Schizophrenia is a group of brain disorders that cause a person to interpret reality in an alternate way. Schizophrenia may cause hallucinations, delusions or disordered thinking or behavior. Schizophrenia creates a disruption between emotions and thinking, and lifelong treatment is required to keep symptoms under control. While people with the disease can use medication to control its symptoms, therapy and other services also are available.
Step 1
Obtain social skills training. Social skills training is aimed at improving communication and social interactions. Schizophrenics can often become isolated due to a fear that others will judge them and their illness. Social skills training exposes schizophrenics to social situations and allows them to practice and understand their behavior and actions in these situations.
Step 2
Encourage family therapy for the family and friends of the patient. Schizophrenia can be a difficult disease to understand. Family therapy helps shed some light on how the patient thinks or interprets things, allowing their family to better empathize and increase communication and support.
Step 3
Seek opportunities in vocational rehabilitation and support employment. Vocational rehabilitation programs help patients suffering from schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. These programs are focused on teaching patients practical skills to help them obtain and keep a job. Support employment programs identify businesses or organizations that are sensitive to the needs of patients with mental illnesses yet can provide practical work opportunities for them.
Step 4
Participate in individual therapy. Individual therapy is a vital part of managing schizophrenia symptoms. Individual therapy is an outlet for the patient to receive feedback on the situations they encounter while learning to manage their life with schizophrenia. Individual therapy may also focus on coping mechanisms for stress or being able to identify and manage the development or retirement of symptoms as the disease progresses.
