Schizophrenia TreatmentAltamonte Springs, FL
Schizophrenia treatment can help people control the symptoms of this chronic brain disorder. We can recommend various safe and effective treatment options to help patients improve daily functioning. Working with a psychiatrist allows patients to receive the personalized treatment they deserve.
Florida Psychiatric Associates provides schizophrenia treatment in Altamonte Springs and the surrounding area. Our team is here to provide patients with quality care and strategies to manage their condition and boost their quality of life. Contact us today at 407-960-5633 to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment.
Understanding Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that impacts how a person interprets reality, affecting how they feel, think, and act. This chronic brain disorder is not only distressing for the person affected but also for their friends and family. Less than one percent of the American population has schizophrenia.
While this disorder affects about the same proportion of men and women, men may experience earlier symptom onset. People usually receive a schizophrenia diagnosis between the late teens to early thirties. However, men may receive an earlier diagnosis during their late adolescence to their early twenties.
Symptoms
People with schizophrenia have episodes of psychosis during which they cannot distinguish between real and hallucinated experiences. During a person’s first episode of psychosis, they will experience changes in their thinking, mood, and interactions with others. There are three categories of schizophrenia symptoms: disorganized, positive, and negative symptoms.
Disorganized symptoms include confused and disorganized speech and thinking along with abnormal behaviors and movement. Positive symptoms are present when they should not be, such as hallucinations, paranoia, and distorted behaviors or perceptions. In contrast, negative symptoms are not present when they should be. They include the inability or decreased ability to speak, express emotions, or find pleasure.
When to Seek Professional Help
When left untreated, schizophrenia symptoms can persist and prevent people from experiencing normal and healthy lives. Fortunately, with the right treatment plan, people can manage their symptoms and regain control. Receiving timely and coordinated treatment can help people be independent, enjoy relationships with others, and be productive at school or work.
While a personalized treatment plan can help improve schizophrenia symptoms, there is no cure for this disorder. Patients must receive lifelong treatment even if their symptoms are no longer present. With sustained treatment, people with schizophrenia can reduce the risk of their symptoms recurring. Our team can develop a customized treatment plan to help patients lead healthy and rewarding lives.
Medication
Medications are a highly effective treatment for many people with schizophrenia. Antipsychotics are common medications that affect the neurotransmitter called dopamine to control symptoms. Other possible medications may include antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications. Our goal is to find the lowest possible dose that is still effective in helping a patient manage their symptoms.
It may take time and trial and error to determine the optimal dosage and combination for a patient’s needs. Patients who do not want to take pills or have trouble with adhering to treatment instructions may be able to receive antipsychotics through intramuscular or subcutaneous injections. These injections are typically administered to a patient every two to four weeks.
Psychosocial Treatment
In addition to medication, psychosocial treatment is also effective in helping treat schizophrenia. As a person experiences improvements in their episodes of psychosis, they must continue to take their medication and receive psychotreatment and psychosocial treatments. Psychotreatment may include cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), supportive treatment, or cognitive enhancement treatment (CET). Receiving psychosocial treatment can enable people to overcome the challenges of living with schizophrenia, making them more likely to adhere to treatment and less likely to relapse.
CBT can help patients learn how to cope with schizophrenia symptoms that persist even after taking medication. Supportive treatment, whether with family or individually, allows patients to process their experience and receive the support they need to deal with the condition. Patients with schizophrenia may also benefit from CET, which promotes a person’s cognitive functioning. Contact our team for more information about our available treatment options.
Call Us Today
Without treatment, schizophrenia symptoms can become more severe and lead to complications. Our team at Florida Psychiatric Associates provides schizophrenia treatment to manage symptoms and help patients live as normal lives as possible. Call us today at 407-960-5633 to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the side effects for medication to treat schizophrenia?
Common side effects of antipsychotics to treat schizophrenia include weight gain, restlessness, dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and drowsiness. Some medications to treat schizophrenia can cause serious side effects. Second-generation medications pose a lower risk of serious side effects than first-generation antipsychotics.
What causes schizophrenia?
The exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown. A combination of brain chemistry, genetics, and environmental factors may play a role in contributing to schizophrenia. Research has shown that people with schizophrenia often have issues with brain chemicals such as dopamine and glutamate or differences in their brain structure or central nervous system.
Is it possible to prevent schizophrenia?
No. There is no certain way to prevent schizophrenia. However, adhering to a treatment plan can stop patients from relapsing or symptoms getting worse.
Is medication always necessary to treat schizophrenia?
All people diagnosed with schizophrenia will need to use medications to manage their condition some of the time. Continued medication can help patients with controlling symptoms and prevent relapse from occurring. However, medications are not effective for treating all aspects of schizophrenia. Psychotreatment such as CBT can help patients with addressing certain symptoms that medications do not.
How is schizophrenia diagnosed?
There is no specific test to diagnose schizophrenia. Interviewing the patients and going over the history of their symptoms can aid in diagnosis. Blood tests, brain scans, and brain wave tests can help in ruling out diseases whose symptoms are similar to schizophrenia.
Contact Us
Florida Psychiatric Associates is located at
498 Palm Springs Dr Ste 100-127
Altamonte Springs, FL
32701
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