What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that interrupts an individual’s ability to think clearly, engage in everyday life, and trust their own perceptions long-term. The symptoms may vary in intensity in each diagnosed individual, but the majority of people who are living with schizophrenia have difficulty feeling anchored in reality since they often experience hallucinations or delusions. The hardest part about living with or loving someone with schizophrenia is that it can cause the individual to mistrust those around them, leaving the individual feeling isolated and having a difficult time communicating with others.
Different Types of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia was divided into various categories prior to 2013. Today, experts theorize that schizophrenia is a spectrum disorder and that people with schizophrenia experience symptoms that overlap throughout their lifetime. Although the subtypes are “outdated” it is important to understand the different primary features when dealing with someone who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and determining the right treatment plan.
Paranoid Schizophrenia
The most common type of schizophrenia is paranoid schizophrenia in popular culture. It is characterized by the auditory and visual hallucinations, behavioral impairment, and delusional beliefs. This type of schizophrenia can be the most debilitating due to the symptoms it is diagnosed with.
Symptoms to Watch For
- Frequent hallucinations
- Inability to distinguish between hallucinations or delusions and reality
- Difficulties with regular cognitive functions and memory
- Disorganized speech or strange behavior
- Lack of emotion or a flat affect
Hebephrenic/Disorganized Schizophrenia
As suggested by its name, this subtype is predominantly characterized by the disorganization of thought processes. There may still be some hallucinations or delusions, but these features are typically less pronounced and do not contain coherent narratives. People with disorganized symptoms often have difficulty navigating daily life and maintaining routines.
Symptoms to Watch For
- Disorganized thoughts and speech
- Blunted or flat affect
- Inappropriate emotions and reactions
- Issues managing daily activities
- Deterioration in self-care and grooming habits
Undifferentiated Schizophrenia
Undifferentiated schizophrenia classifies a group of individuals whose symptoms don’t fit into the other subtypes. In order to be considered for undifferentiated schizophrenia, the person has to be experiencing significant symptoms from two or more subtypes. However, the symptoms could not be predominantly positive, movement-related, or disorganized. Those with undifferentiated schizophrenia experience greater fluctuations in their symptoms and greater frequencies of their symptoms than those with other types of schizophrenia.
Symptoms to Watch For
- Hallucinations or delusions
- Disorganized speech or erratic behavior
- Flat affect
- Cognitive problems
Catatonic Schizophrenia
This type of schizophrenia is rarer than others because it is the result of untreated schizophrenia. The earlier you can intervene and find the correct treatment method for someone suffering from schizophrenia, the easier it will be to avoid catatonic symptoms. This subtype is often mistaken for other subtypes due to its states of catatonic troubled excitement and stupor-like catatonic depression.
Symptoms to Watch For
- Considerable increases or decreases in movement and activity
- Erratic, meaningless repetitive movements and behaviors
- Rigid posture and holding unusual body positions
- Mimicking behaviors such as copying words or actions
- Mutism
How is Schizophrenia Treated?
Depending on where you are in your diagnosis with schizophrenia, the treatment process can be different for everyone. There is typically a combination of treatments that are needed to live the life you desire. While medication can allow regulation for symptoms, a form of psychotherapy is required to progress towards a full recovery.
At Life Adjustment Team, we offer two models of treatment for schizophrenia, an intensive outpatient program, and our assertive mental health case management. Our case management program is designed to reach our clients with mental illness who have trouble responding to the traditional models of outpatient therapy. Anyone who needs a more personal approach to therapy should try our assertive community treatment.
We come to you, in your home, and get to know who you are, what your goals are, and any rehabilitation priorities that matter to you. We work with your family to develop the correct treatment plan to accomplish all of your goals,
In our case management model, we also offer psychosocial rehabilitation. This allows you to develop the social, intellectual, and emotional skills you will need in order to live free from your mental illness. Our psychosocial rehabilitation has two methods for intervention.
- Learning coping skills to handle more stressful environments
- Developing resources that will reduce any future stressors
Treatments will vary by case, but that is what we do best: cater our services to your conditions. They can include medication management, family counseling, psychological support housing, living training, educational aide, social support, and job coaching. To learn more about our case management system, click here.
Contact Life Adjustment Team for Your Treatment Options
For over 40 years, Life Adjustment Team has provided state-of-the-art comprehensive care for individuals who suffer from schizophrenia and other mental health conditions. If you would like to be a part of our family here at Life Adjustment Team, contact our clinical team today to get started! We want to allow you to live life to your fullest potential.
