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Main > Specialty Areas > Psychiatry >
Schizophrenia Treatment
Medications
There is still no radical treatment or a method of prevention of schizophrenia. However, since 1950s many effective medications that treat symptoms of schizophrenia were developed. These have allowed sufferers to spend little or no time at all in psychiatric institutions. Most schizophrenics are responsive to medications to such a degree that they are able to live independent lives within their communities.
Some antipsychotic medications include clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone, risperidone and quetiapine. There are others - a trained psycho-pharmacologist would be able to suggest a medication or a combination of medications that would be most effective for a particular sufferer.
Therapy
Psychotherapy is usually offered in conjunction with medications. It is a long-term treatment that usually focuses on social impairments associated with schizophrenia as well as on underlying psychological problems that may contribute to the disease.
| Psychotherapy is a technique that utilizes communication and dialogue and that treats the mental health of a patient or improve social and family relations. |
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which is also known as electro-shock therapy can be prescribed to patients for whom other treatments have failed. It is not legal in some countries though.
Community support and networks are usually effective in helping to integrate schizophrenics into society and helping them to acquire skills necessary to lead independent lives.
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