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How Do People Cope With Schizophrenia

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Know The Signs Of Suicide

How to Deal with Schizophrenia. (I’m a Schizophrenic)

Most people with schizophrenia are harmless to others. Theyâre more likely to hurt themselves than anybody else. Sometimes that includes trying to take their own life. You should take any suicidal talk seriously, and pay attention to poems, notes, or any other things your loved one creates that are about death.

Also, be suspicious if they suddenly go from depressed to cheerful. This change could mean they are thinking about suicide. For help on the spot, call your doctor and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

Religion And Quality Of Life Of Patients With Schizophrenia

The World Health Organization considers spirituality, religion, and personal beliefs as an important area in the evaluation of the quality of life . The different mechanisms that have been proposed to link religiousness and spirituality to health outcome include behavioral , social , psychological , and physiological . Keeping the importance of religion and spirituality, the WHO designed a scale known as World Health Organization Quality of life-Spirituality, Religiousness, and Personal Belief scale . A study from our center suggests that spirituality and religiosity have an important influence on the overall QOL of patients with schizophrenia. The same group of authors also suggested a relationship between spirituality and religiosity domain of QOL, as assessed by WHOQOL-SRPB and the coping mechanisms used by the patients.

Stick By And Advocate For Them

For someone with schizophrenia, having people they trust who will stick by them no matter the circumstances is important.

Speak up against discrimination and stigma. Some people with schizophrenia experience internalized stigma, which may affect the persons self-esteem and self-efficacy.

In turn, this may affect various aspects of their life, including personal relationships, overall quality of life, or the effectiveness of treatment plans.

Internalized stigma may even increase risk of suicidal thoughts or intent.

Therefore, researchers have highlighted the importance of preventing internalized stigma and promoting positive beliefs about oneself.

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Establish A Trusting Interpersonal Relationship

  • Do not reason, argue, or challenge the delusion. Attempting to disprove the delusion is not helpful and will create mistrust.
  • Assure the person that they are safe and no harm will come.Do not leave the person alone use openness and honesty at all times.
  • Encourage the person to verbalize feelings of anxiety, fear, and insecurity offer concern and protection to prevent injury to themselves or others.
  • Convey acceptance of the need for the false belief.
  • Focus on building a trusting relationship with the person, rather than the need to control their symptoms remain calm.

Tip : Monitor Medication

Schizophrenia: Coping, Supporting, and Living Well

Once in treatment, careful monitoring can ensure that your loved one stays on track and gets the most out of medication.

Take side effects seriously. Many people with schizophrenia stop taking their medication because of side effects. Bring any distressing side effects to the attention of the doctor, who may be able to reduce the dose, switch to another antipsychotic, or add medication to counter the side effect.

Encourage your loved one to take medication regularly. Even with side effects under control, some people with schizophrenia refuse medication or have trouble remembering their daily dose. Medication reminder apps, weekly pillboxes, and calendars can help. Some medications are available as long-lasting weekly or monthly injections instead of daily pills.

Be careful to avoid drug interactions. Help your loved one avoid any dangerous drug interactions by giving the doctor a complete list of the drugs and supplements theyre taking. Mixing alcohol or illegal drugs with schizophrenia medication is harmful, so talk to the doctor if your relative has a substance abuse problem.

Track your family members progress. A mood-tracking app, journal, or diary is a good way to track changes in your family members behavior, outlook, and other symptoms in response to medication.

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Help Them Maintain A Healthy Weight

Medications to treat schizophrenia can cause weight gain, which can increase the risk of obesity-related health conditions. Eating a nutritious diet is the best way to maintain a healthy weight, but not everyone can plan their meals in advance.

Baker says that caregivers can help by accompanying the person with schizophrenia to the grocery store and talking to him or her about healthy foods. A nutritionist can also help teach your loved one about making nutritious choices and educate them about meal planning. Regular exercise is also an important part of managing weight, so encourage your loved one to stay physically active.

Tip : Get Involved In Treatment And Self

The earlier you catch schizophrenia and begin treatment with an experienced mental health professional, the better your chances of getting and staying well. So, if you suspect you or a loved one is exhibiting schizophrenia symptoms, seek help right away.

Successful schizophrenia treatment depends on a combination of factors. Medication alone is not enough. Its important to also educate yourself about the illness, communicate with your doctors and therapists, build a strong support system, take self-help measures, and stick to your treatment plan. Pursuing self-help strategies such as changing your diet, relieving stress, and seeking social support may not seem like effective tools to manage such a challenging disorder as schizophrenia, but they can have a profound effect on the frequency and severity of symptoms, improve the way you feel, and increase your self-esteem. And the more you help yourself, the less hopeless and helpless youll feel, and the more likely your doctor will be able to reduce your medication.

While schizophrenia treatment should be individualized to your specific needs, you should always have a voice in the treatment process and your needs and concerns should be respected. Treatment works best when you, your family, and your medical team all work together.

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Tip : Understand The Role Of Medication

If youve been diagnosed with schizophrenia, you will almost certainly be offered antipsychotic medication. The two main groups of medications used for the treatment of schizophrenia are the older or typical antipsychotic medications and the newer atypical antipsychotic medications. Its important to understand that medication is just one component of schizophrenia treatment.

Medication is not a cure for schizophrenia and only treats some of the symptoms. Antipsychotic medication reduces psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and disordered thinking. But is much less helpful for treating symptoms of schizophrenia such as social withdrawal, lack of motivation, and lack of emotional expressiveness.

You should not have to put up with disabling side effects. Schizophrenia medication can have very unpleasanteven disablingside effects such as drowsiness, lack of energy, uncontrollable movements, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction. Your quality of life is important, so talk to your doctor if youre bothered by side effects.

Never reduce or stop medication on your own.

Sudden or unsupervised dosage changes are dangerous, and can trigger a schizophrenia relapse or other complications. If youre having trouble with your medication or feel like you dont need to take it, talk to your doctor or someone else that you trust.

Avoiding Drugs And Alcohol

How I Deal With The Symptoms Of Schizophrenia

While alcohol and drugs may provide short-term relief from your symptoms, they’re likely to make your symptoms worse in the long run.

Alcohol can cause depression and psychosis, while illegal drugs may make your schizophrenia worse. Drugs and alcohol can also react badly with antipsychotic medicines.

If you’re currently using drugs or alcohol and finding it hard to stop, ask your care co-ordinator or GP for help.

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What Are The Types Of Schizophrenia

There are different types of schizophrenia. The International Classification of Diseases manual describes them as below.

Paranoid schizophrenia

  • Pranks, giggling and health complaints.
  • Usually diagnosed in adolescents or young adults.

Catatonic schizophrenia

  • Unusual movements, often switching between being very active and very still.
  • You may not talk at all.

Simple schizophrenia

  • Negative symptoms are prominent early and get worse quickly.
  • Positive symptoms are rare.

Undifferentiated schizophrenia

Your diagnosis may have some signs of paranoid, hebephrenic or catatonic schizophrenia, but doesnt obviously fit into one of these types alone.

Residual schizophrenia

This type of schizophrenia is diagnosed in the later stages of schizophrenia. You may be diagnosed with this if you have a history of schizophrenia but only continue to experience negative symptoms.

Other schizophrenia

There are other types of schizophrenia according to the ICD-10, such as.

  • Cenesthopathic schizophrenia. This is where people experience unusual bodily sensations.
  • Schizophreniform. Schizophreniform disorder is a type of psychotic illness with symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia. But symptoms last for a short period.

Unspecified schizophrenia

Symptoms meet the general conditions for a diagnosis, but do not fit in to any of the above categories.

What If I Am Not Happy With My Treatment

If you are not happy with your treatment you can:

  • talk to your doctor about your treatment options,
  • ask for a second opinion,
  • get an advocate to help you speak to your doctor,
  • contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service and see whether they can help, or
  • make a complaint.

There is more information about these options below.

Treatment options

You should first speak to your doctor about your treatment. Explain why you are not happy with it. You could ask what other treatments you could try.

Tell your doctor if there is a type of treatment that you would like to try. Doctors should listen to your preference. If you are not given this treatment, ask your doctor to explain why it is not suitable for you.

Second opinion

A second opinion means that you would like a different doctor to give their opinion about what treatment you should have. You can also ask for a second opinion if you disagree with your diagnosis.

You dont have a right to a second opinion. But your doctor should listen to your reason for wanting a second opinion.

Advocacy

An advocate is independent from the mental health service. They are free to use. They can be useful if you find it difficult to get your views heard.

There are different types of advocates available. Community advocates can support you to get a health professional to listen to your concerns. And help you to get the treatment that you would like.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service

Complaints

You can find out more about:

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Investigate How The Delusion Is Affecting The Person’s Life

  • Assess if and how the delusions are interfering with a persons life. For example, are they are no longer able to function or participate in regular everyday life?
  • Assess if the delusion is affecting a persons relationship with others.
  • Determine if the person has taken action based on their delusion.

Crisis Helpline Contact Info

Best Schizophrenia Treatment in Ludhiana, Schizophrenia ...
  • Meet them on their level:Your loved one has schizophrenia even when you cant see their symptoms. It can be more difficult for them to stay focused and concentrated, finish tasks, or follow through on simple household chores and personal hygiene basics. Be patient, and remember to adjust expectations.
  • Assess their housing situation:Considering the examples below can help you determine what is best and if you have enough resources on hand to safely support your loved one.

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How Mental Illnesses Can Affect Family And Friends

It’s difficult to be diagnosed with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and major depressive disorder. It’s also difficult when a loved one is experiencing one of these diseases. When a person is living with a serious mental illness, the whole family may be affected.

Dont Take It Personally

Schizophrenia can be a difficult illnessfor everyone. During episodes of psychosis, your loved one may experience frightening sensations that you cant understand. They may act in ways that you dont understand. Other symptoms of schizophrenia can make it hard for people to express emotions or feelings, communicate clearly, or seem interested in others. Its important to know that these are symptoms of an illness. They are no ones fault, but they can still be hard to cope with. Consider reaching out to a family and friends support group for your own support. The BC Schizophrenia Society has a directory of groups around BC at www.bcss.org/monthly-meetings-calendar/.

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If You Are The Parent Of Someone Diagnosed With A Serious Mental Illness

Parents, in particular, often have to readjust their hopes or expectations for the future when their child develops a serious mental illness. In the process, you may grieve for the future you thought your child would have. These feelings, though difficult, are totally normal.

Just as it’s important to maintain your own health as you care for a loved one with mental illness, it’s also important to preserve relationships with other family members, including your spouse or partner. If you have a child with a serious mental illness, you may find yourself focusing less attention on your other children. Healthy siblings may feel anxiety and frustration at the extra responsibilities they are expected to take on. Try to regularly set aside a little one-on-one time with your other children. Tell them how much you appreciate their help.

Clear, honest communication is crucial for all family members. For example, don’t be afraid to ask both your ill and healthy children how they feel about the changes to the family. Keeping a line of communication open will help things go more smoothlyboth at the time of a new diagnosis, and well into the future.

Practical Advice And Recommendations From Specialists

5 Tips for Coping with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder

Steven Gans, MD, is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

If you know someone living with schizophrenia, youve likely already tried being as helpful and supportive as possible. But staying supportive is easier when youre aware of whats going on .

This article will offer tips to have a healthier relationship with your loved one with schizophrenia. It also discusses self-care as a caregiver, coworker, or partner.

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Find Out More About Schizophrenia

It could help to learn about the symptoms they might experience and the coping strategies they could find useful. You may find it helpful to read personal stories or speak to others in the same situation. See our useful contacts page for organisations that can help with this.

Getting advice from professionals

If you are caring for someone with schizophrenia, you should be able to talk to their doctor, care team or other professionals involved in their care.

Even if someone doesn’t want medical details to be shared with you, it should still be possible for you to ask for advice and information. They should also talk to you about your needs as a carer.

You might find it helpful to think about what questions you particularly want to ask. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has a list for family members and carers of useful questions to ask doctors about schizophrenia.

Helping A Suicidal Friend Or Relative

If you see any of these warning signs:

  • get professional help for the person, such as from a crisis resolution team or the duty psychiatrist at your local A& E department
  • let them know they’re not alone and you care about them
  • offer your support in finding other solutions to their problems

If you feel there’s an immediate danger of the person attempting to end their life , stay with them or have someone else stay with them. Remove all available means of suicide, such as sharp objects and medication.

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Ethics Approval And Consent To Participate

Ethical approval was granted to the Institutional Review Board ). Studying this sensitive issue, particularly those who may be vulnerable, posed unique ethical concerns related to research method and approach used. Researchers have their professional experience in a number of clinical procedures in psychology and academic fields, including nurses. A detailed assessment of potential participants ensured that the patients had capacity to agree to interview by both the psychiatrist and nurses. Details on the research were presented at the time of initial screening. Participants were told of the voluntary aims of the research, the independent consent, the parental consent, the non-binding consent, the right to withdraw, and the privacy of the results. Silent consent is not appropriate. Written informed consent was obtained prior to data collection from the patients and confirmed with their legal guardian. The informed consent provided opportunity for participants to address their inquiries, sufficient interview, and active listening. However, issues such as the transportation problems of the studied participants which has joined in this collaboration and in-depth conversations with hospitals may be addressed in the context of this violence research issue.

When To Seek Other Housing Options

MEDICAL SCHOOL: schizophrenia

In some situations, living with family may be problematic. Examples include:

  • The main caregiver is single, ill, or elderly.
  • The person with schizophrenia is so ill that there is little chance of leading a normal family life.
  • The situation causes stress in the marriage or leaves children in the home feeling afraid and resentful.
  • Most family events revolve around the person with schizophrenia.
  • Support services are unavailable.

Residential options can help your whole family, and it doesnt have to be a permanent thing either. A lot of guilt can come with sending a family member to a facility to treat schizophrenia.

Try to remember that these facilities exist because of the challenges you and your household are facing. Using these services doesnt mean youre casting away your family member or that youve given up.

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If You Are The Partner Of Someone Diagnosed With A Serious Mental Illness

Relationships can be wonderful but challenging under the best of circumstances. When one partner has a serious mental illness, the situation can become even more complex. Many times, the partner without a diagnosed disorder will assume more responsibilities, at least for the short term. For a person who is already worried about what is happening with his or her partner, having to spend more time maintaining the household or taking care of the children can be especially hard.

It is important for the couple to keep in mind that most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness improve over time, and that a partner’s attitude and behavior can make an important contribution to recovery. It helps to maintain an accepting and positive attitude, while holding realistic expectations for the partner with serious mental illness. Participating in specialized family therapy for serious mental illnesses can be very useful.

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