Houston Schizophrenia Psychiatrist
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What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that causes people to interpret reality abnormally. Typical symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking and behavior. These symptoms can sometimes severely hinder daily functioning. The onset of schizophrenia most commonly starts in late adolescence or young adulthood.
There are many tests that can measure cognitive and specific schizophrenia symptoms. To be diagnosed with schizophrenia, a person must have at least two of the following symptoms:
- hallucinations
- delusions
- disorganized speech, such as not making sense or changing topics randomly
- disorganized behavior
- negative symptoms: lack of interest, enjoyment, emotion, or speech
Schizophrenia Diagnosis in Houston
If you or someone you know is struggling with schizophrenia, our providers here at Houston Mind and Brain can provide you with a thorough diagnosis if necessary. They can then provide you with further guidance on ways to manage and treat schizophrenia through medications, lifestyle changes, and psychotherapy.
Schizophrenia Treatment
At Houston Mind and Brain, we are happy to offer a wide variety of services to help patients who are struggling with schizophrenia. Our compassionate providers can help patients manage their schizophrenia through medication management. In addition, we offer additional treatments for schizophrenia including psychotherapy through our clinic’s psychotherapist.
TMS and Negative symptoms
TMS can improve schizophrenia patients’ negative symptoms.
TMS is a non-invasive and simple treatment that uses magnetic fields to activate brain regions that affect cognitive function, negative symptoms, and depression. TMS can help schizophrenia patients who suffer from lack of interest, emotion, or speech.
Houston Schizophrenia Psychiatrist
Dr. Raymond Cho is our psychiatrist here at Houston Mind and Brain. Dr. Cho has extensive clinical and research experience with schizophrenia and served as board chairman of Schizophrenia and Related Disorders of America (SARDAA). Having over 27 years of clinical research involving cognition, brain physiology, and neurostimulation for psychiatric disorders, he is one of the most capable schizophrenia psychiatrists in Houston.
Frequently asked Questions about Schizophrenia
The best way to get help for schizophrenia is to see a licensed healthcare professional as soon as possible. Receiving early diagnosis and treatment can prevent symptoms from getting worse and can drastically improve health outcomes of those with schizophrenia. Healthcare providers can provide treatments such as medication and therapy to help alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia.
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are the absence of things present in most people. Common negative symptoms include lack of facial expressions, blunted emotional response, social withdrawal, and inability to feel pleasure.
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are symptoms that most healthy people do not have. Common positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking and behaviors.
Here at Houston Mind and Brain, we are happy to offer our services to patients with schizophrenia. Our clinical team at Houston Mind and Brain knows that schizophrenia can impact each individual differently and our providers will make sure to tailor their care to fit the needs of each patient.
Although there is no cure for schizophrenia, receiving treatment can reduce the symptoms present in those with schizophrenia and improve functioning. Treatments such as antipsychotic medications and psychotherapy have been shown to be effective in alleviating symptoms during acute phases of schizophrenia, prevent potential future acute episodes of psychosis and improve psychological, social and occupational functioning.
Research over the past 15 years have found that TMS can improve negative symptoms, hallucinations and cognition in individuals suffering from schizophrenia. However, it is important to note that this treatment is not yet FDA-approved and therefore is not covered by insurance. If you are interested, Dr. Cho will discuss with you to see if TMS for schizophrenia is right for you.