Treatments Prescribed for Schizophrenia

     Schizophrenia is a condition in which there is an abnormal interpretation of reality. Persons affected by schizophrenia may display both negative and positive symptoms. Negative symptoms include social withdrawal and lack of emotions. Hallucinations and delusions are examples of positive symptoms. Hallucinations include seeing or hearing things, such as voices, that are not real. Delusions are beliefs that are not based on reality.

     Although the cause of schizophrenia is unknown, it is thought that a combination of genetics and environment may cause schizophrenia. The neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate also may be involved in the cause of this condition.

     Medications are commonly prescribed for schizophrenia. These drugs work by affecting levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain. Typical antipsychotics, such as haloperidol (Haldol) and thioridazine, work by managing the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. However, these medications may cause severe side effects, such as tardive dyskinesia. Atypical antipsychotics such as quetiapine (Seroquel) and risperidone (Risperdal) are newer and work to manage both the positive and negative symptoms. Also, psychotherapy may be effective in combination with medicated treatment.