When There Is No "How To" Cure Schizophrenia Permanently, What Treatment Options Can Improve Your Symptoms?

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that can severely destabilize the mental health and well-being of those living with it. Symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions, visual and auditory hallucinations, disorganized thought and speech patterns, and other psychotic symptoms. While there is no cure for schizophrenia, symptoms can often be significantly improved through treatment. For those living with this condition and their loved ones, it may be helpful to explore the most current and effective options available for schizophrenia treatment. 

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that can signifally impact those living with it. This complex disorder disrupts brain function, affecting cognition, memory, perception, and behavior. In addition to symptoms involving cognition and motor skills, most schizophrenia symptoms are classified as either positive or negative by mental health professionals. 

Symptoms of schizophrenia

Positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions

These symptoms are termed "positive" not because they are beneficial or healthy but because they manifest due to specific brain regions being activated.

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Negative symptoms can include blunted emotional expressions, difficulty interacting with others, a lack of desire to form social connections, and a diminished capacity to experience pleasure. These symptoms appear to arise from reduced activation of specific brain areas and typically do not respond as effectively to medical treatment as positive symptoms.

Cognitive challenges

Cognitive challenges might include confusion and disorganized speech. These symptoms often lead to impaired thinking and verbal skills. Consequently, responses to questions may not be coherent to the individual answering.

Abnormal behaviors and motor skills

Individuals may experience agitation, impatience, or childlike behavior. They may also exhibit incongruent body language with their speech or struggle to articulate answers, while others may experience excessive movement, complicating communication and concentration further.

Schizophrenia symptoms manifest in stages, the most notable being the active and residual phases. During the active phase, people with schizophrenia may experience their most severe symptoms. However, the individual experiencing active symptoms may not recognize them, while friends, family members, and others around them do. 

Although no longer a formal diagnosis, residual symptoms may still be observed by mental health professionals. Residual symptoms may include lingering elements of the active phase, such as reduced emotional expression, social withdrawal, and low energy levels.

Mental health statistics

How to cure schizophrenia permanently: There may not be a cure, but effective treatment can help

Though researchers continue to examine the question of “how to cure schizophrenia permanently,” there is currently no cure for schizophrenia. However, treating schizophrenia and schizophrenia symptoms may be effective with support from a trained and licensed mental health professional. 

When approaching the subject of how to treat schizophrenia, it may be helpful to remind yourself that schizophrenia is a lifelong condition that requires continuous treatment, even if symptoms are well managed or appear to have subsided. Though a schizophrenia diagnosis can seem devastating, it can be manageable with support. With proper medical treatment, people with schizophrenia can often manage the more severe symptoms associated with their condition, such as hallucinations and delusions, allowing them to function more effectively in daily life.

How to cure schizophrenia permenantly: combining medication, self-help and therapy

In some cases, a treatment plan combining medication with schizophrenia self-help, supportive services, and therapy may be effective. Symptoms like agitation may diminish within days of starting medication, while delusions and hallucinations may improve within a few weeks. The following medications are often used for treating schizophrenia.

Medication for schizophrenia and their side effects

The following medications are often used for treating schizophrenia.

Conventional antipsychotics treatment and their side effects

Antipsychotic medications are often the most commonly used and may include medications like the following: 

• Haloperidol
• Fluphenazine
• Chlorpromazine

These medications have been used for years and can help reduce hallucinations and psychotic episodes associated with schizophrenia. However, they may cause movement-related side effects like tremors and dystonia.

Atypical antipsychotics treatment and their side effects

Atypical antipsychotic medications include the following: 

• Quetiapine
• Risperidone
• Aripiprazole

These newer medications are often effective in relieving symptoms and may pose a lower risk of severe side effects compared to conventional antipsychotics. However, they can lead to metabolic changes, increasing the risk of diabetes and high cholesterol. Regular monitoring of body changes, glucose, and lipid levels by a doctor may be recommended during treatment.

Clozapine and its side effects

This atypical antipsychotic is prescribed when other medications fail to provide adequate relief. However, it may cause additional side effects like kidney or bladder problems. Close monitoring through frequent blood testing can help prevent serious complications.

Long-term schizophrenia treatment success

Overall, research indicates that as many as one in seven people with schizophrenia can achieve functional recovery with proper treatment. Achieving a level of functioning that allows individuals to maintain relationships, pursue meaningful activities such as work or education, and experience an improved quality of life can mean symptoms are manageable in the long term. 

Consult a medical doctor before starting, changing, or stopping a medication for any condition. The information in this article is not a replacement for medical advice or diagnosis. 

The benefits of mental health therapy in schizophrenia treatment

According to research published by Frontiers in Public Health, combining medications with non-pharmacological treatments like yoga and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) could offer a more comprehensive approach to managing schizophrenia symptoms and daily responsibilities.

Experts say psychotherapy, such as CBT, can be particularly helpful in treating symptoms of schizophrenia. According to specialists at NYU Langone, “Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a short-term, problem-focused approach with the goal of teaching people who have schizophrenia a variety of coping skills to help them manage difficult situations. This type of therapy is typically given for one hour a week during the course of 12 to 16 weeks.”

Along with developing coping mechanisms and learning how to manage symptoms, NYU specialists explain that “cognitive-behavioral therapy can also help people with schizophrenia develop better social and problem-solving skills, reduce the severity of symptoms, and lower the risk of relapse, a period when schizophrenia symptoms return.” 

Alternative treatment options that can improve your symptoms 

Some individuals may struggle to access in-person therapy due to limitations in their condition. In these cases, online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp may provide accessible and flexible support by allowing people to participate in sessions from the comfort of their homes. In addition, online platforms often offer unique tools like journaling prompts and support groups.  

Effectiveness of online therapy

While the effectiveness of online therapy for schizophrenia requires further research, studies show that online CBT is equally as effective as in-person therapy for treating other mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Furthermore, online CBT programs can be particularly beneficial for those who may face barriers to attending in-person appointments, such as transportation challenges or social anxiety.