What are the common treatments for schizophrenia?

What are the common treatments for schizophrenia?

Christopher Reist (Academic Psychiatrist, Co-Author of “Psychiatry”) gives expert video advice on: What are the most common dangers associated with schizophrenia?; How will a psychiatrist determine whether I suffer from schizophrenia?; What are the common treatments for schizophrenia? and more...

The treatment for schizophrenia really depends on how severely ill the individual is. If a person is suffering a severe exacerbation of their symptoms, and is experiencing a lot of positive symptoms and disorganization of thought, it may be necessary to hospitalize that individual to make sure that food and shelter is provided for. However, the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia over time is the use of anti-psychotic medications. These include drugs that were used in the past, such as Haldol. However, now we have what are called the atypical anti-psychotics such as risperidone, quetipine or lanzopine, that have far fewer side effects than the older medications. On top of the use of medication as treatment for schizophrenia, we're realizing that psychotherapies and education are very important. We know that cognitive behavioral therapy can help with reducing symptoms, and we know that education around social skills can really help prepare an individual with schizophrenia to be more successful in social circumstances or in the workplace. It really requires a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary effort to provide the best care to patients with schizophrenia.