Schizophrenia Rehab and Recovery

Schizophrenia is a very serious mental illness that can affect how you think, feel, and behave. If you have this diagnosis, you or those around you may feel as though you have lost touch with reality. These symptoms can make it difficult to access the care you need to begin recovery. Fortunately, many rehab centers are equipped to treat schizophrenia.

Untreated schizophrenia can have disabling long-term effects. But with a coordinated plan of care, you can still engage in school or work, achieve or maintain your independence, and enjoy personal relationships. In order to begin recovery, you can learn more about your illness, its impact on your life, and which types of treatment are currently available.

Choosing a Treatment Approach

It can be overwhelming to receive this diagnosis. Schizophrenia is often unfairly maligned, although those views are changing with time. And despite the associated stigma, appropriate treatment can empower you to manage your symptoms and live a fulfilling life.

Because the symptoms of schizophrenia often appear in early adulthood, ((Gogtay, N., Vyas, N. S., Testa, R., Wood, S. J., & Pantelis, C. (2011). Age of onset of schizophrenia: Perspectives from structural neuroimaging studies. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 37(3), 504–513. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbr030)) many patients benefit from developing certain life skills in addition to receiving medical care. Rehabilitation often involves education, career training, and practicing good self-care habits.

A positive outlook is essential to achieving and maintaining stability. Remember that a diagnosis of schizophrenia doesn’t mean your life is over. You deserve care and compassion. A good-quality rehab program will guide you through addressing challenges while recognizing and supporting your many personal strengths. There are a number of ways to approach this process of recovery; what’s important is choosing an option that suits your unique needs.

Antipsychotic Medications

Antipsychotic medications, ((Mental health medications. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications)) such as risperidone (Risperdal) ((Risperidone: Medlineplus drug information. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a694015.html)) or olanzapine (Zyprexa), ((Olanzapine: Medlineplus drug information. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601213.html)) are commonly prescribed for schizophrenia. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), these medications are used to treat patients who have experienced “some loss of contact with reality.” Some symptoms, like hallucinations, should abate within days of starting an antipsychotic. Other symptoms may take weeks to resolve, even if the drug is taken as directed. If you’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia, your prescribing doctor will likely recommend that you take medication on an ongoing basis, even after completing treatment for an acute episode.

Art Therapy

In art therapy, you can process difficult emotions and experiences through creative expression. This modality may help you get in touch with your feelings and make sense of your inner world.

Because art therapy can include nonverbal expression, ((Schizophrenic communication | diginole. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu%3A181652/datastream)) this technique can help people with schizophrenia practice communication skills in a low-stakes environment. The act of creation can strengthen your sense of self, while the art you produce invites you to relate with other people in a new way. According to one study, art therapy can alleviate some symptoms of schizophrenia ((Teglbjaerg, H. S. (2011). Art therapy may reduce psychopathology in schizophrenia by strengthening the patients’ sense of self: A qualitative extended case report. Psychopathology, 44(5), 314–318. https://doi.org/10.1159/000325025)) in some people.

Talk Therapy

Talk therapy can help you cope with hallucinations or delusions in a healthier way. Many experts recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for schizophrenia. ((CBT for schizophrenia: Does it work, benefits, and more. (2022, January 11). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cbt-for-schizophrenia))

CBT works by helping you to identify the thought patterns that cause your unwanted feelings and behaviors. You can then use specific tools to challenge these thought patterns and eventually work towards more beneficial, actionable thoughts.

Family Therapy

Family members are an important source of support for people with any mental health diagnosis. And a wealth of data supports the importance of family therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia, ((Caqueo-Urízar, A., Rus-Calafell, M., Urzúa, A., Escudero, J., & Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J. (2015). The role of family therapy in the management of schizophrenia: Challenges and solutions. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 11, 145–151. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S51331)) in particular. Many rehab programs offer family therapy—and some define “family” broadly, inviting chosen family members to participate in the process.

In this type of therapy, you’ll meet with a trained therapist as a group, and may also have individual sessions. These are opportunities to discuss your condition and explore solutions that may help you and your family work towards remission.

In order to maximize your health outcomes and reduce the impact of your illness on your day-to-day functionality, it’s important to maintain a strong support network. The more your friends and family understand your diagnosis, the better equipped they’ll be to help you heal. Although it can go into remission, schizophrenia is a lifelong condition. If you and your loved ones work together, you can make an even more sustainable plan for ongoing care.

Causes of Schizophrenia

This illness is a severe, chronic diagnosis characterized by disturbances in thought, perception and behavior. Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people, ((Schizophrenia. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schizophrenia)) which is 0.32% of the global population.

As scientists seek to pin down its causes, this condition is the subject of plenty of research. Although anyone can develop it, researchers believe schizophrenia may be linked to the following factors: ((Schizophrenia. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia))

• Genetics: It’s thought that schizophrenia may run in families. However, there is currently no means of using genetic information to predict occurrences of schizophrenia.
• Environment: Environmental factors such as poverty, acute stress, and prenatal malnutrition may cause or exacerbate this illness.
• Brain structure and function: Schizophrenia is linked to differences in brain structure, function, and neurochemical interactions. More research is needed to determine why these differences occur.

Understanding the symptoms and causes of schizophrenia is the first step in learning to manage your illness. A serious condition like schizophrenia can impact your life in many different ways.