Schizophrenia and psychosis

Schizophrenia and psychosis are distressing conditions for both clients and their families. The practice ethos is to carry out the psychosis treatment as quickly as possible using up to date medication regimes and appropriate therapies such as family therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and cognitive remediation therapy.

The practice firmly believes that despite some conditions being chronic or relapsing in nature with appropriate input and management, the quality of lives of those suffering with these conditions can be significantly improved.

Schizophrenia symptoms can often be categorised under the headings of 'positive' and 'negative'. Positive symptoms are most obvious in the active or acute stages of illness.  These stages can last for a period of a few weeks or months, and there are times when the symptoms can be more prominent and you are clearly unwell.  Negative symptoms are more noticeable in the less acute phases of illness (periods of remission), where the sufferer is coping and functioning fairly well.

 

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia can include:

  • Delusions – fixed beliefs in things that aren't real or true which can be of a frightening and sometimes bizarre in nature.
  • Ideas of reference – symptoms where you feel that some external event refers to or connects to you in a way that is not apparent to anyone else.
  • Passivity feelings – these develop when you believe people or things are able to control your feelings or behaviour.  This control can feel as if it is through some form of direct influence by way of things such as x-rays, radio beams or telepathic thoughts.
  • Auditory hallucinations – these are imagined voices that sound like normal voices you believe to be real. They are usually unpleasant and sometimes these voices give a running commentary on your thinking or actions that aren't real or true which can be of a frightening and sometimes bizarre nature..
 

Negative symptoms of Auditory hallucinations that are a sign of a gradual change in personality:

  • Gradual loss of ambition
  • Lack of commitment – may also affect personal relationships, leading to increasing isolation. 
  • Ideas of reference – symptoms anyone else.
  • Passivity feelings – these develop when you believe people or things are able to control your feelings or behaviour. This control can feel as if it is through some form of direct influence by way of things such as x-rays, radio beams or telepathic thoughts.