Psychological treatment methods for schizophrenia

The main psychological treatment methods for schizophrenia include supportive psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, family intervention, social skills training, and motivational therapy. Schizophrenia may be related to genetic factors, neurotransmitter abnormalities, psychosocial factors, and other factors, usually manifested as symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, thinking disorders, emotional apathy, and social withdrawal.

1. Supportive psychotherapy

Supportive psychotherapy helps patients alleviate anxiety and fear by establishing a stable doctor-patient relationship. Therapists will listen to patients, provide emotional support and understanding, and avoid critical language. This method is suitable for the acute and recovery phases of diseases and can enhance patients' compliance with treatment. The onset of the disease may be accompanied by delusions of persecution or relational delusions, and treatment should focus on stabilizing emotions.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy targets positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations and delusions, and helps patients identify symptoms through real-life testing. Therapists will guide patients to record the context in which symptoms occur and analyze irrational beliefs. When patients experience delusions of having their thoughts broadcasted or controlled, behavioral experiments can be used for verification. Long term treatment can reduce the troubles caused by symptoms.

3. Family Intervention

Family intervention reduces the risk of recurrence by improving family communication patterns. Treatment includes education on disease knowledge, emotional expression training, and guidance on problem-solving skills. Commonly found in family environments with excessive emotional expression, manifested as excessive criticism or overprotection by family members. After intervention, family members can better understand the patient's behavior and learn appropriate coping strategies.

4. Social skills training

Social skills training uses role-playing and other methods to improve patients' interpersonal communication skills. Training includes basic social skills such as eye contact, appropriate conversation distance, and facial expression recognition. Suitable for cases with predominantly negative symptoms, such as emotional apathy and social avoidance. Daily social scenes can be practiced repeatedly through group therapy.

5. Motivation Incentive Therapy

Motivation incentive therapy targets patients with poor medication adherence and insufficient treatment motivation. By conducting cost-benefit analysis, it helps patients recognize the necessity of treatment and is suitable for recurrent cases. When patients experience adverse drug reactions or lack of self-awareness, this method can enhance their willingness to continue treatment. The treatment process needs to be implemented synchronously with the drug management plan. Schizophrenia patients need to maintain a regular daily routine, avoid staying up late and excessive fatigue. Family members should provide a quiet living environment and reduce negative stimuli. Pay attention to balanced nutrition in daily diet, and supplement foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as deep-sea fish in moderation. Encourage patients to participate in simple household chores or social activities, but avoid resuming high-intensity work too early. Regularly follow up to evaluate the treatment effect, and promptly contact a doctor to adjust the treatment plan when symptoms fluctuate.