When looking at treating schizophrenia, it's helpful to see where people with this brain disorder end up. The majority of schizophrenics (28%) live independently, with family members (25%) or in supervised housing (20%). Another 10% live in nursing homes. While schizophrenics make up one-third of the homeless population, they only comprise 6% of those who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia in general. Another 6% of schizophrenics live in prison and 5-6% live in hospitals.
Antipsychotic medications are the principal facet of treating schizophrenia. This exclusive class of drugs can put a stop to hallucinations, get delusions under control and enhance coherence of the thoughts if used consistently on a long-term basis. Use of customary drugs, like thorazine and haloperidol often resulted in side effects, for instance stiff neck muscles, restless movements and uninhibited movements of the muscles in the face and tongue, which led a good number of individuals to cease taking them.
Frequently, folks think they've been "healed" so they don't have to take the drugs any longer. Other people want to feel more like their old self again, and so they stop taking their drugs. But when a person with schizophrenia quits taking the drugs, their problems return with increased gravity and the drugs become less effective.
In 1990, there was a major breakthrough in treating schizophrenia. The drug Clozapine was introduced to the US market and worked without all the motor side effects by regulating the flow of neurotransmitters, like seratonin and dopamine. Psychotic disorder patients who did not previously respond well to medication found that Clozapine worked on both the positive and the negative symptoms of their schizophrenia. In 1994, a similar drug called Risperidone became FDA-approved and is now the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic in the U.S. As of 1996, Olanzapine is a third drug available under this new generation of medications that has fewer side effects and better success rates.
Treating schizophrenia early and aggressively is essential. According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, schizophrenics have 50 times' the risk of suicide compared to the general population. In fact, suicide is the leading cause of premature death among schizophrenics, with 10-15% taking their own lives and 40% attempting suicide at least once. This number is even higher (60%) among males. For this reason, many people with this mental illness require antidepressants to improve their motivation, their attitudes and to keep dangerous emotions at bay. - 31993
Antipsychotic medications are the principal facet of treating schizophrenia. This exclusive class of drugs can put a stop to hallucinations, get delusions under control and enhance coherence of the thoughts if used consistently on a long-term basis. Use of customary drugs, like thorazine and haloperidol often resulted in side effects, for instance stiff neck muscles, restless movements and uninhibited movements of the muscles in the face and tongue, which led a good number of individuals to cease taking them.
Frequently, folks think they've been "healed" so they don't have to take the drugs any longer. Other people want to feel more like their old self again, and so they stop taking their drugs. But when a person with schizophrenia quits taking the drugs, their problems return with increased gravity and the drugs become less effective.
In 1990, there was a major breakthrough in treating schizophrenia. The drug Clozapine was introduced to the US market and worked without all the motor side effects by regulating the flow of neurotransmitters, like seratonin and dopamine. Psychotic disorder patients who did not previously respond well to medication found that Clozapine worked on both the positive and the negative symptoms of their schizophrenia. In 1994, a similar drug called Risperidone became FDA-approved and is now the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic in the U.S. As of 1996, Olanzapine is a third drug available under this new generation of medications that has fewer side effects and better success rates.
Treating schizophrenia early and aggressively is essential. According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, schizophrenics have 50 times' the risk of suicide compared to the general population. In fact, suicide is the leading cause of premature death among schizophrenics, with 10-15% taking their own lives and 40% attempting suicide at least once. This number is even higher (60%) among males. For this reason, many people with this mental illness require antidepressants to improve their motivation, their attitudes and to keep dangerous emotions at bay. - 31993
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If you know anyone who exhibits the symptoms of schizophrenia, or if you are having some of these symptoms yourself, a visit to the doctor needs to be scheduled as soon as possible. This way the appropriate schizophrenia treatment can be started before the problem gets worse. Click here to learn more about schizophrenia disorder.
