Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that changes how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. For many, it involves episodes of psychosis, where reality becomes distorted and symptoms like hallucinations or delusions interfere with daily life. Although it is a severe condition, early recognition, consistent treatment, and strong support can help people manage symptoms and live fulfilling lives.
At Northeast Health Services, we’re committed to serving all our neighbors’ mental health needs, providing comprehensive outpatient care, including therapy and psychiatry for those dealing with psychotic disorders. While hospitalization may be necessary for acute symptoms, our teams provide continuity of care, working with hospital staff to coordinate treatments during and after a hospital stay.
Learn more about your schizophrenia treatment options in Massachusetts by calling 508.794.8711 or schedule your first appointment.
What Are Psychotic Disorders?
Psychotic disorders are severe mental health conditions that cause someone to have abnormal thoughts and actions, typically including delusions and hallucinations. One common type of psychotic disorder is schizophrenia, but other conditions can cause delusions and hallucinations, including:
- Schizoaffective disorder: When someone has symptoms of both schizophrenia and another mood disorder, like depression
- Brief psychotic disorder: A sudden period of psychosis that remits with medication, sometimes triggered by a stressful event
- Delusional disorder: When someone experiences delusions that can’t be explained by another disorder
- Psychotic disorder due to a medical condition: Hallucinations and delusions because of an illness impacting brain function, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, a stroke, or a brain injury
- Substance- or medication-induced psychotic disorder: The use of or withdrawal from hallucinogenic substances or certain medications can trigger psychosis
Signs & Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Most people are diagnosed with schizophrenia or a similar disorder between ages 16 and 30. Many experience a first episode of psychosis during this time, though subtle changes in motivation, mood, and social connection often appear earlier. Detecting these early warning signs of psychosis and schizophrenia can improve long-term outcomes.
The lifetime risk of developing schizophrenia is about 1%. Men tend to develop symptoms earlier, typically in their early twenties, while peak incidence for women is late twenties.
Schizophrenia symptoms fall into three categories, positive, negative, and cognitive:
- Positive symptoms:
- Delusions: Believing something that isn’t true, which could include someone with schizophrenia thinking they’re being stalked or harassed, or a delusion of grandeur, thinking they’re famous or have unique abilities.
- Hallucinations: Hallucinations can be visual or auditory, with someone hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t really there.
- Disorganized thinking and speaking: Someone with schizophrenia may put sentences together in ways that don’t make sense or respond to a question with a completely unrelated topic.
- Unusual motor behaviors: This could include being agitated, silly, or simply acting in ways that are completely unrelated to the situation they’re in, with difficulty following instructions.
- Negative symptoms:
- Anhedonia: The inability to feel pleasure or other positive emotions.
- Lack of motivation: Difficulty starting and completing tasks.
- Flat affect: Lack of emotional expression in the body, face, and voice. Speech may be very monotone.
- Cognitive symptoms:
- Problems with attention: Inability to concentrate or focus on tasks.
- Memory issues: Difficulty processing and retaining information.
- Speech difficulties: Could have a hard time retrieving verbal information or speaking.
- Changes in executive functioning: Could have issues with problem-solving, planning, or conceptual thinking.
Do you suspect that you or a loved one are dealing with schizophrenia?
Early treatment for psychosis or schizophrenia is paramount to recovery. If you resonate with any of the symptoms listed above, it’s worth talking to a mental health professional to get the help you deserve.
NEHS offers a full spectrum of mental health treatments in Boston, Cambridge, Springfield, Worcester, and across Massachusetts.
Causes & Risk Factors for Schizophrenia
There is no single cause of schizophrenia. Instead, research shows it develops from a mix of genetic vulnerability, brain changes, and environmental influences.
Risk factors for developing a schizophrenic disorder include:
- Genetics: Twin and family studies suggest that about 80% of the risk for schizophrenia is inherited.² No single gene causes schizophrenia, but many genetic variations combine to increase risk.
- Brain chemistry and structure: Dysregulation in dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate, along with reduced gray matter volume in certain brain regions, are linked to the condition.
- Environment: Obstetric complications, maternal malnutrition, childhood trauma, and poverty all increase risk. Growing evidence also shows that heavy or early cannabis use raises the chance of developing schizophrenia.
Treatment for Schizophrenia
Coordinated specialty care is the recommended model for treating psychosis. Our treatment plans at NEHS often combine individual therapy, medication, and family therapy. When appropriate, we are happy to make referrals for case management and employment or education support.
Medication
Antipsychotics are the primary medication treatment, helping reduce symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. Long-acting injectable medications may be used for people who struggle to take daily doses.
Therapy & Psychosocial Support
Therapy for schizophrenia can include cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp), which helps people manage distress and reduce risk of relapsing. Plus, family therapy can help a person’s support system learn more about their condition and build healthier communication.
Community & Recovery Support
Assertive community treatment provides intensive, team-based support for people at risk of frequent hospitalization or homelessness, while education and employment programs can help people re-enter daily life. It’s also incredibly important to address any co-occurring conditions, like depression or substance use disorder, to increase someone’s chances of stability.
While our clinics don’t offer assertive community treatment, our team can provide you with referrals for these services while continuing to offer support through therapy and medication.
Hospitalization
Whole-person treatment, involving therapy, medication, and community support, can limit the need for hospitalization, but sometimes hospitalization becomes necessary for those with acute symptoms.
Our skilled care teams can provide referrals for those needing hospitalization while continuing to offer support through therapy and medication management throughout the treatment process.
What’s the Outlook for Someone with Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, but with early and consistent care many people can experience recovery from their most acute symptoms. Positive symptoms like delusions and hallucinations often improve with medication, while negative symptoms and cognitive challenges may require ongoing therapy and social support.
Early treatment after a first episode of psychosis leads to better chances of long-term success. With access to individual and family therapy, plus ongoing medication, many people with schizophrenia can live independently and engage in meaningful work and relationships.
The Benefits of Seeking Care with Northeast Health Services
At NEHS, we believe you deserve to get the mental health care you need, regardless of your age, race, or the severity of your condition. As long as you don’t require immediate hospitalization, the experts at Northeast Health Services can put together an individualized treatment plan to address your immediate and long-term needs and goals. Our mental health professionals at clinics in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Springfield, and across Massachusetts are ready to help you find relief.
Finding Schizophrenia Treatment at Northeast Health Services
Northeast Health Services is here to help you manage your mental health, including treatment for schizophrenia and psychotic disorders. With our team of mental health experts, expansive insurance acceptance, and convenient locations, we’re dedicated to providing the best care possible for our neighbors throughout Massachusetts.
Here’s what you can expect if you seek treatment from Northeast Health Services:
- Get started with a quick phone call, or fill out a brief form to receive a call back at your convenience
- Talk with a skilled member of our intake team, who can direct you to the appropriate services and let you know of any insurance copays before you get started (we are in-network with most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid)
- Schedule your first appointment with a trained therapist or psychiatrist (or both) at one of our conveniently located offices around Massachusetts, or utilize telehealth if you and your provider decide that’s a good fit for you
- Work with your care team toward short- and long-term treatment goals, adjusting medication if needed and involving your support system to encourage lasting health and stabilization
Get started with a phone call at 508.794.8711 or fill out a quick form.
FAQs About Schizophrenia
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How does schizophrenia affect daily life?
Schizophrenia can be disruptive to daily life, as common symptoms involve seeing and hearing things that aren’t there, causing confusion and anxiety. It can also impact a person’s ability to function, scrambling thoughts and language, or making someone dissociate and shut down mentally. However, with proper treatment and support, people with schizophrenia can go on to lead fulfilling lives.
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Can someone fully recover from schizophrenia?
Many people with schizophrenia can recover with proper treatment, although some will still have relapses of symptoms from time to time. Treatment that includes medication and therapy, plus ongoing social support, makes it much more likely for someone to recover from schizophrenia even if symptoms do reappear.
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Does schizophrenia get better with age?
Schizophrenia often peaks in early adulthood, but many symptoms do improve as someone gets older. As they age, people with schizophrenia often see a reduction in positive symptoms, like hallucinations and agitation, but the negative symptoms tend to persist. That’s why ongoing check-ins and treatment are so important.
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What triggers schizophrenic episodes?
Schizophrenia is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors. Often, an episode of schizophrenia or psychosis is triggered by a stressful life event, like losing a loved one, going through a divorce or breakup, or experiencing any sort of abuse.
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What is drug-induced psychosis?
Taking certain drugs and medications can trigger a psychotic episode. Taking large amounts of cocaine, amphetamines, hallucinogens, cannabis, and even sustained alcohol use could induce psychosis, as could certain prescription medications like antihistamines, anticonvulsants, and stimulants. If you experience any symptoms of psychosis after taking a prescription medication, call your doctor right away.
Sources:
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539864/
- https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/schizophrenia/understanding-the-3-symptom-domains-of-schizophrenia-positive-negative-and-cognitive-symptoms/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3181756/
- https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/schizophrenia/causes/