The causes of schizophrenia are unknown so the treatment is primarily focused on elevating the symptoms of the disease. This is primarily done with medication therapy using typical and atypical antipsychotics. This is often paired with psychosocial treatments. This helps the schizophrenic deal with the daily challenges of life such as work, communication, self care, forming and maintaining relationships. Schizophrenics that receive psychosocial therapy along side medication are more likely to continue taking their medication resulting in stabilization of their illness. Other treatments for schizophrenia are:
Illness Management Skills: Teaching the schizophrenic to assume an active part in managing their own illness by educating them in basic facts of the illness helping them to identify early signs of decompensation
Treatment for Co-occurring Substance Abuse: Substance abuse often accompanies schizophrenia as the person who is undiagnosed will self medicate with drugs and alcohol resulting in a need for dual treatment.
Rehabilitation: This helps reintegrate them back in to social a vocational areas of their lives.
Family Education: Educating the family helps them understand the symptoms of the illness, so they can be supportive and help the schizophrenic cope.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This focuses on the thinking and behavior of the schizophrenic, helping the schizophrenic deal with symptoms that do not go away with medication therapy. This can help reduce the severity of the symptoms.
Self Help Groups: These are becoming more popular for schizophrenics and their families. They are able to identify with others who have or deal with this illness creating a support system for each other. There is currently a large amount of clinical trials for antipsychotic medications. They are trying to find more effective medication with less severe side effects. A large number of schizophrenics participate in these trials largely in part to being uninsured and the anonymity of the trials. There are really no comparative therapies for the schizophrenic as medication therapy is the only stand alone treatment at present.

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