General Approach to Treat Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a long-standing psychiatric disorder that manifests as delusions, hallucinations, cognitive impairment, and social withdrawal. Schizophrenia treatment is covered here as a general principle, touching on drug and non-drug management. The primary treatment is by antipsychotic drugs, with the second-generation antipsychotics being more effective in symptom control but with metabolic side effects. Psychosocial therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, and family therapy, exert a significant effect on patient outcome by addressing functional impairment and promoting treatment compliance. Moreover, emerging pharmacogenomics and neuromodulation technologies, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, provide new treatment possibilities. The findings emphasize the importance of a personalized, interdisciplinary treatment of schizophrenia with the use of conventional and new therapies for the optimal benefit of patient welfare and long-term remission.