Road to Recovery & Reassurance with Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a long-term mental disorder caused due to alterations in structure and function of the brain. A schizophrenic patient will experience withdrawal from reality, disorganized behaviour, absurd thought process, problems with concentration and memory along with inappropriate actions and feelings. Most of these patients will improve over time when provided with quality care, lots of love and support.

Steps to recovery

Here we will discuss some of the proven strategies that will assist the recovery of a schizophrenic patient and help them in achieving good quality of life.

1. Accepting the condition

Since mental illness is considered a taboo in our Indian society, the first and foremost important issue is to regard Schizophrenia as a mental disease, which would require proper medical management and psychological counselling. Accepting the diagnosis is equally important for both the patient and the family. With good medication adherence and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the patient can lead a long and happy life.

2. Managing the symptoms

Around 70%-80% schizophrenic patients are prescribed antipsychotic medicines which will help in improving their symptoms, especially delusions and hallucinations. Schizophrenic patients also tend to suffer more from heart diseases, diabetes and hypertension. Therefore, medications would also be prescribed to manage these associated co morbid conditions.

3. Returning to basic social life

An episode of schizophrenia often leaves the patient socially isolated. The residual symptoms also interfere with their day life activities such as grooming, personal hygiene and diet. Therefore, it is vital that such patient should be reassured and assisted with their basic daily life activities so that they re-gain their confidence and resume the normal social routine. Performing simple tasks such as gardening, walking, dancing etc. would also give them a sense of calm.

4. Organizing life and time

During the acute phase of the disease, it becomes almost impossible for the sufferer to think of anything else except of the delusions and hallucinations going through the mind. People who were once stylish may start wearing stained clothes, forget to take a bath and even wash their hair. However, once these symptoms resolve there is natural progression out of psychosis and the patient will start concentrating on personal hygiene, household chores and managing finances. Creating a customized everyday timetable for such patients will help them in completing their daily chores and set a pattern to their lives.

5. Preparing for relapses

Like any health problem, replaces in schizophrenia often tend to strike when you are least expecting them. Identifying the triggers, either can be done by the patient or by the caregiver will help in preparing as to what can be done to reduce the risk of danger and minimize the physical and mental damage that the relapse would cause.

At the end, successful recovery involves continuous medical care, physical and emotional support, spotting the triggers and avoiding them. All this will ensure a happy and healthy life for a schizophrenic patient.