Schizophrenia & Addiction
Schizophrenia is one of the most difficult mental diseases to treat,
and in combination with a dependency on drugs or alcohol becomes a
cruel, two-headed dragon. Specialized rehabilitation and therapy for
these dual diagnoses is the first place to start. We can help you.
Schizophrenia is a disease that affects how your brain works. You don’t
have a choice about having this disorder. You may not be able to
distinguish between what is real and what it not, and your thoughts may
be scattered and unmanageable. Having a blurred line between what is
real and what is imagined can be terrifying.
Often family members are the first to realize that there is a problem, and may be desperate to find care for their loved one.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia:
(There are dozens of signs and symptoms of
schizophrenia, since there is more than one type. In general, you or
your family member may experience...)
- Delusions (false ideas) of paranoia or grandeur
- Disordered speech, jumping around from subject to subject, often making little sense and using made up words
- Inappropriate reactions to situations
- Lack of inhibition and impulse control
- Lack of emotional expression in speech and facial expression
- Hallucinations, the most common being hearing voices
- Inability to make decisions or focus on one task
People suffering from schizophrenia must remain on medications to
control their symptoms. It is a chronic, long-term disease. Mixing a
dependency to drugs and alcohol with schizophrenia means that often
needed medications may be forgotten or ignored.
The co-occurring (happening at the same time) problems of addiction and
schizophrenia are one of the most difficult combination's to treat. It
just can’t be done independent of medical and psychiatric care and
support.
Call us. We can help. Our dual-diagnosis treatment center focuses on
both problems intensively, and along a full spectrum of rehabilitation
and therapies.
Common Disorders Co-occurring with Addiction
Other Resources on Co-occurring & Dual Diagnosed Disorders