Schitzophrenia treatment that works?

Question

I have been hearing voices on and off for a few years. I have tried a few different drugs. Most doctors seem to just brush me off since I'm poor. When i was on med's the voices would always get louder when it was a normal time for me too take meds. I'm also afraid to take some meds because , in the back of my head i feel that i can beat it , instead of haveing some nasty side effects. At this point i don't know what too do.

Answer 1

I have a friend who has a grown son that has Schizophrenia, and she has been caring for him since his diagnosis. She also wanted to know what other options there were other than psychiatric drugs. She has gotten into the glyconutrient business and sells as well as takes glyconutrients, and gives them to her son. I am not quite convinced that this is the answer though, because after having been on them for 2 years, his condition has improved but he still is very depressed. She is trying to get him into a home because she doesn't know what else to do.

I have advised her to find a source that offers pharmaceutical grade omega 3 fish oil supplements, as I have read in various places that these have promising results with Schizophrenic people. You might also want to get and read the book, The Amino Revolution, by Dr. Robert Eerdman. I am at this time taking freeform amino supplements as well as a dietary drink mix, as I have Bipolar and ADD. It does seem to help! There are also a few other books out there on omega 3 and amino acids, which I will list in the source area if you want to read them - I'm sure you can find them at your local library. There are also websites that you can learn more about these, but the books have the most complete information, in my opinion.

Dr. Eerdman does have some cautions though for those who have Schizophrenia to consult a doctor before taking the amino acid histidine. There are some others that might cause problems for certain people, so it's best to read about them before taking any supplements.

I used to take anti-depression medication, but I got tired of always having to try new ones and dealing with side effects. I also became annoyed with the doctors, because they didn't seem to want to help me improve, just continue to keep trying new drugs. No one was open minded enough to try alternative methods, so I decided to take my health into my own hands, which is probably the best thing I could do, anyway! I am poor too, but I use a credit card to buy all of my supplements, which last me a couple of months because I buy them online at vitaminshoppe.com. It's more important to me to be able to function mentally than to have no debt.

I found this information here: http://www.schizophrenia.com/treatments.php#epa
(but look at the whole webpage, because they have a lot of good information.)

"EPA Omega-3 Fish Oils - While the research is somewhat conflicting (some positive studies, some negative studies) there is some early scientific research that suggests that people that have schizophrenia may benefit by a reduction in symptoms when they take fish oil capsules that are high in the EPA (a type of Omega-3 fatty acid) form of oil. If you do try fish oil, it is important to be careful about the type of fish oil you are using - because not all fish oils are effective. The researchers at the University of Scheffield tell us that "What people really need to be looking at is the amount of EPA in the fish oil they are buying. Our data from previous studies suggests that DHA is of little use in the treatment of schizophrenia but EPA is the substance that yield the best results. Dosage wise it is suggested that about 2,000 mg/day to 4,000 mg/day ( 2 to 4 grams/day) should help."

A research review article from Cochrane Review suggested that "The use of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for schizophrenia remains experimental and large well designed, conducted and reported studies are indicated and needed."

Some of our community members have have had good luck with the Now Foods "Super EPA" and "MaxEPA" vitamins purchased from iherb.com - but we encourage you to shop around for the best deal for you. We must be particularly careful in purchasing vitamin supplements because it is an entirely unregulated industry and many less than reputable organizations sell products that do not actually contain the specified doses or have other ingredients - this seems like a particular problem with vitamins coming from Canada. We recommend that any source you choose have a certified "GMP" (Good Manufacturing Practices) certification and approval. (Look for the GMP stamp on the label). Also, Look for products that have a 'UPS' (United States Pharmacopeia) stamp on the label

(Please note that there are no studies that the schizophrenia researchers we are in contact with are aware of that support the idea that any type of vitamin or fatty acid (EFA) will cure schizophrenia. There are currently no cures for schizophrenia.)"

Anyway, I hope that you can find a way to live with your Schizophrenia. Hopefully, you will find some answers from what everyone has said. Take care, and good luck!

Answer 2

If you are truly "hearing voices" then you need help. The voices, to me are not audible but are one or more mental voices in my head that may be so loud and numerous as to force one to ones knees.They, to me and to many whom I have known over the years, are unwelcome.I also have poltergeist like visual experiences. These "voices" and other hallucinations are usually such that one can not function as a normal human because he or she is preoccupied in trying to explain them to himself and others.

Most states in the USA have State and local mental health clinics listed in the community pages of the phone book, Many States have self commitment laws whereby you can commit yourself and obtain treatment. If you are hallucinating then you need treatment as it only gets worse without medication. If you do hallucinate then you probably will need the meds for the rest of your life. I don't like the label schizophrenia!

There are in Gt. Britain a group of psychiatrists who have formed "The Committee for the Abolition of the Schizophrenia Label, CASL. They did this because the label schizophrenia mostly serves to cancel the life of the person to which it is affixed. Some of these psychiatrists have suggested the designation Dopamine Dysfunction Disorder, DDD, for the condition involving hallucinations, It is more scientific a label than schizophrenia which is scientifically meaning less.

By the way there are no demons; it is a serious physical ailment like diabetes or Multiple sclerosis.To me, after 40+ years of it, it is probable that the Biblical prophets and others who thought they were talking to God or seeing angels were just early paranoid schizophrenics and the disease still affects some 1% of the human population. Good luck. God bless.

Answer 3

I have no knowledge of how to deal with Clinical Schitzophrenia. The real concern here is to determine the source of the voices. The only real treatment comes through prayer... just pray to God when you hear voices. I'll explain: I am of the opinion that a person is born "an empty vessel" and that vessel is in need of being filled. If a person dabbles in the occult, witchcraft, demonism and the like, they are opening up their "vessel" to be filled by an unknown entity. If a person is filled with the Holy Spirit of God, by their own submission to God's commands, they are protected from the onslaughts of outside forces. They might be tormented, but will not be overcome by outside forces. So, if a person is already filled with a demon, they have to perform a "self exorcism" by asking God to fill their "void". God will command the evil spirit to depart and God will occupy the void, never to leave again. Exorcism from an outside source, such as a priest, in my opinion, is not possible either. It has to be a willful act by the recipient. The Hebrew word for "facing God and being filled with His Spirit" is "Ruach". Look it up. It means you have turned from evil and done "an about face" toward God. By facing God, you are now in a "one-on-one" relationship with the Creator. Remember, God has to keep promises to you once you pray. Give God the opportunity to answer your prayers. The answer might be "no" or "not now" but the lines of communication are working. God can remove the source of your "duality" if you ask. Don't be fooled by people that say that "voices" are not demonic. They are ignorant of the truth.

Answer 4

there is no cure. you have to take meds for the rest of your life. you need to see a psych doctor. sometimes it takes a while before you are on the right meds for you. everyone has different symptoms.

Answer 5

i would talk to a psychiatrist. they will be more familiar with mental illness. i would look into your insurance coverage also. therapy can be expensive, so it's important to get your funds froma reliable source.