Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder that can affect every area of an individual’s life, but what treatments are available for this condition? One of the most common ways to treat this form of mental illness is with medication. This can be a problem for someone who has schizophrenia though, because they often stop taking their medication. This normally occurs for one of two reasons, either the medications have serious side effects that are bothersome or the individual starts to feel better so they mistakenly believe the drugs are no longer necessary. There is no cure for this mental disorder but treatment can help the individual live a more normal life and may control or even eliminate many of the symptoms experienced. This mental illness may include auditory or even vivid visual hallucinations, and if left untreated the person with this condition may become dangerous to themselves or others.
In addition to various medications schizophrenia treatment also usually includes regular scheduled therapy. Medications can help the individual minimize any unpleasant symptoms of the mental disorder but drugs can not help the person learn to cope with the condition or live a stable and normal life. Therapists can work with the individual who has schizophrenia in order to help the patient find employment, handle daily routine chores, and take care of other responsibilities and obligations. Someone who has schizophrenia also needs support from everyone they know. As long as a comprehensive treatment plan is followed someone with schizophrenia can lead a fairly normal life. In many cases these individuals often stop their treatment though, and this can lead to a recurrence of the symptoms and a worsening of their condition.
