Mental health therapies are always evolving as new research develops. And this is particularly true with schizophrenia, which is often considered to be one of the most severe mental health conditions. While it is always important for people who need it to seek mental health care, this is doubly true of individuals living with schizophrenia, who are more likely to experience troubles at work or discrimination due to untreated symptoms. For all of these reasons, it’s important to know what the best treatments for schizophrenia are and to make sure you’re getting them.
At Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care. And that starts with giving you clear, accurate information about the most effective treatments for schizophrenia.
The Best Treatments for Schizophrenia
Ultimately, the “best” treatment option for schizophrenia will come down to the individual. But the therapies on this list are all backed by evidence and real-world application in individuals living with schizophrenia. For this reason, they should be a part of your individualized treatment plan when you seek mental health support.
Medication Management
While medication cannot “cure” schizophrenia, it can help with the worst of its symptoms. Typically, people with schizophrenia will take antipsychotics to treat symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. But while medication management is among the best treatments for schizophrenia, medication management is about more than prescribing new medications.
It’s also important to medically evaluate any current medications and make sure they’re not worsening your schizophrenia symptoms. For example, sometimes people with schizophrenia are misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety. And if you’re on SSRIs for those issues, they might make your symptoms even harder to treat. That’s why medication management at Ridgeview Hospital always makes sure that any and all medications are working to help you reach your schizophrenia treatment goals.
Group Therapy
Living with schizophrenia is an isolating experience. When you see and hear things that others don’t, it can feel like there’s an invisible barrier separating you from the rest of the world. And for that reason, one of the best treatments for schizophrenia is group therapy.
By connecting with other people who feel isolated by mental illness, it becomes easier to see that you’re not alone. Moreover, talking to others makes it easier to see the little ways that mental illness affects your life so that you can safeguard against these in the future. In this way, group support can make all the difference in staying motivated while learning to manage schizophrenia symptoms.
Individual, Person-Centered Therapy
Having group support is great, but sometimes the best treatment for schizophrenia is one-on-one time with a mental health expert. By talking about how schizophrenia has impacted your life, you can work through traumas that may otherwise stop you from healing.
Additionally, individual therapy is a great time to work with a mental health professional on developing new coping mechanisms. Even with the best medications, many people with schizophrenia still have days where their symptoms cause problems. But by developing coping mechanisms, you can manage these symptoms so that they do not interfere with your daily life.
Getting Help for Schizophrenia in Ohio
In the end, the “best” treatment for schizophrenia is not just one treatment, but an inpatient mental health program. Here, you can receive evidence-based support for schizophrenia through a unique treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. And by staying on-site while receiving treatment, you can focus solely on your mental wellbeing instead of life’s daily stressors.
