Schizophrenia

You can live a full and active life with schizophrenia thanks to recent treatment advances. Ndubuisi Odegai, Princess Riley, DNP, and team at The Healed Mind Psychiatry in Aubrey, Texas, take an evidence-based approach to schizophrenia. They also provide comprehensive and compassionate mental health care for a number of mental health conditions and disorders,  including bipolar disorder and substance use disorder (SUD). Call the office to schedule an appointment or request one online today and get the quality mental health care you deserve.

What is schizophrenia? 

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder affecting a person’s sense of reality. When the disease is active, a person with schizophrenia sees, hears, or feels things that aren’t real. 

Researchers are still trying to unravel schizophrenia’s complexities. The condition may develop from a combination of things, including brain history and genetics. However, not everyone with a family history of the brain disorder develops schizophrenia.

Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia can start at any age but usually appear in the late teens or early adult years. 

What are some symptoms of schizophrenia? 

Symptoms vary and can change over time and typically fall into three categories: 

Positive symptoms 

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are the presence of abnormal symptoms like hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or smelling things that aren’t there) and delusions, which are false beliefs despite having factual evidence that contradicts the beliefs. 

Negative symptoms 

Negative symptoms refer to abnormal absent symptoms, like the inability to express emotion, find pleasure in activities, or make plans.

Disorganized symptoms 

Illogical thinking, disordered speech, and abnormal movements are disorganized symptoms of schizophrenia. 

When a person with schizophrenia first experiences symptoms, hallucinations and delusions can make it difficult to recognize, so they may not seek treatment. Support from loved ones is essential so that a person who is experiencing schizophrenia gets the help they need.

If you’re concerned about the mental well-being of a loved one, schedule a consultation with  The Healed Mind Psychiatry for guidance. 

How is schizophrenia diagnosed? 

At The Healed Mind Psychiatry, the highly skilled, knowledgable, and compassionate team conducts thorough psychiatric evaluations to rule out or confirm schizophrenia.

For instance, substance abuse disorder also called substance use disorder (SUD), and various neurological conditions can cause symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia. Getting the correct diagnosis is essential to providing high-quality mental health care. 

What treatments improve schizophrenia symptoms? 

At The Healed Mind Psychiatry, the team takes a traditional and evidence-based approach to mental health care. Treatments that can improve schizophrenia symptoms include: 

Psychotherapy 

Psychotherapy for schizophrenia includes individual therapy focusing on stress management and recognizing the early warning signs of symptoms. 

The team may also suggest family therapy so that patients have support at home.

Medication management

The team may recommend psychiatric drugs, primarily antipsychotic drugs, to reduce schizophrenia symptoms. Medication management helps to ensure that the prescribed treatments are safe and effective.

The Healed Mind Psychiatry provides mental health and psychiatric care that makes sense. Call the office to schedule an appointment, or request one online today. Telehealth services are also available.