If you’re experiencing schizophrenia symptoms or processing a new diagnosis, knowing the facts about your condition can help demystify the illness and make it easier to cope. As a Joint Commission- and CARF-accredited provider of schizophrenia treatment in Florida, we’re here to provide information, support and evidence-based care.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that around 0.25% to 0.64% of Americans have schizophrenia or a related disorder, with symptoms typically manifesting in the teenage years or early adulthood. Some develop schizophrenia on their own, while others experience drug-induced schizophrenia that ties into their substance abuse disorder.

Whatever the cause, schizophrenia is a challenging but treatable condition that doesn’t have to be a life sentence. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least one-third of people with schizophrenia will achieve complete symptom remission. In this article, we’ll share essential information about this condition and explore your care options at our schizophrenia treatment center.

What Is Schizophrenia?

The American Psychiatric Association defines schizophrenia as a disorder “characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior and other symptoms that cause social or occupational dysfunction.” While there’s no known cure for schizophrenia, treating schizophrenia can improve most symptoms.

The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, which is partially why it’s also been so difficult to develop a cure. Factors that increase an individual’s risk of having the condition include:

• Genetics
• Small differences in brain development
• An imbalance in two types of neurotransmitters: dopamine and serotonin
• Pregnancy and birth complications, including low birth weight, premature labor and asphyxia during birth

If left untreated, schizophrenia can have severe consequences. People can experience overwhelming symptoms, such as delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thoughts. Over time, this can lead to paranoia, the inability to hold down a job, isolation from friends and family and even suicidal tendencies.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia causes a wide range of symptoms impacting a person’s thoughts and behavior. Common symptoms of schizophrenia include:

• Delusions: People experiencing delusions believe things that are untrue. For example, they may believe that they have supernatural abilities or that other people are trying to harm them when they aren’t.
• Hallucinations: A hallucination involves seeing or hearing something that isn’t real. Hearing voices is the most common type of hallucination in people with schizophrenia, but it can involve any of the senses.
• Speech and thinking problems: People with schizophrenia may struggle to organize their speech and thoughts. For instance, they may not answer questions coherently or give unrelated responses during conversation.
• Motor problems: Some people experience problems with physical coordination or move in unusual ways. For example, they may move or speak more slowly than other people or experience balance issues.
• Behavior issues: Schizophrenia can cause a person to behave in socially inappropriate ways. They may appear extremely excited, agitated or aggressive.
• Negative symptoms: Negative symptoms involve the loss or reduction of normal, healthy behaviors. A person may withdraw from social interactions, lose the drive to complete daily tasks or stop making eye contact.

Healthcare professionals often refer to schizophrenia symptoms as positive or negative. Positive symptoms are thoughts or behaviors that most people don’t experience. Delusions and hallucinations are examples of positive schizophrenia symptoms. Conversely, negative symptoms involve the absence of typical feelings, experiences or behaviors.

Schizophrenia symptoms vary between people in type and severity. Symptoms may fluctuate in intensity or remain consistent over a prolonged period.

Treatment Options for Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia treatment usually involves a two-pronged approach. Most individuals can benefit from therapy and medication for schizophrenia. However, this decision is made on a case-by-case basis, as each patient’s individualized needs, preferences and responses to treatment should be considered.

Early schizophrenia diagnosis and intervention are critical. Starting treatment as early as possible helps preserve psychological and social functioning and significantly improves your long-term prognosis. We recommend seeking treatment as soon as you notice symptoms of schizophrenia to maximize your long-term well-being.

Medication

Medication is a crucial part of treating schizophrenia and is the first-line treatment option for many people. Still, there’s room for personalization in the type of medication and dosage. Individuals often work with their doctors to find the best drug and dosage to manage their symptoms without impacting their mood.

The most common meds for schizophrenia can be divided into two categories: conventional antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics.

Conventional antipsychotics include popular medications such as chlorpromazine, haloperidol and fluphenazine. While these medications have been used to treat schizophrenia effectively for years, they can cause tremors and dystonia (involuntary muscle contractions).

Atypical antipsychotics are the “newer” medications available on the market that offer the same effectiveness as the conventional drugs but with fewer side effects. Popular atypical antipsychotics are aripiprazole, clozapine, risperidone and quetiapine. As with most medications, these atypical antipsychotic drugs come with their own risk of side effects. Most commonly, the side effects impact the metabolism, resulting in an increased risk of high cholesterol and diabetes.

New medications continue to become available as medical research progresses. Cobenfy is a new medication used to treat schizophrenia symptoms. Research shows that Cobenfy improves positive and negative schizophrenia symptoms and may cause fewer side effects than traditional options, although some people experience adverse reactions. Side effects of Cobenfy include nausea, indigestion and constipation.

Administration of schizophrenia medication is usually done on a trial basis. Doctors work with each patient to identify the optimal drug and dosage, as there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Your doctor may recommend long-acting injectables (LAIs) to treat schizophrenia. LAIs generally contain the same medication you’d take by mouth. They release medication into the bloodstream over several weeks or months. Taking LAIs means you won’t need to remember to take tablet medication each day, which could make it easier to stick to your treatment plan.

Therapy

Most individuals can benefit from regular therapy treatment for their schizophrenia. This condition can feel overwhelming, isolating and confusing to many people. A therapist can help individuals cope with their diagnosis, and they can monitor and spot the warning signs when someone stops taking their medication.

Some of the most popular therapies for schizophrenia are:

• Individual psychotherapy. In personal one-on-one therapy sessions, the therapist teaches the patient to deal with their thoughts and behaviors and offers tools to manage everyday life. This type of therapy also helps the patient differentiate between what’s real and what’s not.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT focuses on helping people change how they think and behave. Additionally, the patient learns how to deal with hallucinations and may even be able to identify what triggers their psychotic episodes.
• Cognitive enhancement therapy. CET, also known as cognitive remediation, focuses on teaching the patient social cues and triggers. It also aims to improve memory, attention and the ability to organize thoughts. CET is usually a combination of computer training and group sessions.
• Family therapy. Family education can help family members learn about schizophrenia and how they can support their loved one. It also provides a safe space for loved ones to work through their problems without blame or accusations.
• Group therapy. Patients may benefit from attending group therapy sessions to meet others with schizophrenia. This condition can often feel isolating, so talking to people going through a similar experience can be helpful. This can also be an inspiring place to see people with the condition living full lives.

Schizophrenia Treatment in Florida: Levels of Care

Schizophrenia treatment centers offer several levels of care. Which care level is most appropriate for you depends on your needs and the severity of your symptoms.

Residential schizophrenia treatment involves a short- to mid-term stay at a schizophrenia treatment center. Your care team may recommend residential care if you have severe symptoms or functional difficulties requiring intensive treatment and supervision. Residential care follows a predictable routine in a safe, supportive environment. Alongside medication and other medical treatments for schizophrenia, programs may include individual therapy, group therapy and neuro-rehabilitative services.

A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) provides intensive daytime treatment for schizophrenia. These programs offer more intensive support than outpatient care but enable you to return home in the evenings. This care level could be appropriate if you have increased symptoms or functional problems, but can remain safely in your own home. It could also be a helpful stepping stone toward outpatient services after completing a residential program.

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs) provide ongoing support for people with more stable symptoms. You’ll receive treatment in an outpatient setting while residing in your own home. This care level is more flexible, allowing you to schedule your treatment sessions around work, school or family commitments.

If you or someone you love is living with schizophrenia, help is available. Reach out for a confidential, no-pressure conversation about care options in Deerfield Beach.

Alcohol and Schizophrenia

Some people with schizophrenia also have substance use disorders. This co-occurrence of schizophrenia and substance abuse is well documented. Scientists aren’t certain why people with schizophrenia are more likely to misuse alcohol and other drugs, but it’s thought that the genes that increase your risk of developing a substance use disorder also increase your risk of schizophrenia. The social and cognitive effects of schizophrenia could also lead to a person experiencing poverty, being victimized or living in a risky environment. These factors can make people more vulnerable to drug misuse.

The term “dual diagnosis” is used when a person has both a mental health disorder, like schizophrenia, and a substance use disorder. Alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorders can worsen schizophrenia symptoms and interfere with treatment. Addressing substance misuse can reduce the severity of schizophrenia and increase the chances of successful treatment.

Restore offers dual diagnosis treatment for people with schizophrenia and alcohol use disorder. Our program incorporates evidence-based addiction rehab alongside schizophrenia treatment to reduce symptoms, improve coping skills and minimize the risk of relapse.

Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia

Some people continue to experience significant schizophrenia symptoms despite taking antipsychotic medications. Healthcare professionals often refer to this phenomenon as treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS).

Clozapine is the standard treatment option for people with TRS. Most antipsychotic drugs work by blocking dopamine, and people with TRS often do not produce excessive dopamine. Clozapine affects multiple brain chemicals, making it a more effective option for many people with TRS.

Your doctor may also recommend electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) to treat severe or persistent schizophrenia symptoms. ECT involves passing an electrical current through your brain under general anesthesia to alter your brain chemistry, usually as part of a broader treatment plan.

Some TRS treatment programs include neuro-rehabilitative services. Restore offers a range of non-invasive neuro rehab treatments to reduce mental health symptoms.

Get Help for Drug-induced Schizophrenia

Whether you want to learn how to help someone with schizophrenia or need treatment for your own disorder, the compassionate professionals at Restore are here to help with personalized treatment plans. Our dual-accredited schizophrenia programs in Deerfield Beach deliver neuroscience-informed treatments, integrating psychiatric care, medical support and neurotherapies such as TMS, ketamine-assisted therapy, EEG brain mapping, neurofeedback and EMDR. Reach out today to find out how we can help.