Schizophrenia symptoms and treatment options

Schizophrenia symptoms and treatment options

People suffering from schizophrenia exhibit numerous symptoms and can be divided into three categories: positive symptoms, negative symptoms and cognitive symptoms.

Positive symptoms::The symptoms included in this category are hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders, and movement disorders. Hallucinations are things that a person sees or hears that do not exist in real life. Most people who suffer from this mental disorder also hear voices in their heads. Meanwhile, delusions are beliefs that are not true or logical. When patients have delusions, they believe that they are famous people or that other people are trying to harm them. Thought disorders refer to unusual ways of thinking and movement disorders refer to the repetition of certain movements.

Negative symptoms::These symptoms are more difficult to identify because they can be mistaken for depression. These include lack of desire for regular activity, lack of expression, very little speaking and lack of initiative.

Cognitive symptoms::These symptoms are subtle and include memory problems, lack of insight, and difficulty focusing attention.

After identifying symptoms, you may have questions about treatment options. Are there treatments for schizophrenia? Yes, there are some options available and you can read the explanation as follows:

1. Antipsychotics: This is the most common medication for this mental disorder. 70% of people use this medication and it has been shown to be effective in reducing relapse rates up to 40%. Typical antipsychotics include haloperidol, thorazine and fluanxol. These medications are effective in treating the symptoms, especially the positive ones.

2. Antidepressants: These medications are recommended for people suffering from schizoaffective disorder. They reduce the symptoms of depression that most sufferers experience.

3. Psychotherapy: This is the most recommended treatment for schizophrenia sufferers. Psychotherapy is a behavioral treatment that can reduce relapse rates to as little as 25%. There are some types of psychotherapy like family therapy, cognitive therapy, psychoeducation. They help schizophrenics overcome symptoms and interact in society. Another important treatment is social skills training. This is training to teach patients how to deal with social situations.

4. Alternative Treatments: These treatments are available but a patient is not recommended to choose them without first receiving medical treatment. Alternative treatments are more effective when combined with antipsychotics and administered under medical supervision. In some cases, nutritional supplements can also help reduce symptoms of schizophrenia.

There is currently no cure for this mental disorder, but the above treatment options are available today. In most cases, treatments show effectiveness in reducing symptoms and preventing relapse. However, treatments should be given for life.

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