Schizophrenia: Treatment and Therapies

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a kind of psychosis, a chronic brain disorder that usually appears in late adolescence or early adulthood. This mental disorder makes people interpret reality abnormally and disrupts speech, thinking, and emotions. Schizophrenia was hugely misunderstood up until a decade ago.

Due to the influence of movies through the ’60s right through to the ’90s, people started being aware of mental disorders like schizophrenia. It was around this time that prominent awareness of this crippling mental illness began to spread through the media, and thereby to the larger masses of the public. Until this time, however, sufferers of this mental illness were the subject to crippling stigma, often more than the illness.

Luckily, through a combined effort of modern medicine, mental health professionals, and caregivers of schizophrenia patients, the stigma began to reduce. Having said this, the stigma is still present and is enough to label a person for life, even if they have been asymptomatic for a considerable period.

Consider this – A person suffering from high blood pressure is not known as a BP-ic, nor is a person suffering from a migraine called a migraine-ic. But a person suffering from schizophrenia is called a schizophrenic! We still have a long way to go before we can eliminate this differentiation between sufferers of an illness beyond their control.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that cannot be cured but can be treated and managed effectively. At Cadabams, we ensure that all aspects of schizophrenia are acknowledged and addressed through psychotherapy, medication management, and supportive care.

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Schizophrenia Therapy and Treatment

Treatment Options for Schizophrenia

The first step towards schizophrenia therapy treatment is the diagnosis. Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed if a person experiences delusions, hallucinations, hears voices, has incoherent speech, or apathy.

These symptoms significantly impact the ability of an individual to complete daily routine tasks. Once all other causes like recreational drug use and bipolar disorder are ruled out after a thorough assessment, schizophrenia is diagnosed.

There is no specific way to cure or get rid of schizophrenia mental disorder. However, early diagnosis and schizophrenia therapy sessions may help get the symptoms under control before the development of serious complications. With proper treatment, the individual suffering from schizophrenia can lead a productive life.

The most effective types of treatments for schizophrenia patients involves a combination of the following-

• Therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, group therapy, etc
• Medications such as anti-psychosis drugs
• Self-help resources
• Psychological counseling methods
• Adhering to the treatment plan can help in reducing the progression of schizophrenia as well as in preventing relapses.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Schizophrenia

A study comparing CBT to other psychological interventions found that CBT was more effective than other therapies and techniques examined. Also, mental health professionals have restated CBT treatment plan for schizophrenia and medications, in the past few years, which proves its effectiveness as a treatment option for schizophrenia. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for schizophrenia provides an additional treatment option for residual symptoms, based on the intervention strategies and principles previously treated for depression and anxiety.

CBT Effectiveness for Schizophrenia

Treatment options for schizophrenia such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy have been proven effective after providing successful recovery from depression and anxiety. Mental health professionals all around the globe have credited CBT for positive outcomes. CBT complements medications, and helps prevent relapses. It promotes positive coping that helps in improving the overall quality of life of a person suffering from schizophrenia. CBT,

Theories and Techniques in CBT for Schizophrenia

Here are the coping training characteristics which are involved in CBT for Schizophrenia.

• Developing therapeutic evidence-based therapy from the person’s perspective
• To develop alternative explanations for schizophrenia symptoms
• Reducing the influence of positive and negative symptoms
• Offering choices to medical models to address medications and adherence
• Use of simulation, overlearning, and role-playing
• Introducing coping skills and strategies for progressing towards a better quality of life
• Self-management skills that begin with external verbalization
• Behavioral coping techniques that are learned through graded practices

Goals of CBT in Treatment Options for Schizophrenia

The goal of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for schizophrenia is to help people suffering from schizophrenia alter their thought process and behaviour to more positive thinking and appropriate behaviour and to help them manage their symptoms better.

It also collaborates with the ideas of setting goals in treatment processes. Through vigorous practice, people dealing with schizophrenia feel they can control their daily life activities. Once the feeling of helplessness about their illness is reduced, it gets easier to get forward with their lives.

Overall, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is known to be a successful way of schizophrenia treatment because it uses the principles of teaching and addresses people on how to manage the symptoms of the illness on their own.

CBT is a universal medication treatment plan, and it’s recommended to be the second frontline treatment for schizophrenia.

Reel Therapy for Schizophrenia

Reel Therapy is a treatment plan that utilizes movies as adjunctive for traditional psychotherapies. The advantage of reel therapy is that it allows the viewer a chance to maintain distance from the actual/perceived situation while experiencing all the inputs like sound, light, imagery, plot, and story. This allows the viewer to develop insight into the movie, thereby understanding the particular problem they may have.

Reel Therapy has been in use for the last 15 years in countries like the USA and Canada and has just been introduced in India for the first time by the Cadabam’s Group. We are the proud pioneers in using reel therapy as an effective treatment option. In this short time, that reel therapy has been introduced by Cadabams, there have been several success stories of recovering individuals gaining insight and overcoming their symptoms to become and remain asymptomatic.

Why Cadabams for Schizophrenia treatment?

Living with schizophrenia can be quite challenging. At Cadabams, we aim to help people get an early and speedy diagnosis for a better and healthy life. Our multispecialty team of experts with over three decades of experience are with you every step of the way from diagnosis to post treatment.  

Although there is no cure for the condition, with an evidence-based treatment approach, individuals can be able to manage their symptoms and live a healthy and productive life. To make the treatment and recovery process more fruitful and easier for you or your loved one, we offer customised comprehensive treatment and care plans to individuals which involves medication, therapy,  family and social support.

As people with schizophrenia often respond well to residential treatment, we offer long-term intensive care through rehabs, group sessions, social skills development, lifestyle and wellness practices to help them reintegrate into society. Our social skills training program is a hallmark service that helps in overall development and management of schizophrenia while facilitating high-levels of functioning in the society. We provide supported employment and vocational training to enable people with schizophrenia to regain control over their lives.

We draw up a schizophrenia treatment plan that is just right for you and your family. At Cadabams, we care for you.  

Schizophrenia FAQs: All your queries answered

How can I tell if someone has schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that disrupts the thought process, emotions, and behavior aspects of a person. Symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, agitation, lack of drive or initiative, social withdrawal, apathy, emotional unresponsiveness, or lack of emotional expression – are a clear indication that someone might have schizophrenia and needs immediate medical attention.

When do the symptoms of schizophrenia appear?

Both men and women can be affected by schizophrenia. Usually, the symptoms of schizophrenia show up when the patient is between 16 and 30 years of age. The symptoms appear in late adolescence or early adulthood. The disorder rarely occurs in children.

Can a person with schizophrenia lead a normal life?

Schizophrenia is a lifelong journey of treatment and self-help. However, following the treatment protocol can help schizophrenics become increasingly self-reliant. Support from caregivers and family members is essential to help those suffering from schizophrenia manage their symptoms and lead a normal life.

Early detection of symptoms of schizophrenia can help in better management of the illness. If you or your loved one is displaying these symptoms, reach out to us @+91 96111 94949 or write to us at info@cadabams.org.