Mental illness can be challenging to live with, and it can cause your life to become unmanageable. While many people are familiar with depression or anxiety symptoms and have to manage them daily, others face more severe mental health conditions that can completely derail any sense of normalcy. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder marked by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and difficulty thinking clearly or coherently. Knowing how to prevent schizophrenia, or at least manage the symptoms, is challenging but can be life-changing.
Fortunately, Santé Center for Healing offers schizophrenia treatment in Texas. We can help individuals navigate the information available on how to avoid schizophrenia and provide treatment options for managing symptoms. Call 866.238.3154 today to learn more.
How to Prevent Schizophrenia
When you’re trying to understand how to prevent schizophrenia, it’s essential to understand the risk factors. There’s nothing that will guarantee you will or won’t develop schizophrenia, but there are ways to minimize the risk factors in some cases. Schizophrenia has a genetic component, too, so you have a higher chance of having this condition if your parents, grandparents, siblings, or even extended family have seen the disorder appear in them.
While there is no foolproof method for preventing schizophrenia, focusing on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being aware of early symptoms can be beneficial. Strategies include staying active through regular exercise, ensuring a diet rich in essential nutrients, prioritizing sleep, and managing stress.
It is also vital to avoid substance abuse, as drugs and alcohol can trigger or exacerbate symptoms in vulnerable individuals. Early intervention and seeking professional help at the first sign of mental health difficulties can also be crucial in managing the condition and possibly preventing its full development.
Signs and Symptoms of Schizophrenia
If you detect any of these signs or symptoms in yourself or a loved one, seek out professional behavioral health treatment. Early intervention and detection can be critical to preventing schizophrenia or limiting its effects.
Some common symptoms include the following:
- Social isolation
- Delusions
- Amnesia
- Feeling detached from self
- Speech problems
Studies suggest that one of the best ways to avoid developing schizophrenia includes avoiding social isolation. Human beings are social creatures and often require regular contact and socialization with others. When isolated, whether by choice or accident, individuals can develop unhealthy mental habits and distorted understandings of the world around them.
Our minds allow us to connect to others and develop relationships. When this need isn’t met, the result can be that you begin hearing voices or hallucinating due to the development of symptoms of schizophrenia. Turning to substance use, like alcohol or drugs, can worsen these symptoms and make schizophrenia more likely.
How to Avoid Schizophrenia Through Sobriety
One of the primary risk factors for schizophrenia is the abuse of illicit drugs like methamphetamines and alcohol. Due to how various substances affect the brain, you might be putting yourself at risk of developing a mental illness. Many people experience temporary psychosis while high, but in some cases, it doesn’t go away.
If you’re struggling with an addiction, it’s definitely time to get some help. Similarly, individuals who are experiencing the early symptoms or signs of schizophrenia may turn to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate in an attempt to find relief or mute their symptoms. Fortunately, a dual diagnosis treatment program, like that offered at Santé Center for Healing, can treat both substance abuse and mental health issues.
Treating Schizophrenia and Addiction
When a mental health condition like schizophrenia co-occurs with a substance use disorder, it requires specialized treatment—called dual diagnosis treatment—to address both issues simultaneously. It’s common for people to try to self-medicate when they’re struggling with mental illness, but this only makes things worse.
At a schizophrenia disorder treatment program specializing in dual diagnosis treatment, you can get the help you need. You’ll work with licensed professionals who can help you get your symptoms under control and overcome your addiction as well.
Common evidence-based therapies include the following, among many others:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- Group therapy
Our compassionate treatment specialists have over two decades of experience in treating substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions like schizophrenia. A customized treatment plan addresses each client’s needs and recovery goals. We offer both residential and outpatient programs.
Contact Santé Center for Healing Today
Santé Center for Healing is a behavioral health treatment center located in beautiful Argyle, TX. We serve the surrounding areas as well. If you’re wondering how to prevent schizophrenia and struggle with an addiction, allow us to help. We offer a wide range of programs to help you overcome your addiction as well as your symptoms of mental illness. Some of the services we provide include the following:
If you’re ready to get the help that you deserve, call Santé Center for Healing today at 866.238.3154 or reach out online.