Schizophrenia
ADULT AND CHILD PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONERS IN KING OF PRUSSIA, PA
Of all the mental health disorders, schizophrenia can be the most debilitating due to its severe symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions. When schizophrenia is adequately treated, you have hope for recovery, especially when you have the compassionate support and expertise of skilled professionals. At Alpine Psychiatry in King of Prussia (KOP) and Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Nina Patel, CRNP, PMHNP-BC, Vince Di Antonio, CRNP, PMHNP-BC, and the group of licensed practitioners provide excellent individualized care for schizophrenia. To learn more about the comprehensive medical and therapeutic treatment available, call or text the office, or request more information online at your earliest convenience.
Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder that affects your ability to think, distorts your perceptions, and changes how you relate to others.
As with most other psychiatric disorders, there is no single cause for psychotic spectrum illnesses. Treatment options are ever-growing and detailed knowledge of their relative efficacies and side effect profiles is essential. The licensed practitioners at Alpine Psychiatry have extensive experience working with clients of all ages with psychotic spectrum illnesses.
Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia have at least two of these five primary symptoms:
Delusions are false beliefs you hold onto despite evidence that they’re not grounded in reality. For example, you may wrongly think you’re being harassed, that someone is out to get you, that you’re a famous or important person, or that someone is controlling you.
You hear, see, smell, taste, or feel something that doesn’t exist outside of your immediate perceptions. The most common hallucinations are auditory, such as hearing voices.
Patients with schizophrenia often have disorganized speech due to abnormal thought processes. You may quickly jump from one topic to another unrelated topic, repeat what another person just said, or speak to someone who’s not there. You could also say random words that are jumbled, rambling, and don’t make sense.
Disorganized behavior refers to repetitive, senseless movements, while catatonic behavior occurs when you stay in the same position without moving for an extended time.
Negative symptoms include a lack of emotions, loss of interest, and lack of purposeful activity. When you have negative symptoms, you’re likely to experience extreme inertia, to the point where you’re not motivated to go to work, school, or socialize, and you don’t keep up with basic hygiene.
The primary treatment for schizophrenia is medication, followed by psychotherapeutic support. Alpine Psychiatry provides the full scope of treatment, using extensive experience to evaluate and manage short-term and long-term antipsychotic medications and closely monitor lithium therapy.
As experts in complex psychopharmacology, Alpine Psychiatry’s licensed practitioners work closely with each patient, explaining the recommended medication, how long it takes to work, and the dangers of stopping the drug. They perform ongoing monitoring to be sure your medicines don’t cause problems with your thyroid or other body systems.
Antipsychotic medications diminish hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech and behavior, helping prevent a relapse of symptoms.
Schizophrenia treatment can stabilize symptoms and help you avoid hospitalization. Call or text Alpine Psychiatry to schedule an appointment or request one online.