The Answered Patient: Treating Schizophrenia

The World Health Organization ranks schizophrenia among the ten most debilitating diseases, and many people suffering from it don't get adequate care.

In this episode of "Say Ahh!" we'll tell you about spotting and diagnosing schizophrenia, and using rehabilitation therapy to treat the disease.

To make sure a patient with schizophrenia receives the most effective treatment possible, it's important to recognize the symptoms early, and get a proper diagnosis. Doctors use three main categories to describe the symptoms of schizophrenia:

• Positive symptoms, which include hallucinations and delusions
• Negative symptoms, which include lack of emotion and social withdrawal
• Cognitive symptoms, which include difficulty with memory and attention

Once a diagnosis is made, a doctor will identify which type of the illness a person has. There are five basic types of schizophrenia, though many patients can be grouped into more than one:

• Disorganized schizophrenia
• Paranoid schizophrenia
• Catatonic schizophrenia
• Undifferentiated schizophrenia
• Residual type

In addition to medication, rehabilitation therapy can go a long way toward helping patients with schizophrenia. The goals of treatment include learning self-reliance, re-establishing relationships with family and friends, and gaining the skills needed to be a productive member of society. There are several types of rehabilitation therapy used to treat schizophrenia, including:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Substance abuse treatment
• Social and vocational rehabilitation
• Family support
• Self-help

Rehabilitation therapy can be an important step on the long road to recovery from schizophrenia. The key is finding a treatment program suited to a person's individual needs -- one that can help patients, family, and friends cope with this challenging illness.

For more information, click the link below:

What is Schizophrenia?

• Print Article

Story Tools