Schizophrenia causes problems like delusions and hallucinations that feel so real you can’t tell they’re not. If you develop schizophrenia symptoms or know you have the condition and want to manage it better, visit Heritage Wellness™. The practice sees patients in Orlando, North Miami, and Plantation, Florida; Columbus, Ohio; Jackson, Wyoming; and Portland, Oregon, providing talk therapies and carefully chosen medications that relieve your symptoms and significantly improve your quality of life. Call Heritage Wellness™ or book an evaluation online today for expert help managing schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that causes you to have difficulties telling reality apart from fantasy. About 40% of people with this disease go untreated, possibly because schizophrenia is often misunderstood and stigmatized.
You might suffer from paranoia and delusions that mean you’re convinced you’re being tracked or hunted by a sinister organization. Another common issue for people with schizophrenia is hallucinations. You might see and hear people around you and converse with them when, in reality, you’re alone.
These delusions and hallucinations are so real that you might refuse to believe they’re fantasies. Your thoughts and behaviors can become so disordered that you find it almost impossible to function in everyday life.
People with schizophrenia often have difficulties finding and keeping a job, and some are unable to take care of themselves properly. The mental anguish schizophrenia causes can be so intense and distressing that you might have suicidal thoughts.
To diagnose schizophrenia, your Heritage Wellness™ provider first performs a comprehensive evaluation. They need to rule out problems that cause similar symptoms, like substance use disorder and medication side effects, so they might extract a blood sample for lab testing.
Your provider completes a psychiatric assessment, talking to you about how you feel, what you experience, and the challenges you face in daily life. They also review your medical and family history — schizophrenia often passes from parent to child.
There’s no cure for schizophrenia, so treatment is lifelong. The Heritage Wellness™ team will likely prescribe medications like antipsychotic drugs, which help you stay calm and reduce the frequency and intensity of delusions and hallucinations. They can sometimes free you from these symptoms altogether.
Finding the most effective medications and dosages can take time because each patient varies. In addition, patients are sometimes wary of taking schizophrenia drugs because they worry about the side effects. Heritage Wellness™ helps manage your medicines carefully to optimize the results and minimize adverse effects.
Talk therapies can also be highly beneficial for people with schizophrenia. Heritage Wellness™ offers a range of treatments, from behavioral therapies and stress management to psychotherapy.
Schizophrenia is a serious, life-changing disorder, but with the right help, you can manage your condition and enjoy a rewarding life. Call Heritage Wellness™ or book an appointment online today.