Cognitive-behavioral treatment for the psychotic spectrum – schizophrenia in particular – is quite similar approach-wise to what would be employed for depression or anxiety. But CBT for schizophrenia also addresses issues more relevant to the psychotic features themselves such as positive and negative symptoms as well as overall life management. […]
It’s no secret to those of us that work in the mental health arena that schizophrenics often relapse to the active, observable symptoms of schizophrenia (delusions, hallucinations, exaggeration, disorganization) due to medication non-compliance. The three primary reasons for this are as follows: In an active psychotic state, non-compliance is fueled by paranoia – which dictates that medication is some form of poison or mind control. Why take poison, or something that will manipulate the mind? Another piece of the schizophrenic’s [...]
Natural History, What Gets Better, What Doesn’t Approximately 85 percent of older adults with schizophrenia live in communities with support, 13 percent reside in nursing homes, one percent in state or county hospitals and 0.5 percent in veterans hospitals. Positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganization) improve with age. Negative symptoms (apathy, anhedonia, avolition) also improve with age. Cognitive symptoms (incoherence, loose associations, informational processing impairment) worsen with age. Quality of life in adults with major mental illness such as schizophrenia is [...]
"Fat" is a bad word in our society, but omega-3 fatty acids are one of the superstars when it comes to improving nerve conduction. High levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain also reduce neuroinflammation, a factor commonly seen in people with depression. Cell membranes consist partly of omega-3s, which make it easier for the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine to pass through cell membranes. This is an essential fatty acid, which means it is not produced by the [...]
