Psychological assistance, advice and recommendations for psychologists, social workers. employees, loved ones, relatives and colleagues who come into contact with people with Schizophrenia. Part 6

Any illness is a tragedy both for the person and for his family and friends. There are too many prejudices in our society, therefore, sometimes we do not understand how to behave correctly with a patient, especially if the illness is of a mental nature. For example, how to behave with a loved one’s schizophrenia, how to help him and not develop an inferiority complex in him? Some people think that being around someone with schizophrenia is stupid and dangerous. There is some truth in this, but you cannot refuse a person just because he is sick. People with schizophrenia are not to blame for being affected by this illness. Therefore, instead of being afraid, you need to know how to behave with a person with schizophrenia.

The British Columbia Schizophrenia Society offers this advice when dealing with someone who has schizophrenia: Don't argue with someone who has misconceptions. Recognize the effect that a delusion or hallucination must have. Be empathetic and expressive. Reduce distractions around the person.

Happy talking or cheerful chatter will not help someone who may be facing problems associated with schizophrenia, including depression, poor self-esteem and feelings of insecurity. However, you can ensure that you will always be there to provide support. You can remind the person of past achievements and the likelihood that similar successes will be achieved in the future. Tips Before sitting down to talk to a person who has schizophrenia, it's best not to think of him or her as a "schizophrenic" as it's best not to think of someone with heart disease as a "bad heart." a person with a disease is not a disease. Separating the person from the disease will help you in your interactions. Therefore, how you communicate will depend on the characteristics of the person you are speaking to. Some people with schizophrenia function at a high level, others do not. Emphasize your conversation to understand the person. If the person seems "in a world of their own" or is distracted by hallucinations, you will have to wait until they become more receptive. If someone is distracted, agitated, or agitated, let her calm down emotionally before speaking.

Let the person know that she will never be alone.
Wait for the best time to hire the person.
Don't expect someone with schizophrenia to be very sympathetic to your problems.
Illness often poses a burden that interferes with greater understanding of other issues.

Was he still in charge of his own life or someone else's?
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Photo gallery: How to behave with a patient with schizophrenia?

In order to understand how to behave with a patient with schizophrenia, it is necessary to understand the nature of this disease. Then you will be able to treat the patient correctly and help him recover. So, firstly, mental illness is not at all uncommon in our world. One percent of the planet's population suffers from schizophrenia, and if you remember how many billions live here, the figure is not small at all. You should never treat a patient as if it were his karma or his wrongdoing. Such diseases choose their victims just like that, in a chaotic order, without paying attention to their merits or shortcomings.

All episodes of the series Psychologically Ill at First Sight. It's hard to imagine the psyche. They can be thought of as a sea of thoughts. Like a fisherman who eats his net, we take away those thoughts that are important to us. So we sort out the important things and throw the unimportant things back into the flow.

If the network meshes get too large, it just goes away. The lines between reality and fiction are blurred. The filter in the head fails, everything just comes through, there is chaos. Incompatible device together. Experts estimate that nearly one million people in Germany suffer from this spiritual disorder: schizophrenia.

The cause of the disease is a change in the balance of brain chemicals. Also, this disease develops in those who have a hereditary predisposition, are often exposed to stress, or are addicted to drugs. The course of the disease is very heterogeneous. Most often, it manifests itself in sudden attacks, which greatly affect the life of a person with schizophrenia. Unfortunately, to date, doctors have not established how to completely recover from schizophrenia. But, fortunately, there are many drugs, thanks to regular use of which, a person can lead a completely normal life. These medications reduce mental illness, are highly effective and are easily absorbed. But, if a person does not want to be constantly monitored by a doctor, this can lead to the disease developing into a chronic form and then he will have to think about hospitalization.

Men and women are equally affected. Typically, affected individuals are between 15 and 30 years of age when they first notice that their perception is impaired. The causes of schizophrenia are not clear. Hereditary predisposition is by no means everyone who is confused - random situations in life or a difficult family environment obviously play a role. Measured in patients with schizophrenia, altered messengers and structures in the brain are discussed - whether they are a consequence or one of the causes of the disease.

Björn Hofmann is 26 years old and promoting mathematics. Goals can hardly be too high for him, he always lives up to his expectations, at least when it comes to those in his real life. For him, however, there is another world of his thoughts. Some days he can't tell the difference between them and reality. Even the reminder of what's going on in his head gets mixed up with what's happening on the street.

Therefore, close people should monitor and help a person with schizophrenia. Depending on how exactly a person experiences attacks of schizophrenia, one must behave accordingly. Some people do not admit that they are sick and try to control themselves. But sometimes the disease manifests itself and then you need to do the right thing and not get angry with the person, so as not to aggravate his condition.

It is a distorted perception that makes you afraid. In addition, there are misconceptions that also distort reality: Hofmann thought that other people made fun of him, takes everything upon himself, senses strangers through gestures and words. “If someone smiled at me, it was a contemptuous chuckle in my head,” he says.

For example, experts refer to this pathological dedication. On a small scale, everyone knows these thoughts, especially in situations of uncertainty. For example, a new hairstyle, wearing high heels for the first time, an ill-fitting suit at an interview, a noticeable mole on the neck, a flushed face in stressful situations. It is often an unfounded feeling that everyone who sees this flaw will talk or laugh about it.

So, what to do when a person experiences auditory or visual hallucinations? First, you must know how such hallucinations manifest themselves. Often, people begin to have conversations with themselves, and these are not just phrases like: “Where did I do my mobile phone again? " The person is having a real conversation, as if he is talking or arguing with someone we cannot see. He may laugh for no reason or suddenly become silent, as if he is listening to someone who, in fact, is not there. Also, during an attack, a person’s attention is distracted, he cannot concentrate on a task and understand how to complete it correctly, even if in a normal state, this task is very easy for him. A person may play music very loudly, as if trying to drown out something that annoys him. In this case, you must behave very calmly and under no circumstances laugh at him. Remember that during an attack, it seems to a schizophrenic that everything that happens to him is real. Therefore, it is better to ask what he sees and hears now, why this irritates him. Try to find out how you can help him, tell him that you are nearby and he is not in danger. But you should never ask a person in detail about what he sees. Thus, you convince him even more of the reality of what is happening. Try not to be afraid of your loved one's behavior. Never convince him that it seems to him and that he is just crazy. In this state, you will cause a very severe injury to the patient and, instead of helping him, will aggravate the condition even more.

For schizophrenics, this uncertainty goes much further and even dissolves: minor contingencies, such as the cry of a raven, the red color of a passing car, or a late summer start, must be directed against one's own person.

Many sufferers also hear voices, feel forced to let them control these invisible companions and therefore act "crazy" to outsiders. Optical hallucinations can lead to death and lead to the death of schizophrenia because they cannot understand how dangerous they are.

Schizophrenics often exhibit delusions. It is also not difficult to recognize. Such people begin to suspect everyone and everything, be very mysterious, put emphasis on ordinary things and make them seem especially mysterious.

It may seem to people that you want to offend them, betray them, set them up, even poison them. They begin to come up with ways to protect themselves from family and friends, being completely sure that they need it. You should never be offended or angry. Remember that the person does this not because he doesn’t love you, but because he is sick and does not understand what he is doing. You have an obligation to help him, and not worry about getting angry. Also, a person may become depressed. Sometimes, it appears as fatigue, apathy, detachment from everything. But, also, depression can be accompanied by an unexpectedly good mood, which may even be inappropriate in some situations, and senseless spending of money. People with schizophrenia exhibit various manias. They can convince themselves of something and manically impose their obsession on everyone. If people don’t understand them, or schizophrenics think so, they can even end up committing suicide. You need to be prepared for this and be able to prevent it. If you see that a person feels unnecessary, hears some voices, or, on the contrary, abruptly, as if having thought of something, begins to complete all his affairs and say goodbye, most likely he is preparing for suicide. To prevent the worst from happening, you need to take statements about suicide very seriously, even if it seems to you that the person will not do it. Try to keep cutting objects and weapons away from him. In addition, you need to try to find out exactly how he plans to commit suicide in order to develop an action plan. If you see that you cannot help him on your own and he is ready to commit suicide, call a psychiatrist immediately.

The Mentally Ill Series: The Sick Soul of Germany

There was adaptation to a new life situation.
Extract from the parental home, new private and professional environment, new problems. If someone recognizes these changes in their own body and endures the year, then inpatient treatment may be the only viable route. The above examples of a package for a neighbor who voluntarily accepts it in order to see it as a threat scares me. Even the image of medical practitioners whose voluntarily arranged care is subordinated to poisoning intentions is troubling. If you protect your loved one from stress, alcohol and drugs, and help him lead an interesting and healthy lifestyle, the possibility of relapse will be significantly reduced and the disease will not bother your loved one so often.

There are many prejudices around this disease in the world, which are simply based on ordinary ignorance of the subject. That is why the most effective methods of combating erroneous opinions are studying reliable information about the nature of this disease. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, armed with a full range of knowledge, it will be easier for you to learn to cope with this illness, accept it and behave correctly to maximize your quality of life.

It would be important that those who have suffered in similar situations are informed of the student's level of escalation with the knowledge that they have today. Your question “at what stage of escalation did the student turn to the knowledge he has today for help” is difficult to answer. Bearing in mind today that he is ultimately dependent on foreign aid and medication, he would likely seek help before the first symptoms.

As described above, he didn't want to do anything wrong with the package. Accordingly, he could not even know at what “stage of escalation” he was moving. The difficult thing seems to be that stakeholders simply don't realize that anything is wrong. Until now, Mr. Hoffman was probably lucky that he could not only admit that his perception was implausible, but could even do so.

What you will need

Some knowledge about the disease that will help you understand and communicate with the patient.

How to communicate with seriously ill people Instructions - Meduza

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We have already talked about what palliative care is and how to alleviate the condition of a seriously ill person.

But advanced cancer and other serious diseases are a test for the whole family, requiring a lot of strength and patience. The patient needs not only care, but also support. His relatives and friends need no less help and attention.

Together we figure out how to properly communicate with a seriously ill person in order to help him and not burn out.

In difficult situations, many try to remain optimistic and positive, and not talk about death again - and this is normal.

Humor and laughter really help deal with stress and tension.

But it’s equally important not to distort reality when it comes to how serious your loved one’s condition is (unless they’ve asked you otherwise). Be supportive, but don't give false hope.

Be there if your loved one doesn't mind. Ask questions and listen carefully to the answers. Remember your life stories together, your happiest and saddest moments. Allow the person to express their fears and concerns about death. Don't stop him if he cries.

There are schools for patients with various diseases, courses and lectures for relatives, which tell them how to care for and how to communicate with a terminally ill person.

If there are difficulties in your relationship with a relative or it is difficult to tolerate some mental reactions (your own or a loved one), you may need the help of a psychotherapist. Do not hesitate to go to him, but remember that it is important to choose the right specialist.

A serious diagnosis can evoke a range of strong emotions: fear, anger, resentment, helplessness, sadness, disappointment. People may experience all of them in turn, or only some of them. And the attitude towards the disease can change from denial to acceptance. Additionally, a person may feel lonely even if they have support from family and friends.

All this can be difficult, and most likely it will be, but try not to be angry with your loved one, do not be offended by his words. Conflicts are stressful for everyone, so take every opportunity to avoid unnecessary arguments.

Illness is a physical condition, not a character trait. Most serious illnesses do not affect a person's personality in any way. (The exception is senile dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.) Your relationship will not necessarily change, and much will depend on you personally; do not prepare yourself for the worst in advance.

Sometimes a seriously ill person may try to replace medications with traditional medicine. Be prepared for this. There are situations when you can’t convince others. For example, if the “treatment” does not cause harm and cannot worsen the person’s condition.

For example, if the condition of a loved one allows, you can go to holy places, but not instead of medicine, but in addition to it. However, if a person refuses proven effective treatment in favor of meditation or fasting, it is better to try to convince him otherwise.

Don't argue, don't intimidate, try to understand, use emotions and experience. And don’t blame yourself if you can’t talk yourself out of it.

Let him do what he can and wants to do himself. Even if it takes longer, even if it’s difficult for him. Words and actions can offend your loved one - refrain from making critical remarks about him. Give him the choice. Even if the choice is between oatmeal and semolina, pajamas and a nightgown.

Think about what will please your loved one. Offer to take a walk together, watch a comedy or listen to your favorite music, arrange a party and invite friends and relatives to it, but only first find out who exactly your loved one would like to see, and invite these specific people, and not just everyone.

Constant tests, waiting, uncertainty, poor health of a loved one that may not improve for a long time - all this will require your patience.

Remember that during a serious illness of a loved one you will need a lot of strength. Getting enough sleep and having personal time is not a luxury, but a necessity; all this is important and necessary for you to prevent the process of emotional burnout.

If it happens, it will be bad not only for you, but also for your loved one. It will be easier if you can delegate small tasks and ask for and accept help from family and friends.

But the main thing is to replenish your resources on time: go to the movies, take a walk, get some sleep, and finally.

Even if the disease cannot be cured, many things can be done to ensure that your loved one lives as full a life as possible.

Any person wants to eat, get enough sleep, move normally, and wants nothing to hurt.

A patient with a serious illness needs the help of doctors and other palliative care specialists: a nurse, a physical therapist, a psychologist.

Here are some useful links and phone numbers that will come in handy:

— All-Russian hotline for psychological assistance to cancer patients and their loved ones 8-800-100-01-91.

Source: https://meduza.io/slides/kak-obschatsya-s-tyazhelobolnymi-lyudmi

What is schizophrenia and how does it manifest?

Before we talk about how to live with schizophrenia, let's find out what this diagnosis means and how the disease manifests itself.

Schizophrenia is a complex chronic illness or group of several mental disorders that is associated with a breakdown of thought processes and emotional reactions, and in which irreversible personality changes can develop.

The disease is not quite rare in the modern world. According to statistics, every hundredth person on the planet faces this diagnosis.

Schizophrenia is one of the main social and clinical problems of psychiatric science. People with this diagnosis make up about 60% of all mentally ill people seen in hospitals, and 80% of them are people with incapacity or disability.

The disease can develop at any age, but most often it manifests itself at the age of about 30 years, regardless of lifestyle, place of residence, work, etc. In men, the first symptoms appear at an earlier age (17-24) than in women. In people over forty years of age, the first symptoms of schizophrenia are detected much less frequently. This is because schizophrenia causes various somatic complications or self-destructive behavior.

The disease can occur in different ways (that is, have different clinical forms). More gently, without depriving a person of legal capacity, and without preventing him from leading a socially active life, having a job, a family, and feeling as full as possible, given certain restrictions. And it’s hard, significantly reducing the patient’s quality of life or leading to disability.

Schizophrenia can occur without interruption, that is, symptoms appear almost constantly at the same level. Or have a paroxysmal periodic nature: a period of exacerbation and a period of remission (with weakened or absent symptoms). As a rule, during the period of remission, a person can return to work and family, and lead a normal life.

Schizophrenia manifests itself on six levels:

Violation of thought processes.
Violation of the emotional state (which consists of a significant decrease in the level of emotional response to the world and people).
Decreased willpower (apathy).
Auditory and visual illusions of perception (hallucinations).
Delusional disorders.
Social behavioral changes (characterized as withdrawal from the surrounding world and the people in it).

Steps

Part 1

Find out all the information you need

The first thing you can do for your loved one is find out what they are going through. Awareness of the characteristics of schizophrenia is the first step towards peaceful and healthy coexistence.

Learn basic information about the disease.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that can be controlled with medication and therapy. Schizophrenia affects a person's thoughts, feelings and perception of the world as a whole. For this reason, patients may become delusional or experience hallucinations.

Learn about hallucinations and delusions.

To experience hallucinations is to see or hear something that is not really there. To be delusional is to accept as truth something that in fact does not correspond to reality.

For example, if a person hears voices that other people cannot hear, he experiences hallucinations. And if he is firmly convinced that someone reads his thoughts, this is a manifestation of delusion.

Explore other symptoms of schizophrenia.
Although loss of contact with reality (psychosis) is the main symptom of schizophrenia, it is not the only one. Patients with schizophrenia are also characterized by apathy, speech problems, depression, memory loss and frequent mood swings.
Find out what can aggravate the condition of a patient with schizophrenia.
Symptoms usually get worse if a person stops treatment. Worsening may also result from alcohol or drug abuse, other illnesses, psychological stress, or side effects from medications.
Learn about treatments for schizophrenia.
Although schizophrenia cannot be completely cured, proper treatment can help reduce symptoms. Approximately half of patients who are under the supervision of doctors note significant improvements. It is very important to remember that treatment for schizophrenia is not limited to medications. The condition of patients improves faster if medication is supplemented with psychotherapy.
Be realistic.
Statistics show that 20-25% of patients may experience remission, but 50% will experience symptoms of schizophrenia constantly or with some fluctuations. Many people believe that their love and support can heal a loved one. Of course, this plays a vital role, but it is still better not to raise expectations and make sure that they correspond to reality.
Part 2
Take action
1. Subtle changes in a person's behavior, including appetite and sleep problems, irritability, loss of interest in daily activities, and depressed mood.

Make sure that the patient continues treatment upon return from the hospital.

He may stop following doctors' advice and taking medications, which usually results in a return of symptoms. Without treatment, some schizophrenics become unable to take care of themselves and their needs, including food, shelter and clothing. Here are some ways to make sure your loved one gets everything they need:

Monitor your medication intake. If you notice that a patient is missing appointments, whether intentionally or not, take action.

Write down the names of medications, doses, and their effects on the patient. Because people with schizophrenia tend to be completely disorganized, the responsibility for keeping track of all the information falls on your shoulders—at least until treatment begins to show results.

Make sure the patient leads a healthy lifestyle.

For as yet unknown reasons, schizophrenics are prone to alcohol and drug abuse. In addition, they have an increased risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. To help your loved one overcome these challenges, encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle by eating right and exercising regularly. Eg:

Offer to go for a daily walk together. Or plan a workout routine at the gym and take him there.

Stock your refrigerator with a variety of healthy foods. Offer to prepare dinner at least once every couple of days and serve balanced meals of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and high protein foods.

Avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol and any illegal substances when you are around someone who is sick. This way he will be less tempted to take the destructive path.

Communicate with the patient in such a manner that he understands you.

Schizophrenia affects the brain, causing most patients to experience some difficulty communicating. To help the patient understand you, speak slowly and clearly in a calm, even voice. Learn to prevent conflicts before they arise, because tension can worsen a loved one's condition.

Try to speak with empathy in your voice. Schizophrenics do not respond well to rude and negative intonations, so talking with love in your voice will help you improve communication.

Avoid lengthy conversations about the patient's delusional ideas.

In most cases, this will create even more tension. Don't ignore such conversations, but don't get involved in lengthy discussions either. Learn to stop a conversation on time.

Be patient.

Sometimes it may seem to you that the patient is deliberately trying to provoke or offend you. In such cases, remember the talent of patience. Never respond to such actions with aggression or irritability - a tense atmosphere can lead to a relapse of schizophrenia. Instead, work on techniques that will help you stay calm. For example:

Count to ten or backwards.

Practice breathing exercises.

Instead of getting involved in the situation, try to distance yourself.

Show love and concern.

It is important to demonstrate through actions and words that you support your loved one in their struggle to maintain their identity. If a loved one knows that you unconditionally accept him and his illness, this will help him accept himself and the situation and voluntarily agree to treatment.

Make sure that the patient's environment remains comfortable for him.

Many schizophrenics do not like large crowds of people. If someone is visiting the sick person, let the guests come in small groups or one at a time. Don't force the patient to do something he doesn't want to do. Give him the opportunity to do what he likes and don't rush him.

Part 3

Learn to cope with psychotic breaks

A psychotic breakdown is a relapse of the disease with hallucinations and delusions. Such breakdowns can occur if the patient does not take medications or is negatively affected by external circumstances.

Be prepared for aggression.

In films, schizophrenics are always portrayed as violent and uncontrollable, but in reality they are rarely like that. However, some may act aggressively under the influence of hallucinations and delusions. In this case, they can be dangerous to themselves and others.

People with schizophrenia have a 5% risk of committing suicide, which is significantly higher than the statistical average.

Do not try to prove something to the patient during a breakdown.

During a psychotic break, people lose touch with reality, so it is better not to argue with them. Do not forget that for the patient, hallucinations are not a product of his imagination, they are quite realistic. He actually perceives things that don't exist for you. So try not to argue with him about his visions.

Be calm and stable in your views on the world.

When a person begins to convince you of their delusional ideas, it is very important to let them know that you do not see the world in the same way. Tell the patient that your ideas about some things may differ - this will remind him that he is sick. But do not get into quarrels based on delusional ideas.

If the patient seems that you are questioning his vision, try to change the topic of conversation or draw his attention to something where your views converge.

Be compassionate.

When a person is experiencing a psychotic break, it is very important to continue to show them love, kindness and understanding. Talk about good things, remember the good old days. If the patient is acting aggressively, keep a safe distance, but continue to show love and support.

As you know, schizophrenia is a fairly extensive and, in my opinion, motley group of mental disorders. Numerous consultations with “schizophrenic patients” show that in 50% of cases they are diagnosed with schizophrenia incorrectly, and an objective examination often shows the presence of organic brain damage, depression, neurotic disorder or personality disorder. Another common mistake, unfortunately supported by official state psychiatry, is to classify autism after a certain age as schizophrenia. Currently, the diagnosis of “schizophrenia” itself has turned into a stigma, a stigma that impedes the patient’s recovery and makes him a dangerous outcast for society. All these aspects of diagnosing schizophrenia naturally complicate the social rehabilitation of a patient suffering from this mental disorder. How to live with a schizophrenic? How to communicate with a relative, whether his rehabilitation is possible, these questions are difficult to answer, it all depends on the patient himself and the desire of his relatives to help him.

Let us return, however, to the topic of this note: the issue of independent living for a patient with schizophrenia. In my opinion, in most cases such accommodation is possible, however, if certain conditions necessary for its implementation are met.

Firstly, identifying schizophrenia in the prodromal phase or even at the onset of the disease, that is, before manifestation (the first episode of psychosis), its early initiation of treatment contributes to a favorable course of the mental disorder (ideally, after genetic or neuropsychological studies, it is possible to identify a risk group, people prone to to the disease of schizophrenia and take the necessary preventive measures to prevent its manifestation.Even after the first episode of psychosis, with its proper treatment and further cooperation, both with the patient with schizophrenia and with his family, compliance with the maintenance therapy regimen, the prognosis for the course of schizophrenia still remains in the majority cases are favorable.

Secondly, for a favorable outcome of the disease, it is necessary that the treatment of a patient with schizophrenia always be comprehensive, systemic, differentiated and divided into several stages. The team form of work with a patient with schizophrenia should not only be declared, but actually put into practice, that is, equal attention to the patient should be given to the doctor - psychiatrist, clinical psychologist and social psychologist, naturally, under the guidance and control of the doctor - psychiatrist of such a team. It is necessary to understand that it is impossible to cure schizophrenia with neuroleptics alone, especially without monitoring the effectiveness and safety of therapy.

Thirdly, I often met patients with schizophrenia in whom mildly expressed productive symptoms, for example, auditory hallucinations, did not interfere with living an independent life and working. The whole problem of social adaptation of a patient with schizophrenia is the so-called neurocognitive deficit (a kind of disturbance in thinking, memory and attention) and negative symptoms (apathy, abulia, lack of motivation, suppressed affect, etc.). It is these manifestations of schizophrenia that interfere with the social and labor rehabilitation of the patient. Neurocognitive deficits and negative symptoms, in addition, turn out to be closely related to each other; they are difficult to eliminate with medications and can be treated mainly by qualified and fairly long-term work of a clinical psychologist (neuropsychologist).

Fourthly, it is necessary to prepare a patient with schizophrenia for independent living for quite a long time, probably about 2-3 years with an average progressive course of this mental disorder. Moreover, the process of social and labor rehabilitation should follow an individually selected scenario, with the obligatory participation of a social psychologist, work with family members of the patient, training in social skills (from everyday life to problem solving, planning and forecasting one’s activities). How to live with a schizophrenic is a question very often asked by the patient’s relatives, but to answer this question they need to engage in education in the field of psychiatry and develop communication skills.

The reader has probably already heard that schizophrenics live shorter lives on average, get sick more often, their quality of life is usually low, and their mood is even lower. The question of how to live with schizophrenia does not make much sense. At least in this form. The term itself hides a whole series of syndromes, and even a whole lot of symptoms. The disorder comes in different types and occurs in different ways. For some, there are such lucky ones, the condition does not impose serious restrictions. Most often, although not entirely well, people with a diagnosis of “Paranoid schizophrenia with sensitive relational delusions” live quite tolerably. This form is chronic and is a cross between paranoia and depression. Patients with paranoid schizophrenia can also live normally. Not all cases of schizophrenia of this type are associated with serious delusional syndromes and hallucinations. Over time, people manage to adapt to their characteristics and perform some necessary tasks. Of course, this cannot be said about the acute form of the malignant manifestation of the disorder.

It is possible to live with schizophrenia, which has already been proven in practice by many people

If we talk about how people with schizophrenia live, then we have three main stages.

Before hospitalization.
During inpatient treatment.
After discharge, during the period of outpatient observation.

These are all, of course, not stages of pathogenesis, but life with schizophrenia in the form of its own, actual periods. Note that there may not be hospitalization, but we are considering the average classic option.

How to live with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

If it seems that schizophrenia is a death sentence, and your destiny for the rest of your life is a psychiatric hospital and loneliness, then this is absolutely not the case. Of course, a lot depends on the severity and course of the symptoms, but it is quite possible to live a more or less full, happy life despite the diagnosis. Yes, you will have to make a lot of effort on the part of the patient and his loved ones. You cannot despair and give up. You should accept the disease as a given and learn to live with it as comfortably as possible. How and using what methods, we will consider below.

Method one. Finding the optimal treatment system

1. An effective treatment strategy should be developed.

Unfortunately, schizophrenia is a very serious illness that requires serious treatment and will be an integral part of your life. Even today, the disease cannot be fully cured, and all therapy is aimed only at reducing symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia. However, properly selected antipsychotics and psychotropics can significantly prolong periods of remission, which allow schizophrenics to lead a normal life.

2. The course of treatment should be prescribed only by a psychiatrist and strictly controlled by him.

The doctor takes into account age, nature of symptoms, and physical condition. If you notice a deterioration in your health, you should notify your doctor.

What do you need to know about pharmacotherapy for the disease?

The effect of taking the drugs develops gradually.
The choice of medications is based on the clinical picture of the observed psychological disease and physical (somatic) condition.
Most often, modern drugs with a high level of safety are prescribed. All possible side effects are notified in advance.
When prescribing drugs, it is worth considering the risk of a possible overdose for the purpose of suicide.
Psychotropics can cause “behavioral toxicity” - lethargy, apathy, drowsiness. Therefore, the dose and treatment regimen are adjusted until this side effect is minimized.
After achieving a stable positive effect, the dosage of the drugs is gradually reduced.

3. Consider seeking psychological therapy.

This will help not only strictly adhere to the treatment plan, but also better understand yourself, your feelings, develop an adequate attitude towards the disease, accept it and learn to live happily with it.

Therapy sessions can be either individual or family.

4. Consider social therapy.

In such classes they teach how to look for a job, how to interact in society, overcome loneliness, how to avoid stressful situations that can worsen the condition, how to develop new habits necessary for communication and being in society, etc. Classes can be conducted on an individual or group basis.

5. If you suspect you have schizophrenia, consult a doctor immediately.

This is very important, since the earlier the disease is diagnosed and treatment begins, the greater the likelihood of a positive outcome. It will also not be superfluous to talk about your experiences and intentions with a loved one about what you will have to go through. This will make your condition easier.

Method two. Making adjustments to your daily life

1. Take your illness for granted.

If you can come to terms with the diagnosis, then treatment will become much easier and more effective. Denying the disease will not lead to anything good, especially since the disease tends to progress and its symptoms worsen. Accordingly, it is important to start treatment in a timely manner. And accept two important truths. Yes, you are sick and it will be difficult. Yes, you can live a normal life if you put some effort into it.

2. You should remind yourself that there is every chance to live fully.

The shock of hearing a diagnosis becomes a whole ordeal for a person and his relatives. Many people even said that they would rather get sick with something more serious and severe, but more acceptable to society. And such a reaction is quite natural, if we remember the fact that there are so many prejudices associated with schizophrenia. Many people think that it changes a person’s personality in a radical way, he will no longer be able to carry out everyday activities, work and family are no longer for him. This is wrong. With a properly prescribed and systematic course of treatment, the negative consequences of symptoms can be minimized.

3. Avoid stressful situations.

This is very important, since periods of exacerbation most often occur against the background of experienced stress. Stress can be related to a specific person, place or situation. Therefore, it is worth knowingly limiting yourself from those factors that can provoke a state of stress.

4. Keep yourself busy with something all the time.

During periods when symptom relief is most effective, you should return to your everyday life and fill your daily routine with activities. The lack of free time and boredom will give you the opportunity not to think about your illness. Go to work if possible, meet friends, do things that interest you.

Method three. A support system needs to be created

1. Surround yourself only with people who can understand you.

This is important because it will allow you to avoid those stressful situations that are associated with explaining to people who know nothing about your illness. Spend time only with those who understand you and sincerely support you. In such a state, loneliness is generally contraindicated. Avoid those who are not able to understand your feelings and condition, who are not ready to pay due attention, tact and are not able to empathize.

2. Loneliness is an enemy to be avoided.

Despite the fact that you may be besieged by a feeling of apathy, fatigue and lethargy, and a reluctance to communicate with people, you should not avoid this. Collecting your thoughts and reaching out to people can be difficult, but it is extremely necessary. Man is a social being, so depriving oneself of deliberate contacts in society is a sure path to reclusiveness and depression.

Communicate more with your loved ones, loved ones or people you are interested in.

3. Create your own circle of support.

This could be family, friends, or people attending group therapy sessions. All those who are close to or can understand what you are going through.

Relatives should also devote time to studying the nature of the disease and develop their own effective strategy to improve your quality of life and adaptation to the disease.

4. Talk about everything you feel with people you can trust.

When faced with a disease, a person may feel lonely, isolated from the usual circle of society. To relieve this feeling, you need to trust someone, talk it out, talk about your fears and experiences. Even if the interlocutor cannot help with practical advice, it will still help. By speaking your experiences out loud, you can understand them more deeply.

5. If available, join psychological support groups.

Working with psychologists and communicating with people who are going through what you are going through will help you not feel alone and isolated. Such communication will help you quickly come to terms with the diagnosis and learn to cope with the consequences of the disease. It is a deep misconception that schizophrenia is a death sentence and the end of life. This is not true at all. Yes, the very fact of making a diagnosis and coming to terms with it is a shock not only for the patient, but also for his family. But life doesn't end there. She will not be the same, but she can be quite full and happy. As long as you strictly adhere to your treatment plan, as long as you are clearly aware of what is happening around you and do not make illusory plans, you will cope and will continue to live.

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Features of hallucinations
The problem of confusion
Actions during aggression
How to learn to accept mental illness?

Many people do not know how to behave with people with schizophrenia. If a person suffers from this disease, you should behave with him in such a way as not to further aggravate the situation. With schizophrenia, there may be hallucinations, delusions, and confusion. The task of the patient’s loved ones is to minimize the occurrence of recurrent attacks. It is very important to be caring and understanding.

Options for living outside the family home

If living at home is not an option, explore other living options. Options include:

Places of residence for people undergoing treatment or shelters with 24-hour care
. This is a more structured living environment for people who require a lot of support or are suffering from acute psychotic episodes.
Temporary stay group for subsequent living at home
. An intensive program that helps people return to society and avoid relapse after a crisis or hospitalization.
Specially equipped places of residence
. They live in groups and offer a degree of independence while providing food and basic needs.
Life under surveillance
. The person lives alone or shares an apartment with someone, and staff are available to provide help and support.

Features of hallucinations

Each person has an individual psyche. Some patients are afraid that they will laugh at their behavior, then they restrain their emotions.

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine what state a person is in. Inappropriate mental manifestations are not difficult to understand: the patient can smile, conduct an internal dialogue with himself, chuckle without a good reason. If you observe such signs, you need to make it clear that you understand what is happening to the person and want to help him.

A relative or friend should not get angry, show aggression, or laugh - this will only irritate the patient.

Hallucinations are phenomena that can begin unnoticed. People feel as if they are being called by name. Some patients react to voices without aggression, others ask to be left alone - and this causes suffering. The third group of patients learns not to pay attention to alarming voices, but the problem in this case remains. If hallucinations become unbearable and very frequent, for example, the patient screams at night, struggles with imaginary forces, it is necessary to take more effective sedative measures. If the symptoms become too severe, the patient should be given a dose of an antipsychotic drug prescribed by the doctor.

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Before going to the hospital

This is the worst period. People with schizophrenia and their relatives still don’t know what’s wrong with them and why.

Relatives may think that they are putting it on themselves. If the patient is young, then they also shake him to see if he is a drug addict. He is delusional, and this is mistaken for fantasy. If he is an adult and drinks, they consider it drunken delirium. What else? In Russia there are not two, but four problems, not only fools and roads, but also thieves and alcoholism. People usually don’t think about schizophrenia that way right away.

Before hospitalization, relatives do not understand what is happening to their loved one

The problem here is that even when it’s time to go to the hospital, and the diagnosis is just in the air, they still hope until the very end that they will let you go. And here’s the trick... Some, few, but some are actually released. Schizophrenia is something that cannot be predicted at all, and it is difficult to understand where such confidence in the presence of classical patterns of disease progression comes from. He lets go, then maybe he’ll close again. But in about five years. And you can always make it to the psychiatric hospital in time. She's definitely not going anywhere.

This will not be written in any article on the topic of psychiatry, but we take the liberty. It is impossible to make an unambiguous assessment of the situation at the moment of contacting doctors. The opinion that help is necessary even in the early stages, even before debut, is fair. Correct opinion. But the fact that there is nowhere to rush is no less correct. For example, many more people experience hallucinations than you might imagine, but it doesn’t end in anything terrible. Well, there was an auditory hallucination, for example. No reason to be sad. But when they appear constantly, and the patient himself believes in the reality of the sound source, then this is already a criterion for the need for treatment.

When everything - the consciousness can no longer cope, then you need to go to a psychiatrist. But not everyone does this either. But this is already a big self-harm...

At this time, families break down. The question of how to live with a person with schizophrenia has not yet even arisen; no one knows that this is happening. There is no diagnosis yet. Patients lose their jobs, start drinking, engage in diabolical self-destruction, not necessarily direct suicide, and are afraid. They live in fear, with low passion. Usually at F20 it decreases - no euphoria. If only the urge to excitedly tell something, but even then it doesn’t last very long.

Nobody knows why a person gets schizophrenia.

But what is certain is that nothing is known. If the cause could be established, it would have been identified long ago. Therefore, the very unknown, uncertainty, ambiguity must be taken as a given and act according to the circumstances, to the best of one’s strengths and capabilities.

No one can determine the exact cause of schizophrenia

What should you not do when talking to a patient?

There are actions that should not be taken during periods of mental exacerbation. You should not show that you are surprised by the patient's behavior. Another rule: don’t be scared, try not to convince a person that he is delirious, you cannot convince him of the insignificance of what is happening to him. It is important to show an adequate reaction towards the patient, and you should adhere to certain tactics of behavior. Try not to reproach the person, not to exaggerate, not to minimize the sensitivity of his perception. It is important to remember that people who hallucinate are convinced that they are experiencing reality. Try to give an emotional reaction to the patient’s condition. During attacks, different things can happen to a person: funny and comical, or, on the contrary, frightening. Try to support him. It is important to be interested in what the patient is experiencing at a particular moment, what exactly he hears and feels.

During attacks, try to protect the person by controlling what happens to him. A person who is sick must understand that he is safe. If hallucinations greatly disturb him, try not to interfere with the interaction with the voice that the patient hears. It is worth emphasizing once again: patients with schizophrenia have different personality traits. You can tell the person that you don't like listening to him, but be understanding of the situation: demonstrate that you still understand him. Make every effort to ensure that the patient feels safe, at least at a specific moment. You should not ask a person how to calm him down; this can negatively affect his mental state. To get rid of an attack, find a distracting activity for him yourself: you can offer him a walk, play some exciting food, have lunch.

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How to recognize schizophrenia

Most often, patients experience auditory hallucinations and conduct conversations without an interlocutor. At such moments a person looks tense. According to relatives, the patient does not seem to hear them, but listens to other voices. He may express bright ideas and thoughts, but they do not correspond to reality.

Sergey, 45 years old. Diagnosis: schizophrenia.

I exist in two different worlds, and when the unreal world comes, I begin to struggle. First I increase the dose of tablets. I'm a weather addict, so two or three days before the weather changes I get anxious. This can happen at any time of the year, but is more common in the fall and spring. The flow of thoughts doesn’t interfere for the time being, I can cope with them, but it’s tiring. I try to distract myself, switch my attention to real objects around me: doors, chairs, cabinets. At such moments, you won’t watch anything or listen to music—you’ll be left alone with yourself. If you try not to think about it, it will be even worse. So I'm going through my thoughts and it helps.

Peter, 25 years old. Diagnosis: schizotypal disorder