Schizophrenia Rochester NY | Expert Care

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that can affect how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may experience changes in behavior or thoughts, diminished emotional expression or social withdrawal, and problems with attention, memory, or decision-making. It often runs in families and starts suddenly in early adulthood. There is no cure for this illness, but it can be managed with medicine and supportive therapy.

What Are the Symptoms of Schizophrenia?

Each person may feel symptoms differently. Symptoms usually present in three categories:

Positive Symptoms

Hallucinations—seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling things that are not real
Delusions—false beliefs not based on reality
Paranoia—feeling like someone or something is out to get you

Negative Symptoms

Disorganized speech and behavior
Lack of emotion
Withdrawal from others

Cognitive Symptoms

Trouble concentrating
Poor decision-making
Memory issues

These symptoms can make it hard to function in the world and take care of yourself. They can make it difficult to think clearly and relate to others. Early diagnosis is essential, as it can lead to earlier, more effective intervention.

What Causes Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia typically develops in the late teens to early 30s. While it affects men and women equally, symptoms tend to start earlier in men than in women. It’s rare in childhood.

The cause of schizophrenia is not fully understood, but studies show that a combination of genetic risk factors—like a family history of mental illness—and differences in brain development may contribute. Environmental triggers, such as stress or early life adversity, can play a role in developing schizophrenia.

UR Medicine's Treatments for Schizophrenia

How is Schizophrenia Diagnosed?

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is important to see a mental healthcare provider. Accurate diagnosis is a key step toward treating schizophrenia effectively.

Diagnosing schizophrenia involves:

A detailed psychiatric evaluation and medical history.
Interviews and questionnaires with the patient and family members.
Observing symptoms over time.
Ruling out other mental health or physical conditions.
A detailed medical evaluation, lab tests, and sometimes brain imaging.

How is Schizophrenia Treated?

Managing schizophrenia is a lifelong process. It can’t be cured, but symptoms can often be managed with medicine and therapy. Often, more than one treatment method is needed.

Treatment may include:

Antipsychotic medicines, to reduce the most troubling symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia
Other medicines, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or anti-anxiety medicines
Individual and family therapy, including cognitive and behavioral
Training, such as learning social skills, job skills, or structured activity
Self-help and support groups

Early treatment and supportive services can help you live a productive life. It’s very important to take medicines exactly as prescribed and to keep taking them even if you feel better.

Ongoing treatment and follow-up in a supportive environment can help maintain emotional stability and provide a critical safety net if symptoms become unmanageable.

What Sets Us Apart?

We provide care to patients with mental health conditions using a respectful, team-based approach. We integrate clinical care, teaching, and research into our treatment. We also work actively with the patient, their support system, and community care providers to develop the best plan possible for each individual.

The team’s leadership focuses on developing innovative systems for the mental health care system. As part of an academic medical center, we help educate the next generation of mental health professionals. We are a key training site for several multidisciplinary programs, including psychiatry fellowship programs and internship and post-doctorate training in clinical psychology.

Schizophrenia