Open communication with members of your healthcare team can help you find an effective treatment to manage symptoms of schizophrenia.

If you’ve recently received a diagnosis of schizophrenia, you might have a lot of questions about the condition and what it means for your life. It’s a serious mental health condition that can cause distortions of reality, including delusions and hallucinations.

With a combination of medication and psychosocial support, you can lead a full, productive life with schizophrenia.

This condition can affect people in different ways. Because schizophrenia is so variable, it’s crucial that you maintain open communication with your healthcare team about the condition, medications and their potential side effects, and psychosocial support options.

A doctor or psychiatrist should welcome questions and take time to address your concerns. Learning all you can about schizophrenia and its treatment allows you to become a vital member of your own healthcare team.

Here are a few questions that can help you start a conversation about schizophrenia with a doctor. Keep in mind that discussions about schizophrenia should be an ongoing process, though. Be sure to keep your healthcare team in the loop on how you feel and ask additional questions as they pop up.

This may sound like too simple a question, but schizophrenia is frequently misunderstood and confused with other mental health conditions. It’s easier to navigate a condition when you have a clear idea of what it is — and what it isn’t.

There’s no single test a medical professional can use to diagnose schizophrenia. To make a diagnosis, a mental health professional will usually consider your medical history and symptoms along with the results of certain exams.

However, other conditions can cause symptoms that look like schizophrenia, which could lead to a misdiagnosis.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, African Americans and Latinos are more likely to receive an incorrect diagnosis. This disparity may be related to differences in cultural perspectives or structural barriers to care.

It’s also possible to have schizophrenia and another related mental health that might also require treatment.

Asking your healthcare team if they are confident in their diagnosis can help you decide the next steps to take, such as starting treatment or seeking a second opinion.

Schizophrenia is a lifelong psychiatric disorder that requires careful management, so it’s important to work with medical professionals who have a lot of experience treating this condition.

If you’re working with several medical professionals, such as a primary care physician and a psychiatrist or psychologist, they’ll need to coordinate all your care.

By using technology to access your health records and keep you informed via patient portal communication and regular appointments, your healthcare team will work together and do their best to help you manage schizophrenia.

You can ask questions about the different treatment options and their outcomes.

Antipsychotic drugs can help manage some schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, but they don’t help with all symptoms. Because schizophrenia affects each person differently, medication choices should be tailored to each person.

Every drug has possible side effects. Some go away in time, but others can be significant and persistent. Troublesome side effects can make you want to stop taking your medication, but stopping suddenly can be dangerous. You should always consult a member of your healthcare team before making any changes to your medication regimen.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recommends that doctors and people with schizophrenia work together when deciding which medications to try.

Here are some questions to ask about your medications:

  • Why do you recommend this particular medication over other choices?
  • What are the potential side effects and risks?
  • Does it interact with other drugs, foods, or alcohol?
  • How long will I need to take this medication before I start to feel a difference?
  • Can I stop taking it or change the dose if the side effects are affecting my quality of life?

With the right support, you can work on reducing the impact that schizophrenia symptoms have on your life. People who have regular psychosocial treatments are less likely to relapse or be hospitalized, according to the NIMH.

If you have schizophrenia, you might benefit from therapies such as:

  • talk therapy
  • cognitive behavioral therapy
  • behavioral skills training
  • employment support

Here are some other questions to ask on this topic:

  • What types of therapy do you recommend for me?
  • What are the short- and long-term goals of these therapies?
  • How long are the sessions?
  • How often will I need these sessions?
  • When can I expect to start seeing results?

Treatment for schizophrenia can take some trial and error before you land on the right mix. If your medication isn’t working, your doctor may need to adjust the dosage or prescribe other drugs to find what works best for you.

Your doctor might also recommend changes to your psychosocial therapies, depending on your symptoms and the ways schizophrenia is affecting your life.

Your doctor should keep up with the American Psychiatric Association’s evidence-based practice guidelines and be willing to discuss all options with you.

If you experience an urgent mental health crisis, call your psychiatrist or other mental health professional. If you cannot reach your main mental health professional, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room or urgent care clinic.

You should also ask your healthcare team about when you should call 911 instead of their emergency line in the event of an urgent mental health crisis.

Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, but it can be successfully managed. Thanks to advances in treatment and a growing understanding of this disorder, many people with schizophrenia are living full, active lives.

There’s plenty of reason for hope. Your healthcare team can periodically reassess your health and provide an update on your individual outlook.

Healthcare professionals play an important role in helping people manage schizophrenia, but there are also many other places to turn for emotional and practical support. In fact, your doctor may be able to recommend specific resources in your community.

If you’re not sure where to start, you might consider calling the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance helpline at 800-493-2094. Its team members can connect you with tools and support services in your area.

Joining a support group, whether in-person or virtual, can also give you an opportunity to share common experiences and feel less alone. Some are affiliated with nonprofits, hospitals, or mental health professionals, while others may be led by people just like you. The point is that you can connect with people who “get it” and help each other out.

Here are some places to start your search for a schizophrenia support group:

Mental health hotlines can also be helpful resources. You might want to keep these numbers handy:

  • NAMI HelpLine, a free support service for people living with a mental health condition, available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET at 800-950-NAMI (6264)
  • SAMHSA National Helpline, a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-per-year treatment referral and information service at 800-662-HELP (4357)

And if you’re facing a crisis or medical emergency, call 911.

Education and awareness are an important part of managing schizophrenia. Don’t be afraid to ask your healthcare team questions when you don’t understand something. If a treatment isn’t working for you, speak up and discuss other options.

In addition to maintaining effective communication with healthcare professionals, you might want to join a schizophrenia support group for an opportunity to share common experiences and feel less alone.