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Schizophrenia and relapse: why taking your meds is so important

By Lila Havens, Staff Writer, myOptumHealth

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Schizophrenia can be a sad and frightening mental illness. It can rob you of your energy and enjoyment in life and make it hard to have a job or long-term relationship. Treatment can restore many people to good mental health.

If you've been diagnosed with schizophrenia, the best thing you can do is stick with your treatment. Taking your medicine consistently is the key to avoiding a return of your symptoms

Why is it important to keep taking my medicine?

Maybe you've been on your medicine for a while, and you've had no symptoms. You may start to wonder why you need to keep taking it. Why can't you just quit and get on with your life?

Here are some things to think about:

• Medicines don't cure schizophrenia. They help keep it under control, but they work only if you take them.
  
  
• You're more likely to start having symptoms again if you go off your medicine. Four out of five people who stop taking their medicine after a first episode have a relapse.
  
  
• You're likely to have milder symptoms and fewer relapses if you take your medicine just as prescribed.

It may help to think of schizophrenia as a chronic disease, like diabetes or high blood pressure. To stay in the best health, you need to take your medicines and keep up with any other treatment your doctor prescribes.

Some people know it's important to take their medicine, but they have trouble remembering to take a pill every day. If you find you are missing doses, talk to your doctor. You might be able to switch from daily pills to shots of a longer-acting medication.

What if I'm having medication side effects?

The medicines used to treat schizophrenia can cause a number of side effects. If the side effects bother you, tell your doctor. If you have recently started a new medicine, the side effects may go away on their own in time. Talk to your doctor about any side effects you may have.

Your doctor might:

• Reduce the dose
• Prescribe a different medicine
• Give you medicine to treat the side effects

Do not stop taking your medicine or reduce the dose on your own. This could cause a relapse. Any changes in treatment must be supervised by your doctor.

How can I recognize a relapse?

There's a chance that schizophrenia could come back even if you take your medicine as prescribed. So it's important to know the warning signs of relapse. You may be having a relapse if you:

• Have trouble sleeping
• Start feeling very fearful, afraid that others are spying on you or plotting against you
• Stop bathing or changing clothes
• Lose interest in friends or family
• See or hear things that other people do not

It may not be easy to recognize when you're having a relapse. If your family or friends notice these signs, be sure to see your doctor or mental health professional right away. Quick treatment may help you head off a full-blown relapse.

View the original Schizophrenia and relapse: why taking your meds is so important article on myOptumHealth.com 

SOURCES:

• HelpGuide.org. Getting help for schizophrenia: diagnosis, treatment, and medications. Accessed: 03/12/2008
• Kikkert MJ, Schene AH, Koeter MWJ, et al. Medication adherence in schizophrenia: exploring patients', carers' and professionals' views. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 2006;32(4):786-794. Accessed: 03/12/2008
• HelpGuide.org. Helping a family member with schizophrenia. Accessed: 03/12/2008
• National Alliance on Mental Illness. Schizophrenia. Accessed: 03/12/2008