Madison, Wisconsin’s Premier Treatment Center for Schizophrenia Disorder

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) notes that symptoms of schizophrenia typically fall into three distinct categories: positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and disorganized symptoms. 

Positive schizophrenia symptoms involve a person misinterpreting reality. Examples of positive symptoms include: 

• Visual hallucinations (seeing things that are not there) 
• Auditory hallucinations (hearing things that are not there) 
• Paranoia 
• Strongly believing something that can be proved to not be true 
• Distorted or exaggerated behaviors 
• Distorted or exaggerated perceptions 

Negative schizophrenia symptoms are those that disrupt behavior and emotion. These types of symptoms may include: 

• Decreased speech 
• Lack of emotional expression 
• Decreased ability to experience pleasure 
• Not wanting to have social contact 

Disorganized schizophrenia symptoms are things that affect someone’s ability to think clearly or act appropriately. Disorganized symptoms can include: 

• Abnormal body movements 
• Bizarre behavior 
• Confused thinking 
• Jumbled speech 
• Difficulty thinking logically 

It can be difficult to know if someone is suffering from schizophrenia because symptoms may come on slowly or vary over time. However, some of the most common signs that a person may have schizophrenia include: 

• Memory problems 
• Repetitive movements 
• Speaking in a confusing way or saying things that don’t make sense 
• Withdrawing from family and friends 
• Poor hygiene 
• Difficulty performing everyday tasks 
• Not being able to function at work 
• Relationship difficulties 
• Having trouble making decisions 
• Struggling to concentrate 

If you or someone you know is displaying any of these schizophrenia signs or symptoms, it is important to reach out to a qualified professional as soon as possible. 

There is not one specific cause that has been tied to someone developing schizophrenia. Researchers in the field believe that there can be a combination of genetic, environmental, and other factors that can increase a person’s risk for developing schizophrenia. Examples of the various risk factors that could potentially impact whether a person will suffer from schizophrenia include: 

• Family history of schizophrenia 
• Family history of other mental health disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder 
• Having a biological father who is of older age 
• Prenatal malnutrition 
• Not getting enough oxygen while in the womb or during the birthing process 
• Having a biological mother who had diabetes, infections, or stress 

It is important to note that just because a person has these risk factors, it does not mean that they will develop schizophrenia. But these things could potentially impact someone’s susceptibility to the disorder. 

When a person suffers from schizophrenia and does not get the treatment they need, they are at risk for experiencing many negative effects. These effects can be long-lasting and severely impact their quality of life. Examples of possible effects of untreated schizophrenia include: 

• Inability to keep a job  
• Financial problems 
• Homelessness 
• Destroyed relationships 
• Social withdrawal 
• Suicidal ideation 
• Self-harming behaviors 
• Poor physical health 
• Legal concerns 

People who have this disorder may also develop addictions to drugs or alcohol because they may use these substances to try to cope with their schizophrenia symptoms. 

But these effects do not have to be someone’s future. At Shorewood Behavioral Health in Madison, Wisconsin, we can help people who are suffering from schizophrenia learn how to manage their symptoms, find healing, and avoid experiencing these devastating effects. 

Sometimes, people who have schizophrenia also suffer from symptoms of other mental health concerns. In addition to possibly developing an addiction to drugs or alcohol, people who have this disorder may experience symptoms of the following co-occurring concerns: 

• Panic disorder 
• Social anxiety disorder 
• Specific phobia 
• Other types of anxiety disorders 
• Schizotypal personality disorder 
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) 
• Paranoid personality disorder 

At Shorewood Behavioral Health in Madison, we understand that every person responds differently to treatment. For this reason, we provide each of our patients with an individualized treatment plan that includes various types of therapies that have proved to be successful in treating individuals who have schizophrenia. 

The specific types of schizophrenia treatment we offer include: 

• Medication management services: Not all patients take medication as part of their schizophrenia treatment plan, but those who do can receive medication management services six out of the seven days they are at our treatment center. If a patient’s time in our inpatient schizophrenia treatment program is shorter or longer than seven days, the number of times they meet with our team for these services will change accordingly. A patient may meet with a pharmacist, nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician, and these team members will monitor the effects of the medication the patient is taking. 
• Group therapy: Group therapy can be very beneficial for people who are getting schizophrenia treatment. Not only does it give patients time to meet with trained professionals, but it also allows them to get support and encouragement from other patients who may be facing similar challenges. Therapists, nurses, counselors, and mental health technicians lead the groups, which can include goal-setting groups, process groups, activity groups, and nursing groups. The group sessions at our schizophrenia treatment center take place multiple times throughout the day, and patients discuss a number of topics. These topics could include things like coping skills, developing and maintaining healthy boundaries, self-esteem, and trauma.  
• Experiential therapies: Participating in experiential therapies gives patients an opportunity to step outside of talk therapy and explore other ways of learning how to manage their schizophrenia symptoms. The experiential therapies we offer at our Madison, Wisconsin, schizophrenia treatment center include art therapy and music therapy. These therapies are led by art therapists, music therapists, and mental health technicians, and they take place daily. 

We can also provide basic medical care for patients at our schizophrenia treatment center. Patients meet with medical staff at the time of their admission for a history and physical exam, and then they can have follow-up meetings as needed.  

Additionally, some adult patients who are struggling with opioid addictions may be eligible to receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) while at our schizophrenia treatment center. As part of MAT, patients may meet with psychiatrists and nurse practitioners to receive and monitor the effects of Suboxone®. They are required to take part in group therapy sessions as part of their treatment plan, and they receive referrals for ongoing MAT services once their time in inpatient treatment has come to an end. 

The team at our Madison, Wisconsin, schizophrenia treatment center truly cares about our patients. We strive to deliver treatment in a way that helps every person feel welcome, accepted, and respected. We meet our patients where they are on their healing journey so that they have every opportunity to experience the best treatment outcomes.  

Our team is made up of highly qualified professionals who have dedicated their careers to researching and applying the most up-to-date and clinically excellent behavioral healthcare. The staff at our schizophrenia treatment center includes: 

• Psychiatrists 
• Registered nurses 
• Nurse practitioners 
• Licensed professional nurses (LPNs) 
• Licensed professional counselors (LPCs) 
• Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) 
• Activity therapists 
• Mental health technicians 
• Registered dietitians 

These individuals work together to make sure that every patient gets a customized treatment plan that addresses all their unique needs and allows them to reach their treatment goals.

If you are interested in learning more about our schizophrenia treatment center, the services we offer, and the ways we can help you or your loved one, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to help you decide if our treatment center is the best choice for you or your loved one.