Where to get treatment for schizophrenia
A doctor will diagnose it by observing how the person behaves. They will also ask about their history of physical and mental health. That said, they may recommend some tests to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms, such as a tumor, brain injury, or another mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder. To diagnose schizophrenia, a doctor will use the criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.
This manual provides criteria for diagnosing a wide range of mental health conditions. According to the criteria, a person must have at least two of the following symptoms for a month:. They must also experience considerable impairment in their ability to function in school or at work, to interact with others, or to carry out self-care tasks, and they must have symptoms that persist for 6 months or more.
The symptoms must also not be due to another health condition, a prescribed medication, or the use of other substances. These effects can also affect the people around them. Treatment is available that can help a person manage their symptoms.
People with schizophrenia will also benefit from the support of their family, friends, and community services. Anyone caring for someone with schizophrenia can help by learning how to spot the onset of an episode, encouraging the person to adhere to their treatment plan, and supporting them through their experience.
Read the article in Spanish. Schizophrenia usually starts in adulthood, but it can sometimes affect children. Find out how to recognize it and the treatments available.
People with schizophrenia often experience paranoia, a type of delusion that usually involves persecution. Here, learn about support, treatment, and…. Psychoeducation programs explain about symptoms, treatment options, recovery, and services that can help. You can have psychoeducation individually or in groups. It can include written information, videos, websites, meetings, or discussions with your case manager or psychiatrist. Your family can help you understand your diagnosis and support you in your treatment.
Family psychoeducation programs help the person with schizophrenia and their family communicate better and solve problems. Family psychoeducation is also good for family members. It can be very upsetting to see someone you love become unwell with schizophrenia. More about psychological treatments. ECT is a safe and effective treatment. It can be effective when symptoms of schizophrenia are very severe.
If ECT is recommended as a treatment for you, your doctor should explain how it works and answer all your questions. You should be given written information explaining what will happen, how it feels, and your rights. More about electroconvulsive therapy ECT. Getting help as soon as possible gives you the best chance of a good recovery, at any stage, including:. If you or someone you care for is experiencing a first episode of psychosis, it is important to get specialised care as soon as possible.
The care plan may involve an advance statement or crisis plan, which can be followed in an emergency. Your care plan should include a combined healthy eating and physical activity programme and support for giving up smoking, if you smoke. Your care co-ordinator will be responsible for making sure all members of your healthcare team, including your GP, have a copy of your care plan. People who have serious psychotic symptoms as the result of an acute schizophrenic episode may require a more intensive level of care than a CMHT can provide.
A treatment option is to contact a home treatment or crisis resolution team CRT. CRTs treat people with serious mental health conditions who are currently experiencing an acute and severe psychiatric crisis. The CRT aims to treat people in the least restrictive environment possible, ideally in or near their home. This can be in your own home, in a dedicated crisis residential home or hostel, or in a day care centre.
CRTs are also responsible for planning aftercare once the crisis has passed to prevent a further crisis occurring. Your care co-ordinator should be able to provide you and your friends or family with contact information in the event of a crisis. More serious acute schizophrenic episodes may require admission to a psychiatric ward at a hospital or clinic.
You can admit yourself voluntarily to hospital if your psychiatrist agrees it's necessary. People can also be compulsorily detained at a hospital under the Mental Health Act , but this is rare. It's only possible for someone to be compulsorily detained at a hospital if they have a severe mental disorder and if detention is necessary:.
All people being treated in hospital will stay only as long as is absolutely necessary for them to receive appropriate treatment and arrange aftercare. An independent panel will regularly review your case and progress. Once they feel you're no longer a danger to yourself and others, you'll be discharged from hospital. However, your care team may recommend you remain in hospital voluntarily. If it's felt there's a significant risk of future acute schizophrenic episodes occurring, you may want to write an advance statement.
An advance statement is a series of written instructions about what you would like your family or friends to do in case you experience another acute schizophrenic episode. You may also want to include contact details for your care co-ordinator. Antipsychotics are usually recommended as the initial treatment for the symptoms of an acute schizophrenic episode.
With appropriate treatment, most people with schizophrenia can manage their illness. During crisis periods or times of severe symptoms, hospitalization may be necessary to ensure safety, proper nutrition, adequate sleep and basic hygiene. For adults with schizophrenia who do not respond to drug therapy, electroconvulsive therapy ECT may be considered. ECT may be helpful for someone who also has depression. Coping with a mental disorder as serious as schizophrenia can be challenging, both for the person with the condition and for friends and family.
Here are some ways to cope:. If you're seeking help for someone with schizophrenia, you may start by seeing his or her family doctor or health care professional. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a psychiatrist. Go with your loved one to the appointment. Getting the information firsthand will help you know what you're facing and what you need to do for your loved one.
The doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Anticipating some of these questions can help make the discussion productive. Questions may include:. The doctor or mental health professional will ask additional questions based on responses, symptoms and needs. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis Diagnosis of schizophrenia involves ruling out other mental health disorders and determining that symptoms are not due to substance abuse, medication or a medical condition.
Determining a diagnosis of schizophrenia may include: Physical exam. This may be done to help rule out other problems that could be causing symptoms and to check for any related complications. Tests and screenings.