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Schizophrenia

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What treatments are available?

If you think you need professional help, the first step is to visit your family doctor. If you are experiencing symptoms related to schizophrenia, your family doctor will probably refer you to psychiatric services for an assessment, treatment and care. All possible treatment options should be discussed with you, and your views and wishes should be taken into account.

Different treatments work for different people so you may need to try a few types of treatment before you find what works best for you. If you have difficulty getting the treatments you would like, you may find it helpful to use an advocate. An advocate is someone who helps you express your views and wishes, and helps you stand up for your rights.

Talking treatments

Talking treatments provide a regular time and space for you to talk about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour with a trained professional. You can either seek treatment from your family doctor or from a private therapist. Private therapists should be appropriately trained and accredited.

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

CBT is a talking treatment which aims to identify thoughts, feelings and behaviour that may be causing you difficulties, and to develop practical skills to manage these patterns of thinking or behaviour.

CBT for schizophrenia can help you to:

  • Cope with symptoms of psychosis such as hearing voices or delusions
  • Ease stress so that your symptoms do not get worse
  • Manage any side effects from medication, such as weight gain
  • Cope with other problems associated with schizophrenia, such as social anxiety and depression

CBT for psychosis is a bit more complex than CBT for other mental health problems, because it has to take into account the unusual beliefs and experiences people with schizophrenia might have.

Family intervention therapy

If you live with or have regular contact with your family, family intervention therapy can help. The aim of family intervention therapy is to help family members develop communication, problem solving, information sharing, and coping skills. The family will be able to have a say in how the treatment is implemented, for example the talking treatment may be implemented one-to-one or in group.

Other types of talking treatment

Some people find talking treatments other than CBT and family intervention therapy, such as counselling, supportive psychotherapy, and social skills training useful. There is not as much evidence to support these types of talking treatments for schizophrenia. However, your personal preference should always be taken into account, especially when the other talking treatments are not available in your area.

Medication

Doctors usually prescribe antipsychotic drugs (also known as neuroleptic drugs or major tranquilisers) to help with the ‘positive’ symptoms of schizophrenia.

Not everybody finds antipsychotic drugs helpful, and antipsychotic drugs can cause unpleasant side effects. If you find that the medication helps your symptoms, you may feel it is worth putting up with the side effects. If you find it is harder to cope with the side effects of the medication than your symptoms, you may consider coming off medication. However,

Different drugs may affect you in different ways, so you m need to try one or two types of medication before you find the one that suits you best.

How long will I need to take medication?

Some people get short-term help from medication, then come off it and remain well. Others may benefit from long-term treatment. If you do stay on medication long term, staying on the lowest effective dose of the drug may be the best way of dealing with symptoms whilst at the same time reducing side effects.

Arts therapies

Arts therapies are a way of using creative arts – music, painting, dance, voice or drama – to express yourself in a therapeutic environment with a trained therapist. They can be helpful if you feel distanced from your feelings or find it hard to talk about your experiences, making it difficult to benefit from talking treatments.

 

 

 

 

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

Treatments

What treatments are available?

If you think you need professional help, the first step is to visit your family doctor. If you are experiencing symptoms related to schizophrenia, your family doctor will probably refer you to psychiatric services for an assessment, treatment and care. All possible treatment options should be discussed with you, and your views and wishes should be taken into account.

Different treatments work for different people so you may need to try a few types of treatment before you find what works best for you. If you have difficulty getting the treatments you would like, you may find it helpful to use an advocate. An advocate is someone who helps you express your views and wishes, and helps you stand up for your rights.

Talking treatments

Talking treatments provide a regular time and space for you to talk about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour with a trained professional. You can either seek treatment from your family doctor or from a private therapist. Private therapists should be appropriately trained and accredited.

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

CBT is a talking treatment which aims to identify thoughts, feelings and behaviour that may be causing you difficulties, and to develop practical skills to manage these patterns of thinking or behaviour.

CBT for schizophrenia can help you to:

  • Cope with symptoms of psychosis such as hearing voices or delusions
  • Ease stress so that your symptoms do not get worse
  • Manage any side effects from medication, such as weight gain
  • Cope with other problems associated with schizophrenia, such as social anxiety and depression

CBT for psychosis is a bit more complex than CBT for other mental health problems, because it has to take into account the unusual beliefs and experiences people with schizophrenia might have.

Family intervention therapy

If you live with or have regular contact with your family, family intervention therapy can help. The aim of family intervention therapy is to help family members develop communication, problem solving, information sharing, and coping skills. The family will be able to have a say in how the treatment is implemented, for example the talking treatment may be implemented one-to-one or in group.

Other types of talking treatment

Some people find talking treatments other than CBT and family intervention therapy, such as counselling, supportive psychotherapy, and social skills training useful. There is not as much evidence to support these types of talking treatments for schizophrenia. However, your personal preference should always be taken into account, especially when the other talking treatments are not available in your area.

Medication

Doctors usually prescribe antipsychotic drugs (also known as neuroleptic drugs or major tranquilisers) to help with the ‘positive’ symptoms of schizophrenia.

Not everybody finds antipsychotic drugs helpful, and antipsychotic drugs can cause unpleasant side effects. If you find that the medication helps your symptoms, you may feel it is worth putting up with the side effects. If you find it is harder to cope with the side effects of the medication than your symptoms, you may consider coming off medication. However,

Different drugs may affect you in different ways, so you m need to try one or two types of medication before you find the one that suits you best.

How long will I need to take medication?

Some people get short-term help from medication, then come off it and remain well. Others may benefit from long-term treatment. If you do stay on medication long term, staying on the lowest effective dose of the drug may be the best way of dealing with symptoms whilst at the same time reducing side effects.

Arts therapies

Arts therapies are a way of using creative arts – music, painting, dance, voice or drama – to express yourself in a therapeutic environment with a trained therapist. They can be helpful if you feel distanced from your feelings or find it hard to talk about your experiences, making it difficult to benefit from talking treatments.