What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that is associated with delusions, hallucinations (visceral, auditory, and/or kinesthetic), disorganized speech, trouble with thinking and a lack of motivation, disorganized or abnormal motor behavior, and lacking emotional expression or decreased speech. Schizophrenia occurs among males and females, but is found to have an earlier onset in males. This diagnosis is not something that an individual can be cured from.
How can Schizophrenia affect individuals and their loved ones?
Due to the impact of symptoms, an individual with schizophrenia can experience homelessness and infrequent hospitalizations. That being said, many individuals also live with their family members, in a group home, or on their own through community support programs. accessing community resources will help decrease stress, but this can be a stressful process. For example, in order to qualify for community living programs, an individual must have been admitted/discharged after treatment from the hospital with nowhere else to go. That being said, these programs will support individuals with schizophrenia to learn valuable life skills to function independently in the community, rather than live in a nursing home, where the level of care may not be appropriate for the individual’s needs.
How do people cope with schizophrenia?
A combination of familial support, community support, medications, and psychotherapy can provide the best outcomes for individuals to live a fulfilling life with schizophrenia. However, this diagnosis is not something that an individual can be cured from.
This page is also part of the Roamers Therapy Glossary; a collection of mental-health related definitions that are written by our therapists.
While our offices are currently located at the South Loop neighborhood of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more. You can visit our contact page to access detailed information on our office location.