Coping Mechanisms: 9 Ways to Live a Good Life With Schizophrenia

Learning you have schizophrenia can be scary, but you can live a full and productive life with medicine and therapy. It's important to work with your doctor and carefully follow your treatment plan. There's no cure for schizophrenia, but your treatment team can help you manage your symptoms. Medicine can reduce the severity of your symptoms, and therapy can help you normalize your thought processes, notice early warning signs of an acute flare, and manage stress. 

While medicine can suppress the voices, you may have breakthrough symptoms. It may also take some time for your doctor to find the most helpful medicine for you. You can use many different coping strategies to deal with hearing voices. Some of these include: 

• Keeping a diary of the voices to share with your doctor
• Talking to a counselor or therapist
• Joining a support group
• Distracting yourself by listening to music
• Reading out loud, humming, or singing

Exercise will improve your overall health, but it may also help your schizophrenia. More research is needed, but studies have shown that exercise helps people with schizophrenia in the following ways: 

• Reduces apathy and lethargy
• Reduces social withdrawal
• Improves memory and thinking skills
• Increases social interest
• Increases self-esteem
• May reduce auditory hallucinations 

One side effect of schizophrenia is a preference for junk food. What you eat affects your physical and mental health. People with schizophrenia tend to eat diets higher in fat and lower in fiber. Make sure your diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eating a healthy diet can also help you avoid the weight gain that antipsychotic medicines may cause. 

Managing stress is particularly important for people with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia causes a lot of stress which can make your symptoms worse. Learning to manage stress can help you break this cycle. Some stress management techniques you can try include: 

• Massage
• Guided imagery
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Biofeedback
• Stretching
• Walking

Illicit drug and alcohol use is widespread in people with schizophrenia to cope with or mask symptoms. However, alcohol and drug use can trigger acute schizophrenic episodes. It may also interact with your medications or cause you to go off of your treatment plan. When people with schizophrenia abuse alcohol or drugs, they're more likely to relapse, be hospitalized, commit suicide, or have other adverse outcomes. 

Knowing when an acute episode is coming can help you manage your symptoms. You may be able to prevent it with medication and extra support if you detect it early. You may also want to ask a trusted friend or family member to tell you if they notice any behavior changes. Some signs include: 

• Loss of appetite
• Disturbed sleep
• Feeling anxious or stressed
• Feeling fearful or suspicious
• Occasionally hearing low voices
• Difficulty concentrating
• Concern about people's motives

Joining a support group can help you learn how others deal with schizophrenia. Finding people who share your struggles can also help you feel less alone. Even if your family and friends are supportive, talking with people who share your experience is invaluable. 

Talk to your doctor or therapist if you're having problems meeting your basic needs or functioning. Many social service programs can help you obtain affordable housing, training for jobs, transportation, and other daily activities.