-drug therapy
Non-drug therapies include support groups, as well as one-on-one counseling. They are not to be used in place of drug treatment, but along with it. These talk therapies are a vital part of the recovery process. People learn how to better cope with and manage their illness. They are also more likely to remain on their medication.
Individual therapy, or counseling, provides help on a one-on-one basis. The individual is taught proper coping skills for dealing with his illness. This may include learning practical things like healthy eating habits and having regular sleep routines. The therapist will also help the individual to work through her depressive and delusional thoughts.
Group therapy brings people together to discuss their disease. Members encourage each other through their success stories. They can also console each other by sharing their failures. Just hearing that someone else struggles with the same things you do can be helpful. Group therapy lets you know that you are not alone in the fight.
Family support is crucial to any person’s recovery. Therefore, it is advised that family members also take part in sessions. This begins with learning about the disease. The family is taught how to look for signs of oncoming schizophrenic episodes. They can then help ensure their loved one receives and remains on the needed treatment.
Help and hope
People with schizophrenia can lead rich and rewarding lives. The key is to find the proper treatment and to stay on it. Therapy and family support also play a vital role in recovery. Long-term support is offered through self-help groups and rehab programs. These teach skills for coping with the illness and better managing life.
Resources
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 10-week education course on the topic of recovery for any person living with a serious mental illness.
www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-Programs/NAMI-Peer-to-Peer
National Alliance on Mental Illness ”Tell Me About Schizophrenia” video
www.nami.org/Videos/Tell-Me-About-Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America
www.sardaa.org
Schizophrenia Digest is a magazine dedicated to hope, dignity, and support by providing information about schizophrenia for individuals, families, friends, and others.
www.szdigest.com
Schizophrenia for Dummies by Jerome Levine, MD and Irene S. Levine, PhD. For Dummies, 2008.
Summary
- Drug and talk therapy is effective
- Person must stay on medicine
- Group and family support improve outlook
The outlook for people with schizophrenia used to be quite bleak. The lack of helpful treatment left them with little hope. Many were forced to live out their lives inside institutions. Today the picture is much brighter. While no cure has been found, there have been great advances in treatment. The result is that people with the disease can now live fruitful lives.
Drug therapy
The onset of antipsychotic drugs in the 1950s brought welcome relief to people with schizophrenia. Positive symptoms of the disease, such as hallucinations and delusions, were greatly subdued. Later on, a second wave of antipsychotic drugs became available. These new drugs gave new hope to people with little desire for life.
Second generation antipsychotics may have side effects. One of the most common side effects is weight gain. There is also a greater risk of getting diabetes. Milder issues, such as feeling dizzy or drowsy, usually go away on their own. Sometimes the drug or dose may need to be switched to reduce side effects or increase benefits. This must only be done at a doctor’s direction.
Staying on the drug treatment is the key to success. This is not always easy. Individuals often stop treatment for various reasons. The person may feel that the drugs no longer work or are no longer needed. Another reason is the unwanted side effects. There is also the lack of insight that is part of the disease itself. Those who stop drug treatments are at great risk of relapse. This may result in the need to be hospitalized.
Non-drug therapy
Non-drug therapies include support groups, as well as one-on-one counseling. They are not to be used in place of drug treatment, but along with it. These talk therapies are a vital part of the recovery process. People learn how to better cope with and manage their illness. They are also more likely to remain on their medication.
Individual therapy, or counseling, provides help on a one-on-one basis. The individual is taught proper coping skills for dealing with his illness. This may include learning practical things like healthy eating habits and having regular sleep routines. The therapist will also help the individual to work through her depressive and delusional thoughts.
Group therapy brings people together to discuss their disease. Members encourage each other through their success stories. They can also console each other by sharing their failures. Just hearing that someone else struggles with the same things you do can be helpful. Group therapy lets you know that you are not alone in the fight.
Family support is crucial to any person’s recovery. Therefore, it is advised that family members also take part in sessions. This begins with learning about the disease. The family is taught how to look for signs of oncoming schizophrenic episodes. They can then help ensure their loved one receives and remains on the needed treatment.
Help and hope
People with schizophrenia can lead rich and rewarding lives. The key is to find the proper treatment and to stay on it. Therapy and family support also play a vital role in recovery. Long-term support is offered through self-help groups and rehab programs. These teach skills for coping with the illness and better managing life.
Resources
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 10-week education course on the topic of recovery for any person living with a serious mental illness.
www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-Programs/NAMI-Peer-to-Peer
National Alliance on Mental Illness ”Tell Me About Schizophrenia” video
www.nami.org/Videos/Tell-Me-About-Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America
www.sardaa.org
Schizophrenia Digest is a magazine dedicated to hope, dignity, and support by providing information about schizophrenia for individuals, families, friends, and others.
www.szdigest.com
Schizophrenia for Dummies by Jerome Levine, MD and Irene S. Levine, PhD. For Dummies, 2008.