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Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition affecting an estimated 24 million people worldwide — that is 1 in every 300 people. Although the exact symptoms can vary from person to person, schizophrenia may cause hallucinations, delusions and disorganized behavior, as well as loss of interest in activities and social withdrawal. Cognitive symptoms might also impact functions such as attention and memory.
Unlike mental health conditions that appear in childhood, schizophrenia tends to develop during someone’s late teens or twenties. Navigating this diagnosis — especially during what is, for most people, a pivotal time of transition to adulthood — takes grit, a support system and a solid understanding of what it means to manage schizophrenia.
To get you started, Jonathan G. Leung, Pharm.D., R.Ph., a Mayo Clinic expert and psychiatric clinical pharmacist, discusses some of the most foundational do’s and don’ts of managing schizophrenia.
Just remember — while there’s no way to prevent or fully resolve schizophrenia, a comprehensive treatment strategy can lessen the severity of symptoms and, for some people, stop symptoms from coming back altogether.
Do get educated on your condition
As with many other serious mental health conditions, there are a number of misconceptions about schizophrenia. Learning about the condition can help you separate stigma from fact.
Dr. Leung says there are a number of people who can help you better understand schizophrenia and the resources available to you. These people include psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and pharmacists. You may also learn from the experiences of people who have been affected by mental illness firsthand.
In addition to learning more generally about schizophrenia, pay attention to how the condition tends to “show up” in your own life, thoughts, moods and behaviors. “Early intervention is particularly important when schizophrenia is recognized,” says Dr. Leung. “Delays in appropriate medication management, psychosocial treatments and general support have been associated with greater symptom burden and decreased functioning and quality of life.
Learning about schizophrenia and understanding warning signs of worsening symptoms can help you receive timely and appropriate follow-up care to proactively control symptoms before they become too severe.
Do understand your treatment options
After diagnosis, it can be overwhelming to parse different treatments. However, understanding your options and the full scope of available treatments is a crucial step in managing schizophrenia.
Antipsychotic medications are often the primary treatment for schizophrenia, but mood stabilizers and antidepressants also may be beneficial for some people. Research has shown that medication can effectively treat symptoms and behaviors associated with schizophrenia, including hallucinations and delusions. However, it’s also important to understand that many of these medications, particularly antipsychotics, can cause significant side effects. Part of assessing your treatment options means carefully considering possible side effects and working with your healthcare team to mitigate or avoid their impact.
Often, medication alone isn’t enough to completely manage schizophrenia. To more fully address symptoms and quality of life, you may pair medication with talk therapy or other psychosocial resources like family interventions and education, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and social skills training. Dr. Leung says that some people also find help through peer support sessions or other community-based groups.
In practice, however, access to comprehensive care is often limited by cost, local resource availability, social stigma, medical mistreatment, discrimination, and housing and economic disparities. If you are having trouble accessing quality care or affording treatment, do speak with your healthcare team about the full scope of your options or consult with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) for free. Social services staff also may be able to help coordinate affordable housing, transportation or other care.
Do avoid alcohol and other recreational substances
Alcohol and other recreational substances can jeopardize management of schizophrenia. Critically, substances can change the way medications work in the body — potentially making them less effective or more dangerous to take.
“Substance use can certainly influence or worsen schizophrenia-related symptoms,” says Dr. Leung. “Even cigarette smoking can decrease the effectiveness of certain antipsychotics, and abruptly stopping smoking may cause side effects.” It is important to know how any substance may impact treatment and, in general, it’s best to refrain from using alcohol or other recreational substances.
People with schizophrenia are at a higher risk of developing alcohol use disorder — often referred to as alcoholism — or a substance use disorder. Though it can be difficult to talk openly about your typical drinking or substance use habits, being honest with your healthcare team can help flag any potential substance use issues and ensure your treatment plan is as effective as possible.
Don’t lapse on your treatment plan
Although it’s easy to get discouraged while seeking care, Dr. Leung says it’s critical to stick to your treatment plan.
“Stopping medications abruptly or tapering off or discontinuing medications by yourself and without the support of your healthcare team can lead to relapse of severe symptoms,” says Dr. Leung. Likewise, he advises following through with appointments and staying in regular contact with your healthcare team.
If you are unhappy with your treatment plan or are experiencing any side effects or circumstances that are hurting your quality of life, work with your team to make realistic and effective adjustments that work with your needs. There are so many medication options, Dr. Leung says, that it is highly likely a change is possible. For example, if you don’t like taking pills every day, rather than discontinuing use, you may talk with your healthcare team about medications that are effective longer and aren’t taken as frequently.
“This all gets back to establishing relationships with your care team,” says Dr. Leung. “It has to be a two-way street, where people have input and make shared decisions with their doctors about their treatment.”
Don’t forget to ask questions
Finally, ask questions — especially when you’re unsure about treatment options, may be experiencing new or unexpected symptoms or side effects, or simply need more help.
If you tend to feel overwhelmed during appointments with your care team, talk therapy or group sessions, consider writing down your questions beforehand so you can refer to them in the moment. You may also find it helpful to take notes during conversations with your healthcare team or to bring a trusted friend or family member to help you navigate conversations about your condition or treatment.
“Sometimes not knowing what questions to ask can be a barrier to care,” says Dr. Leung. To help get you started, he recommends always asking about:
- Medication options and their potential short-term and long term-side effects.
- Resources for people in your area and how to connect with them.
- What a long-term treatment plan looks like for you.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
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