Schizophrenia

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 6, 2025.

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Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects your emotions, thoughts, and behavior. Stress, lack of sleep, or substance use may trigger symptoms. This is called a psychotic episode.

DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS:

Call your local emergency number (911 in the US) or have someone call if:

• You think or talk about killing yourself or someone else.

Call your doctor or therapist or have someone call if:

• You are having signs or symptoms of schizophrenia.
• You are not able to sleep well, or are sleeping more than usual.
• You cannot eat or are eating more than usual.
• You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.

Medicines:

Do not stop taking your medicine even if you feel better. You may need any of the following:

• Antipsychotics help decrease psychotic symptoms and severe agitation.
• Benzodiazepines may be used for a short time to help you feel more calm during psychotic episodes.
• Mood stabilizers may be given to help you feel less agitated.
• Antidepressants may be given along with antipsychotic medicines to treat depression or anxiety.
• Take your medicine as directed. Contact your healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not helping or if you have side effects. Tell your provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when and why you take them. Bring the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency.

Drugs used to treat this and similar conditions

Treatment options

The following list of medications are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.

• Seroquel
• Abilify
• Latuda
• Vraylar
• Zyprexa

View more treatment options

Treatment settings:

You will need to continue your treatments after you leave the hospital. You may be treated in the following programs:

• A crisis residential program is a program where you live in a home-care facility. Mental health providers work in these homes just like in hospitals. This program is helpful especially when you are having a relapse (your symptoms return).
• Day treatment program provides a chance to learn and practice skills. This also provides long-term support so you may have an improved quality of life.
• In an outpatient program you meet regularly with your therapist. You may meet one-to-one with your therapist, or you might meet with your therapist in a group.
• Partial care program is also called day hospitalization or partial hospitalization. This is group therapy and lasts 4 to 6 hours a day, 3 to 5 days a week. It may help you avoid going into the hospital or help you get out of the hospital sooner. It may also help you get symptoms under control and avoid a relapse.

Therapy:

• Assertive community treatment includes a team of healthcare providers and support groups in your community that help you with your therapy.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you learn to handle symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.
• Illness-management skills teach you what you can do to help manage schizophrenia.
• Family psychoeducation helps your family be a part of your therapy.
• Social skills training helps you learn how to interact with other people.
• Supported employment is a form of therapy that places you into a job that fits your skills. It will help give you independence and self-confidence.

Manage schizophrenia:

The following may help you prevent or manage psychotic episodes:

• Do not stop taking your medicines. Tell your healthcare provider or psychiatrist if you have any problems with or questions about your medicines.
• Do not stop your therapies. Tell your provider or psychiatrist if you are not comfortable or have questions about your therapies.
• Get regular sleep. Try to get 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Tell your provider or therapist if you are not able to sleep, or if you are sleeping too much.
• Do not drink alcohol or use cannabis (marijuana). Alcohol interacts with medicine used to treat schizophrenia. Marijuana can trigger or worsen a psychotic episode.

Follow up with your psychiatrist as directed:

Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.

For support and more information:

• National Alliance on Mental Illness
  3803 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 100
  Arlington , VA 22203
  Phone: 1- 703 - 524-7600
  Phone: 1- 800 - 950-6264
  Web Address: http://www.nami.org
  

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Office of Science Policy, Planning, and Communications
  6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6200, MSC 9663
  Bethesda , MD 20892-9663
  Phone: 1- 301 - 443-4513
  Phone: 1- 866 - 615-6464
  Web Address: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
  

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Further information

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