Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects how you interpret the world around you. It can include disordered thinking, delusions, and hallucinations. There’s no cure, but ongoing treatment can help.
While most people who have schizophrenia don’t get the mental health care they need, an active support system – bolstered by friends and family – goes a long way to help with long-term recovery.
Get to know your loved one’s schizophrenia care team, and check in often. For the recently diagnosed, that may mean once a week or every few months. Make sure you learn as much as you can about the disorder and what emergency or supportive resources are available in your area.
Who’s on the Schizophrenia Care Team?
The aim of schizophrenia treatment is to help your loved one manage their daily life and achieve any personal or professional goals. They may need a mix of medical and nonmedical experts to get complete care.
Your loved one’s schizophrenia care team may change over time, but some key members may include:
Psychiatrist. This is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating a range of mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders. They may be the point person on your loved one’s care team. Those living with schizophrenia mostly work under the care of a psychiatrist for several key reasons.
A psychiatrist can:
- Prescribe medication, including antipsychotic drugs
- Manage communication with other medical providers
- Rule out other mental health conditions that can look like schizophrenia
- Suggest new and varied schizophrenia treatments
A trusted psychiatrist can also help you navigate legal or ethical challenges that can happen. For example, they can explain psychosis to police officers or help decide whether someone with schizophrenia should be placed in a mental health facility (even if your loved one doesn’t want to go).
Social worker or case manager. These are health professionals who can help your loved one manage daily life. Some provide talk therapy, but they also help people with schizophrenia find age-appropriate resources for jobs, housing, transportation, education, and peer support.
Psychologist, counselor, or therapist. These mental health professionals can’t prescribe medication, but they’re trained in different types of talk therapy. Also called psychotherapy, this type of treatment can help your loved one learn coping skills to manage emotional distress or change unhealthy behaviors.
Treatment for schizophrenia may include traditional talk therapy, along with psychiatric or psychosocial rehabilitation. These are therapies that teach those with schizophrenia how to take positive actions to help themselves
People with schizophrenia may benefit from therapies that teach:
- Social skills training
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Family education and support
- Helping your loved one get or keep a job
A psychologist may help keep other members of your loved one’s care team up to speed on the latest talk therapy approaches that help with schizophrenia treatment.
Psychiatric nurse. Nurses play an important role in coordinating the medical care of those living with schizophrenia. They can also help with issues of sexual health and prevent long-term health problems.
A nurse may help with general wellness and things like:
- Smoking prevention or quitting
- Weight management
- Treatment or prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Managing risks to the health of the heart and blood vessels
Primary care doctor. Once your loved one’s schizophrenia symptoms are under control, they may be able to see their regular doctor for prescription refills. This is the doctor they’ll go to for regular health checkups or to manage other health conditions.
Substance use counselor. Those living with schizophrenia are more likely to misuse drugs and alcohol than the general population. You may need to set them up with a treatment to help manage substance use, which can worsen their condition.
Peer support specialist. Some who live with schizophrenia may have the chance to meet with a certified peer specialist. They live in recovery but share the same mental health condition or substance use issues. They usually work alongside other mental health specialists.
Occupational therapist. Your loved one may need to learn everyday life skills, including how to groom themselves, use public transportation, or do other things on their own. An occupational therapist can also help with socialization or other goals.
How to Prepare for a Crisis
Schizophrenia is a lifelong illness. Those who have it can live in long-term recovery, but relapses are common. Work with your loved one and their care team to come up with a schizophrenia emergency plan.
Here are some things the doctor might suggest you have on hand before a schizophrenia crisis occurs:
- The phone number of your loved one’s doctor, therapist, or psychiatrist
- Addresses and phone numbers for emergency rooms or walk-in crisis centers
- The phone number of a mobile crisis unit (if there is one in your area)
- Phone numbers of any supportive friends or family members
- A list of self-soothing techniques your loved one can use when they’re upset
You’ll also want to keep easy-to-access records of your loved one’s:
- Diagnosis and current medications
- History of drug use
- Mental health triggers
- Prior psychosis episodes or suicide attempts
Call or text the free 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline if you think your loved one might hurt themselves. Someone will answer the call no matter the time or day.
Call 911 if you need help right away or you’re not sure what to do. It may feel like a big step to contact the emergency department, but it’s the only resource available in some communities.
If you have to call the police, tell them about your loved one’s schizophrenia. Some communities have a crisis intervention team (CIT). A CIT may send a doctor along with the police to better assess the situation.
Other Schizophrenia Support Services
Your loved one’s schizophrenia care team can direct you to local resources. But you’ll also find information about schizophrenia treatment and support through groups such as:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- Family Caregiver Alliance
- Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance
- FindTreatment.gov
Other mental health crisis numbers include:
- SAMHSA’s National Helpline: Call 800-662-4357
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
- Disaster Distress Helpline: Call 800-985-5990
- Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and press 1
If you care for someone with schizophrenia or another serious mental illness, it’s important to prioritize your own mental health and emotional well-being. There are ways to manage your stress, but you may find comfort in talking to others who know what you’re going through. You can find support groups by asking your loved one’s care team, or through NAMI’s Family Support Group.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: FatCamera/Getty Images
SOURCES:
Vinod Srihari, MD, professor of psychiatry; director, STEP Program, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale School of Medicine.
Yale Medicine: “Schizophrenia.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Schizophrenia.”
World Health Organization: “Schizophrenia.”
HelpGuide.org: “Helping Someone with Schizophrenia.”
National Institute of Mental Health: “Schizophrenia.”
Mayo Clinic: “Schizophrenia.”
NYU Langone Health: “Psychosocial Therapy for Schizophrenia.”
Frontiers in Psychiatry: “Rehabilitation Interventions to Promote Recovery from Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review.”
BMC Palliative Care: “Palliative Care for People With Schizophrenia: a qualitative study of an under-serviced group in need.”
University Hospitals: “Your Primary Care Provider Can Help Treat Your Mental Health, Too.”
Schizophrenia Research: “The Link Between Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorder: A Unifying Hypothesis.”
Wisconsin Department of Health Services: “Peer Services: Peer Specialists.”
The American Journal of Occupational Therapy: “Occupational Therapy Interventions for Adults Living With Serious Mental Illness.”
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): “Being Prepared for a Crisis,” “Schizophrenia,” “NAMI Family Support Group.”
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): “Schizophrenia.”
Family Caregiver Alliance: “Homepage.”
Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance: “Homepage.”
