Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by auditory, visual, olfactory and/or tactile hallucinations and delusions which may vary in intensity; we are dealing here with a serious pathology that affects the person on different levels, including decision making, relationships, emotions and thinking. The treatment for schizophrenia helps those who suffer from it to discern reality from the delusions their brain depicts.
There are various approaches to treat this disease: the most conventional one is that consisting of the administration of high doses of antipsychotic medications, which as usually very effective alright, may simultaneously produce secondary/side effects on some people, such as bewilderment, confusion and emotional numbness among others. This calls for the need to have the accurate assessment from a physician with a specialty in psychiatry for an adequate dose prescription, as well as for a thorough, comprehensive follow-up, keeping in mind the fact that approximately 25% of the people being treated for schizophrenia abandon their treatment process during the first year.
A good way to prevent a schizophrenic patient from quitting their treatment is through the help of therapeutic procedures which, in addition, are a great complement to improve their quality of life.
Therapeutic procedures in the treatment of schizophrenia
At Future Function Rehabilitation and Detox Center you or yours will be aided by an integral treatment which includes advisory from long-experienced specialized psychiatrists as well as different therapy procedures and methods, notably useful in treating schizophrenia. In the lines below we describe the diverse types of therapy for treating people suffering this disorder; it is of importance to take into account that this is an aid, a support, so medical treatment must not be skipped or pushed aside.
Individual Psychotherapy
Individual Psychotherapy for schizophrenic patients requires session regularly scheduled with a competent, knowledgeable psychiatrist or a psychologist. Sessions will focus on analyzing issues, experiences, thoughts, feelings and/or present and past relationships; by sharing these experiences with highly-trained staff, patients with schizophrenia will learn to separate what is real from what is not, an unreal distorted world which causes their disorder; consequently, in time they will be able to interact more adequately and have a better quality of life.
Self-help groups
A schizophrenia patient self-help group will be of remarkable utility for them and their families so as to feel less lonely, since people participating in this group usually suffer from similar disorders, and so they will offer each other advice, acceptance and emotional support. Some groups also get actively involved in working to overcome the problem of stigmatization of schizophrenia patients and join efforts with the objective of enhancing the quality of life of all who suffer this disease.
Having talks with schizophrenic patients about the symptoms of their disease allows for the creation of a true dialogue on how people suffering from mental disorders can be given a hand; since each individual faces their own particular problems and ways to cope with them, they will have a chance to expand their knowledge on the disease and thus get a broader, more enriching perspective. In addition, following self-help strategies such as stress reduction, doing exercise or receiving social support makes up a set of very effective tools against the schizophrenic disorder, therefore contributing to the improvement of the person’s mood, mindset and self-esteem.
Training in social skills
Principles of behavioral therapy are utilized for teaching patients communication skills, assertiveness and social interaction, among others related to managing the disease so that they can achieve an independent, autonomous life. These skills are taught by following several steps, thus setting off gradual changes for people to become easily adapted to them.
Schizophrenia treatment therapy is carried out in small groups under the direction of either one or several therapists with the purpose of advancing constructive feedback for each participant, so that each patient can practice the different skills multiple times until mastering each.
Psychosocial therapy
Es uno de los tipos de terapia más comunes para las personas que sufren de trastornos mentales, está centrada en la formación social y profesional de las personas para que puedan aprender las habilidades necesarias para interactuar con otras personas, vivir en comunidad y poder trabajar como cualquier otro individuo, sin que la esquizofrenia sea una limitante.
Terapia cognitiva conductual
This is one of the most common types of therapy for people suffering from mental disorders, and it is centered around the social and professional formation of our patients so they can learn to master the skills needed for interacting with other people, living in a community and being able to work just like anybody else, without schizophrenia restricting them.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
During this process, psychotherapists help schizophrenia patients to change their behavior, actions and thoughts, which can be harmful for them and for those around them. Most of these behavioral patterns are developed since childhood or in early adolescence, and our goal is to substitute them for healthier and more constructive beliefs and convictions.
The first step is to seek help and a treatment for schizophrenia
Even in present times and with all the available medical advancements, there is no definitive cure for schizophrenia but merely treatment methods for controlling its symptoms successfully and helping people have a decent quality of life so they can develop the same activities a healthy person would. The combination of medication and therapy, along with family and friend support, constitute the foundation for patients to have the life they desire.
That is why, if you or one of your relatives or friends are suffering from this disease, it is the time to take the first step, usually the hardest: seek professional help. Taboos and beliefs built around schizophrenia must be put aside. At Future Function Rehabilitation and Detox Center we are actually two in-alliance institutions for helping people undergoing diseases such as schizophrenia, addictions and eating disorders: Fundación Clínica Función Futuro, a private health organization, and Fundación Función Futuro, a spirituality-oriented organization.
Our experience spans over 16 years of experience, with a highly committed specialized human team at the forefront of offering top quality service in the country. With our guidance you will find a real solution to your problems, because we work with the sole objective of providing integral health with a top-tier scientific and spiritual approach.
There are hundreds of Colombian and international families who have received our help through personalized, highly effective, humane, greatly-accepted treatment methods. Feel free to contact us to find the most comprehensive body of knowledge and experience in treatment of schizophrenia; we are at your service by calling (571) 774 6022 or e-mailing us to funcionfuturo@hotmail.com to make an appointment, or you can come visit us at Cra. 13 #102 – 28, Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia.
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