Schizophrenia

You can live a full and active life with schizophrenia thanks to recent treatment advances. Catherine Donnerstag, NP, is a board-certified nurse practitioner at Gladwell LLC, a telehealth-based psychiatric and mental health practice in Renton, Washington. She takes an evidence-based approach to schizophrenia, providing compassionate and comprehensive care. Call today or schedule an appointment online. Telehealth services are available to patients in Maryland and Washington, with an on-site office opening soon in Seattle.

What should I know about schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder affecting a person’s sense of reality. When the disease is active, a person with schizophrenia hears, sees, or feels things that aren’t real.

At present, schizophrenia can’t be cured. But the right treatment plan significantly reduces its symptoms and improves the patient’s quality of life.

Researchers are still trying to unravel schizophrenia’s complexities. They theorize that the condition develops out of a combination of things, including genetics and brain chemistry. But not everyone with a family history of the brain disorder develops schizophrenia.

What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?

Symptoms of schizophrenia can start at any age but usually appear in the late teens or early adult years.

Symptoms vary and can change over time but fall into three categories:

Positive symptoms

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are the presence of abnormal symptoms like hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or smelling things that aren’t there) and delusions (false beliefs despite having factual evidence that contradicts the beliefs).

Negative symptoms

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are abnormal absent symptoms, like the inability to express emotion, make plans, or find pleasure in activities.

Disorganized symptoms

Disordered speech, illogical thinking, and abnormal movements are disorganized symptoms of schizophrenia.

When a person with schizophrenia first experiences symptoms, their hallucinations and delusions can make it hard to recognize that they have a problem. So they may not seek treatment. Support from loved ones is crucial so that the person with schizophrenia will get the help they need.

If you’re concerned about the mental well-being of a loved one, schedule a consultation with Catherine at Gladwell Inc for guidance.

How is schizophrenia diagnosed?

At Gladwell Inc, Catherine conducts a thorough psychiatric evaluation to confirm or rule out schizophrenia. Substance use disorder (SUD) and neurological conditions can cause symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia.

Getting the correct diagnosis is essential to providing high-quality mental health care.

What treatments improve schizophrenia symptoms?

Catherine takes a traditional, evidence-based approach. The treatments that improve schizophrenia symptoms include:

Medication management

Medication management is the use of psychiatric drugs, primarily antipsychotic drugs, to reduce schizophrenia symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy for schizophrenia includes individual therapy focusing on stress management and recognizing the early warning signs of symptoms.

Catherine might recommend family therapy so that patients have support at home. She can also offer resources to help with housing, employment, and education.

Gladwell Inc provides mental health care that makes sense. Call today or schedule an appointment online.