Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects the way people process information and engage with the world around them. It involves symptoms like delusions and hallucinations and can lead to intense distress and functional difficulties.
Maple Heights Behavioral Health, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, offers clinically excellent treatment for people who are struggling with acute symptoms of schizophrenia. Our schizophrenia treatment center provides supportive and compassionate care for patients, which can help create a path to hope and healing.
Understanding Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is characterized by persistent symptoms of psychosis, which may include delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking and speech. When someone suffers from schizophrenia symptoms, they may be unable to tell whether their thoughts and perceptions are real, which can severely disrupt their life and harm their well-being.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), symptoms of schizophrenia can be organized into three main categories:
- Positive symptoms: These include distorted perceptions, or hallucinations, and strongly held false beliefs, which are known as delusions.
- Negative symptoms: These can include a reduced capacity to feel pleasure, express emotion, or engage in regular activities.
- Disorganized symptoms: Examples may include struggling to express or organize one’s thoughts and engaging in unusual behaviors, movements, and gestures.
Signs & Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Knowing the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia can make it easier to recognize when you or someone you love might be struggling. If you believe that you are experiencing schizophrenia symptoms, it’s important to seek care as early as possible.
Common schizophrenia signs and symptoms include:
- Confusing speech
- Repetitive movements
- Hearing or seeing things that are not real
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Struggling to perform everyday tasks
- Loss of interest or pleasure
- Lack of facial expressions or visible emotion
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Memory problems
- Relationship difficulties
- Problems with self-care
- Distorted beliefs that do not make sense to others
If you are struggling with schizophrenia symptoms, you can improve your quality of life and reduce your symptom severity by receiving care at a professional treatment place.
Schizophrenia Statistics
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia is about 0.3%-0.7%.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) also provides the following facts and statistics about schizophrenia in the United States:
- Schizophrenia usually develops sometime between the late teens and early 30s, with symptoms appearing earlier in males (late teens to early 20s) compared with females (early 20s to early 30s).
- Around 50% of people who have schizophrenia also suffer from co-occurring behavioral health disorders.
- People who struggle with schizophrenia have a higher risk for early death compared with the general population.
Potential Effects of Schizophrenia
Without effective treatment, schizophrenia can have a devastating impact on someone’s life and lead to struggles in work, family, schooling, and social relationships. The harmful effects of schizophrenia may include:
- Being unable to meet educational goals
- Having trouble maintaining employment
- Cognitive difficulties
- Social isolation
- Homelessness
- Physical health problems
- Co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders
- Higher risk for experiencing violence
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
However, with professional support, it’s possible to reduce your risk for harm and build a healthier and fuller life. At Maple Heights Behavioral Health, we strive to create a positive, safe, and empowering environment for healing to take place.
Therapies Used in Schizophrenia Treatment
Each person who receives care at our schizophrenia treatment center follows an individualized treatment plan. We create this plan by thoroughly assessing each patient’s needs and determining the therapies and services that make the most sense for them.
At our Fort Wayne, Indiana, hospital, your treatment plan may include:
- Medication management services
- Basic medical care
- Family therapy
- Elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Groups covering topics like medication education, life skills, and identifying coping skills and triggers
A variety of approaches can be helpful in schizophrenia treatment, including therapy, education, family support, and medication. When you’re struggling with schizophrenia, it’s helpful to understand that your needs are unique and finding the combination of supports that work best for you can be immensely valuable.
At our hospital, we offer assessments 24 hours a day, seven days a week so that you can receive a recommendation for the right level of care for your needs.
Benefits of Schizophrenia Treatment
Living with schizophrenia can lead to intense distress and loneliness. It can also make it difficult for you to achieve your goals, make plans, and live a satisfying life with meaningful social connections.
At a reputable schizophrenia treatment center, you can receive personalized care that considers your unique situation and provides a range of helpful support services. Receiving schizophrenia treatment often involves working with a diverse team of professionals, which may include doctors, nurses, social workers, and counselors. These professionals are available to provide support and expert guidance as you work toward your therapeutic goals.
Our inpatient schizophrenia treatment center offers the above features and more, including:
- A supportive treatment environment that encourages each patient to take ownership of their healing process
- Daily group therapy sessions, which can provide encouragement, support, and education
- A discharge planning process that includes tailored referrals for continuing care
In general, the goals of schizophrenia treatment are to help you manage your symptoms, improve your functioning, and regain control of your goals and life. At Maple Heights Behavioral Health, we believe that healing is possible, and we work alongside each patient to help them imagine and achieve a brighter future.
This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical staff at Maple Heights Behavioral Health.