You do not have to actually experience schizophrenia first-hand in order to understand the challenges that goes with suffering from this mental disorder. However, for those who are actually dealing with it, then it can be a different challenge altogether.

There are different layers to this experience that one must try to familiarize and understand in order to coming into full terms with this mental illness.

Dealing with the Changes

The most basic aspect of having schizophrenia that one must learn how to deal with are the changes. Majority of the changes happen internally, meaning it is often emotional and psychological in nature. The symptoms that the patient experiences often take place in the mind and cognitive arena of the body. One suffers from extreme paranoia, delusion, and hallucinations. There is a blurred conception of what is reality and what is illusion.

Coping with Others’ Perception

In addition to the changes going on inside of you, the bigger challenge would have to be in terms of downplaying what labels other people put on you. All of a sudden, someone with schizophrenia become extremely self-conscious to a point of constant worry about what others might perceive of you. In most cases, being diagnosed with schizophrenia only worsen than fear of being ridiculed by others.

Finding Help and Support

Support for patients of schizophrenia can take on many forms. It can be support in terms of providing treatment for one’s condition through the guidance of a professional to help you cope with the symptoms. On the other hand, social support coming from friends and family help establish that “comfort zone” that patients very much need.

Overcoming Misconceptions of This Mental Illness

For the uninitiated, your idea of what schizophrenia is only depends on what you hear or see from the representation of this mental disorder in the media. But the real question is: how much truth are there in these representations? Majority of what the common people know about schizophrenia are based on misconceptions that come with the label of this mental illness.

The thought of “mental illness” incite an inherent connotation from what the societal implications of that label is. The media coverage on people dealing with a mental illness often focus on stories of individuals that are out of control or violent, especially when un-medicated or lack professional guidance. This social stigma has been so deeply embedded into the minds of people that it is often impossible to overcome that.

Redefining Normalcy

The biggest idea that one can take from the experience of dealing with schizophrenia is to re-assess what normalcy is all about. More importantly, one must strive to achieve true meaning for normalcy. Within the society, there exists a set of rules that everyone must observe or adhere to. And those with mental illnesses are no different from the rest of the people in the society, with the only difference being they have a unique brain chemistry.

It is therefore important that everyone learn to observe respect for those dealing with this mental illness. Many are quick to judge them as “crazy” or “insane” without realizing the extent of the challenges they had to face with on an everyday basis. They are merely people afflicted with a disease, thus it is important that you give them support they need to overcome their condition.

Below are some natural methods you can adapt for an effective schizophrenia treatment plan. In fact, you can use these natural treatment methods to suffice for your current treatment for immediate results.

Therapy

Patients of schizophrenia are recommended to visit their psychologist. They are the ones with the knowledge and expertise needed to suggest an ideal routine that you can adapt to foster symptoms management and treatment plan. You can discuss with them a routine that you can adapt. You can also speak with them in a protected environment wherein you can openly discuss aspects about your treatment procedure to see progress or suggest more effective methods.

Regular Exercise

In order to have a healthy mind, you need to keep your physical body healthy at all times. With exercise, it does not refer to intensive workouts at the gym. You can go out of the house each morning and spend around 45 minutes walking or jogging, or engaging in physical activities that get your body moving. There are several benefits to regular exercise such as staying in shape, reducing your level of bad cholesterol, and minimizing your blood pressure. In addition, it makes you feel good about yourself, which is vital in coping with schizophrenia.

Developing Social Skills

Developing your social life is important to better manage schizophrenia. Hence, you need to spend time hanging out with friends or family members. When you are socially active, you can keep your mind occupied with stuffs aside from your mental illness and also lift up your spirit to feel happier.

Entertain Yourself

Patients of schizophrenia are encouraged to engage in fun activities that make you feel good. You are free to choose your choice of entertainment activity whether it be watching a movie, watching TV, listening to music, doing sports, reading a book or magazine, or anything you find entertaining.

Healthy Diet

What you eat affects the way you look and feel. Hence, it is important to watch what you eat if you have schizophrenia. It is believed that psychiatric medicines can result to gain weight as a side effect. You must therefore double your efforts to maintain a good diet to stay healthy at all times.

Learning New Skills

You need to engage in fun or social activities that enable you to develop new skills. If possible, focus on skills that contradict the symptoms of your mental illness. When you develop new skills, you also feel independent and increase confidence about yourself. You can even use this opportunity to develop a new hobby, which will also help to keep you occupied.

Promote Balance in Life

In life, balance is important. The same applies if you wanted to control the symptoms of schizophrenia. Try to achieve balance in whatever you do. Too much of something is never good for you, so always practice moderation and is an important habit that patients had to acquire.

Read further below to find out what medications you can use and some guidelines for using them.

Choosing Medications for Patients of Schizophrenia

There are two purposes for intaking medications for schizophrenia: (1) for controlling the symptoms, and (2) for long-term treatment of this mental disorder. Hence, you need to choose your medications according to which one of two purposes you intend for it.

It is important to consult with your doctor first before buying medications for schizophrenia to ensure that it won’t have any harmful side effects when consumed. Also, only they have the expertise to assess the extent of your symptoms and which medications can address them.

Risperdal

This type of medication is approved by the FDA for adults suffering from schizophrenia. However, it was recently approved as a medication for young adults and children who are patients of bipolar disorder. Eventually, the range of conditions that risperdal has been known to treat has spread further to include dealing with irritability among autistic children until it develops into lasting aggression.

The approval of using risperdal in controlling aggression among autistic children came after a research study revealed that this particular drug has quality to control aggressive behavior, while ensuring that this drug has no side effects when used in children. This drug is not recommended for temporary volatile temper or mild aggression, though.

ADHD Treatment

Due to the similarities in their effect and the impact on aggressive behavior and other related symptoms to schizophrenia, ADHD treatment is currently being considered as a possible medication for schizophrenia, especially among children. This is mostly effective for symptoms including severe aggression, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, or eating disorders that cannot be treated with other medications for schizophrenia.

Combination Treatment

Another breakthrough discovery for the quest to find the most effective medication against schizophrenia has led mental health experts to consider combining the use of ADHD medications and risperdal. However, self-prescription is highly discouraged and your doctor has to know about the background of your condition before recommending that you proceed onto this combination medication treatment approach.

Risperdal has been known to increase your blood sugar level as a side effect, so it is not recommended for schizophrenic patients that are also diabetic. Meanwhile, risperdal is not recommended for patients who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant as it has the ability to harm an unborn child. Health experts suggest that the combination of risperdal and ADHD medication be used only during extreme cases.

Preventing Harmful Side Effects

Medications or drugs intended for controlling or reversing symptoms of schizophrenia are made powerful enough to effectively address this mental disorder. Hence, it is important to always seek professional advice from your doctor before proceeding to use any of these medications. To avoid long-term negative side effects for this condition, it is best to combine it with natural remedies and approach to treatment for an effective yet safe treatment from schizophrenia.

Symptoms

Catatonic schizophrenia is simply a combination of schizophrenia and catatonia. Hence, a patient suffers from incorrect or unusual perception of reality. An individual therefore experiences motor and psychic disturbance syndrome along with hallucinations and delusions.

There are a few notable symptoms for catatonic schizophrenia that differentiate it from other types of schizophrenia:

• In terms of motor activity, a patient could suffer from one of two extremes: hyper motor activity or loss of motor skills. Some patients have been noted to resist movement.

• A symptom so-called as catatonic excitement pertains to useless agitation or state of unconstructive hyperactivity.

• Exhibiting waxy flexibility wherein an individual maintains a specific posture over a long period of time.

• Other symptoms include the following: uncoordinated movements, problematic functioning, social isolation, clumsiness, deprived of emotion, angry outbursts, neglect of personal hygiene.

Treatment Options Available

Since the emergence of catatonic schizophrenia as one of the most common types of schizophrenia affecting the population, there has been numerous treatment options available for addressing the symptoms. Some of the notable treatment procedures that a patient can try include intake of medications, hospitalization, ECT or electroconvulsive therapy, vocational sklls training, and psychotherapy. You can find out more details about each treatment below.

Medication

This is considered as the most basic foundation for the treatment of catatonic schizophrenia. The most common form of medication prescribed for patients of catatonic schizophrenia is benzodiazepines, which is also known as an anti-anxiety medication. This medication is injected into the patient’s vein for fast-acting relief against symptoms.

Another choice of medication for catatonic schizophrenia patients is barbiturates. Other alternative medications include antidepressants and mood stabilizing medications. Both types of medications are intended to control aggressive or hostile behavior.

Hospitalization

This is required only for patients suffering from a severe case of catatonic schizophrenia. By admitting the patient into a health care facility, they are assured of proper nutrition, hygiene, and expert care.

Psychotherapy

There are two components to this type of treatment approach for catatonic schizophrenia: individual and social therapy. In the case of individual therapy, the patient is encouraged to cope with the symptoms of their condition on their own. The focus here is in the acquisition of new skills and improving communication ability.

In social therapy, it often involves the family members to facilitate in the treatment such that the patient will find it easier to cope with their disorder with enough social support.

Electroconvulsive Therapy or ECT

In this treatment form, the patient receives electric currents into their brain to induce a brief seizure. The objective with this form of therapy is to make necessary changes into the brain chemistry to improve function and alter brain patterns to restore behavior. This method has been known to effectively address symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia.

Vocational Skills Training

In addition to treatment, this approach is intended to facilitate in the faster recovery and rehabilitation of the patient. During training, a therapist is available to facilitate in ensuring proper hygiene, promoting better communication skills, and engaging in activities that enable catatonic schizophrenia patients to develop new skills.

There are five challenges that truly stand out in an effort to realize your treatment plan, which act as hurdle to your success. If you can overcome them, it should be easy to see effective results.

Maintaining a Daily Routine

There are several layers to this when one refers to maintaining a daily routine in relation to dealing with schizophrenia. First off, you need to properly maintain the treatment plan as recommended for by your physician to ensure that you can alleviate symptoms or improve overall condition. If a certain kind of lifestyle is recommended to manage your condition well, then you have to learn to stick with that.

This is not as easy as it seems though knowing how schizophrenia affects one’s cognitive function and de-limit their ability to sustain a daily routine. In addition, it is important to keep one occupied to eliminate depression or anxiety that goes when they are continually confronted with their mental illness.

Staying Active

This therefore leads you to the next important challenge when dealing with schizophrenia – the ability to stay active. When one is diagnosed with schizophrenia, it is easy for one to go on a downward spiral, especially emotionally speaking. The negative symptoms can overwhelm a patient until they lose motivation and lack the energy needed to keep themselves busy and active all the time.

Staying active is therefore an important tip to keep in mind to combat the symptoms of schizophrenia. This will help to keep them in a physically good condition, while also promoting positive attitude.

Practicing Independence

Most people have this misconception that people diagnosed with schizophrenia cannot survive on their own. Instilling the need to stay independent is an important ability for patients to combat the symptoms of their condition. Although it is important for a patient to live in a protective environment that will keep them secure and safe. However, it would be helpful to encourage them to explore outside of their comfort zone and regain self confidence.

Financial Support

In relation to the item above, the ability to produce your own income is a crucial challenge for patients of schizophrenia. This gives you the ability to gain control over your life and lead the life the way you wanted it to be. This is also a good way to promote restoration of the patient’s ability to perform basic functions and follow a set routine.

Social Support

This is probably the most crucial challenge that patients had to face. Without enough social support from friends or families, then coping with their condition and its symptoms alone is hard enough. The relationships you have with the people around you helps to increase your motivation and gain confidence about yourself knowing that you are not alone in your battle with schizophrenia.

There are several treatment options available for patients of schizophrenia today, ranging from medications, therapy, behavioral treatments, among other things. But natural form of remedies are considered to be the best approach for treatment given that it lack all the harmful side effects associated with other form of treatment. One such example of natural treatment approach for schizophrenia is ayurveda. To find out more about what this method comprises of and how it can be effective for this mental condition, you can read further below.

Ayurvedic View on Schizophrenia

Ayurveda has a unique view and definition on schizophrenia that also explains its unique approach to treatment. Schizophrenia is known in Ayurvedic world as “Unmaad”. In the case of modern physicians, they base their treatment approach on what symptoms are manifested along with this disorder. The same approach is utilized in Ayurveda albeit differences in the specific components for analyzing the impact of this mental disorder.

Ayurvedic Treatment

Patients who tend to become over-excited or agitated are given medications in nasal drop form. The objective of such medication is to become a “counter-irritant” and there are several other medications suggested for this condition. Among the medications suggested for ayurvedic treatment of schizophrenia include Shigru seed powder, Tagar, Vacha (powder or oil form), Shunthi, Yashtimadhu, Shunthi + Jaggery, Marich, among other medicines available in Ayurveda.

As soon as the patient is subdued, it is followed up with the use of other Ayurvedic medicines such as Jatamansi, Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Sarpagandha, Ajwayan, Suvarna Bhasma, Raupya Bhasma, and Puran Ghruta. Most of the medicated ghrutas used for treatment of schizophrenia in Ayurveda are taken orally, including Jatamansi Ghruta, Kalyanak Ghruta, or Panchagavya Ghruta. Another well known treatment approach in Ayurveda is known as “Panchakarama”, which is made up of medicated enemas, as well as involve induced purgation and vomiting for internal cleansing.

Long Term Management of Schizophrenia

In most cases, Ayurvedic healers base their treatment of schizophrenia on the three different doshas. The predominant dosha in the patient is determined in order to identify the best treatment approach for long-term treatment plan.

Those who are predominantly “Vata” are recommended to use the following medications: Sarpagandha powder, Vatavidhvansa rasa, Brahmiprasha, and Sameerpannag rasa. Those who are predominantly “Pitta” must take Brahmi juice along with Sarpagandha and Sutshekhar. Finally, those with a predominant “Kapha” dosha must intake Bhootbhairav and Unmaadgajakesari as their primary medicine.

Patient Rehabilitation

One of the biggest advantages to using Ayurvedic treatment approach for curing schizophrenia is the ability to fully rehabilitate the patient without causing harmful side effects. One is therefore recommended to consistently apply the long-term treatment plan as suggested in Ayurveda, particularly the use of Ayurvedic herbal medicines as suggested above, to see effective results. The fact that this is an all-natural approach gives you the assurance that there will be no harmful side effects to be experienced.