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Schizophrenia

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Overview Of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious and challenging medical illness that affects over 2 million American adults, which is about 1% of the population age 18 and older. Although it is often feared and misunderstood, schizophrenia is a treatable medical condition.

Schizophrenia often interferes with a person’s ability to think clearly, to distinguish reality from fantasy, to manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others.

Onset and Symptoms of Schizophrenia

The first signs of schizophrenia typically emerge in the teenage years or early twenties. The World Health Organization has identified schizophrenia as one of the ten most debilitating diseases world wide.

Drug use can mimic the symptoms of schizophrenia and may also trigger vulnerability in individuals at risk.

Treatment Options

While there is no cure for schizophrenia, it is a treatable and manageable disease. However, people sometimes stop treatment because of medication side effects, the lack of insight into the disease, disorganized thinking, because they feel the medication is not working, or because they feel better and feel the medication is no longer needed.

Research shows that people with schizophrenia who attend structured psychosocial rehabilitation programs and continue with their medical treatment manage their illness the best. People with schizophrenia who stop taking prescribed medication are at risk of relapse into an acute psychotic episode.

It is important to realize that the needs of a person with schizophrenia may change over time. Treatment interventions include medication, support and counseling.

Pasadena Villa’s Approach to Schizophrenia Treatment

At Pasadena Villa, we offer a comprehensive approach to the treatment of schizophrenia, which includes a full medical and psychiatric work-up, psychopharmacology and medication management, education, support and a variety of individualized psychotherapies. We offer:

• Room and Board
• Diagnostic assessment and treatment planning
• Social Integration Model program groups and activities
• Individual, group and family psychotherapies
• Specialty clinical groups
• Psycho-educational groups, life skills training, independent living skills training, and social mentoring
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Medication management
• Recreational therapy, art therapy, animal assisted therapy (in TN) and expressive arts therapies
• Meetings with the interdisciplinary team
• Case management and discharge planning
• Addictions Assessment, groups and Relapse Prevention Planning
• Academic assistance, tutoring, IEP coordination and college preparation

What You Should Do if Someone You Love Has Schizophrenia

If someone you love has schizophrenia and you’re looking for more information, including residential and inpatient treatment options, please contact us. The Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa’s Smoky Mountain Lodge are adult intensive psychiatric residential treatment centers for clients with serious mental illnesses. We also provide other individualized therapy programs, step-down residential programs, and less intensive mental health services, such as Community Residential Homes, Supportive Housing, Day Treatment Programs and Life Skills training. Pasadena Villa’s Outpatient Center in Raleigh, North Carolina offers partial hospitalization (PHP) and an intensive outpatient program (PHP). If you or someone you know may need mental health services, please complete our contact form or call us at 877-845-5235 for more information.