Red River Hospital helps individuals struggling with schizophrenia build a strong foundation for long-term recovery. Serving Wichita Falls, TX, Red River is the leading provider of schizophrenia treatment.
Schizophrenia Treatment
Learn more about schizophrenia treatment at Red River Hospital in Wichita Falls, TX
Schizophrenia is a chronic, disabling brain disorder that affects about 1% of the American population. This severe disorder distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, perceive reality, and relates to others. Those with schizophrenia often have a difficult time functioning in society, at work or at school, and in personal relationships. Schizophrenia prevents individuals from being able to tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined. For these individuals, there are times when the world seems like a jumble of confusing ideas, images, and sounds. While schizophrenia is a lifelong illness that cannot be cured there are treatments available to allow them to live life to the fullest.
Red River Hospital is a 96-bed psychiatric and addiction treatment center located in Wichita Falls, Texas. For over four decades, we have remained steadfast in our diligence to help improve the lives of those who entrust us with their care. Through individualized treatment plans, the highly trained and qualified staff at Red River Hospital assist those who are in need of services for behavioral health concerns, substance abuse issues, and co-occurring disorders. Separated into four distinct units, we are able to successfully meet the needs of all age groups, including children, adolescents, adults, and senior adults. We are also proud to offer a specialized military heroes unit for our United States Service Members. At Red River, we recognize how the symptoms of schizophrenia can leave a person feeling frightened and withdrawn. However, no matter how dark life may seem right now there is a brighter future ahead of you. We can help.
How to Help a Loved One
Helping a loved one get treatment for schizophrenia
If you have a loved one who is struggling with the disabling symptoms of schizophrenia the best thing that you can do for them is to be as supportive as possible. At times being there for you loved one, who has probably become reliant on you for a number of things, can be frustrating and difficult. Below are some bits of advice that you may find helpful when faced with this situation:
- Make sure that you set aside time for yourself because caring for someone can be both mentally and physically exhausting.
- Let your loved one know that they can come to you with problems or concerns they may have about their illness
- Help keep them on a daily routine
- Assist them with their medication and make sure that they continue to take their meds even if they feel as if they no longer need them
- Remain patient and calm
- Look into joining a support group for yourself and your loved one
Another way that you can be extremely helpful to your loved one is to encourage them to seek treatment so that they can learn to cope with and better manage their symptoms. However, while you may know that treatment is the best option getting your loved one to go may not be an easy task. Here are some things you can do that may convince your loved one to get treatment:
- Talk about how treatment will help
- Focus on your concern for their safety
- Listen and empathize
- Don’t use a threatening or confrontational tone
- Reach out to professionals who can talk to your loved one about treatment
Why Consider Treatment
Why consider treatment for schizophrenia at Red River Hospital in Wichita Falls, TX
If not properly treated schizophrenia can cause an individual to develop severe emotional, behavioral, and physical health problems. In some instances, untreated schizophrenia can lead to financial difficulties as a result of being unable to hold down a job or can create conflict with friends and family. Additional consequences associated with untreated schizophrenia may include self-harming behaviors, depression or anxiety, substance abuse, and addiction, as well as higher risk for suicide.
Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment, even when the symptoms have subsided. Often times an inpatient treatment center is one of the most effective ways to get an individual started on a treatment plan, especially during periods where symptoms are severe. An inpatient clinic can provide a patient with a safe environment during times of crisis, while also identifying the most effective medication and therapeutic strategies to get symptoms under control. Additionally, by entering an inpatient center, people are able to remove themselves from their everyday environments which hold triggers that lead to stress which can ultimately exacerbate the symptoms of schizophrenia. Through various therapeutic interventions, support from other individuals who are dealing with similar struggles, and 24-hour supervision, inpatient clinics can help those with schizophrenia have the best chance at recovery.
Our Philosophy
Red River Hospital philosophy and benefits
When you or a loved one is in crisis, or when life simply seems to have spiraled out of control, the staff at Red River Hospital is here to help. We strive to understand the point of view of others and actively express encouragement as individuals work towards achieving their goals. At Red River, we take responsibility for treating each and every person who comes through our doors with the respect and dignity that he or she deserves. By providing structured scheduling and implementing individualized treatment plans for each patient, we aim to show everyone how they can succeed. We surround patients with every facet of information that they need to get better, and we will do everything in our power to make sure that those who come to us for care leave our center with the confidence they need to continue on their path to a brighter future.
Types of Treatment
Types of schizophrenia treatment offered at Red River Hospital in Wichita Falls, TX
At Red River’s treatment center, we always have someone available to conduct a thorough assessment, which is conducted free of charge by a licensed professional and reviewed by a team member or supervisor. If it is determined that we will be able to fully meet the patient’s needs, one of our physicians will be contacted and the admissions process will begin. Our dedicated multidisciplinary treatment team and psychiatric staff provide medical management and various therapies designed to encompass all of the needs of all of our patients. We utilize a variety of therapeutic techniques as part of our inpatient care, including the following:
Detoxification: When patients come to Red River and are struggling with chemical dependency concerns, we provide a 5-7 day stay in our detox unit. Here, every individual receives 24-hour monitoring by a team of nurses as his or her body becomes cleansed of any toxic substances that are present. For those who are struggling to overcome their partaking in self-mutilating behaviors, but are also dependent upon substances, detox marks the beginning of the therapeutic process. To learn more about this process, please see our detoxification page.
Medication management: Medication is the cornerstone of treatment for those with schizophrenia because they are usually effective at helping control a majority of the unpleasant symptoms associated with this disorder. All patients are seen daily by a psychiatrist in order to ensure that the medications that have been prescribed are working as they should and to make any changes that may be necessary.
Group therapy: The inpatient care at Red River’s treatment center is group-focused meaning that every patient participates in a variety of different groups on a daily basis. Some of the topics that are covered in these groups include effective communication skills, appropriate assertive behavior skills, anger management, conflict resolution, and medication management. For patients on our geriatric unit, additional groups and activities are held in order to assist in reality orientation.
Family therapy: At Red River, we see each disorder as a family disorder because these illnesses not only impact the life of the individual who has the disorder but the lives of each patient’s family members as well. We believe that if the family is not involved, then the changes that are made during the treatment process will not be carried over into the home environment. As a result, we encourage family sessions to occur on a regular basis in all units and can be done via telephone if necessary. On our child and adolescent unit, at least one family session is required prior to the patient’s discharge.
Individual therapy: Individual sessions occur on an as-needed basis for all units except our military unit where patients have a minimum of one individual therapy session each week.
Recreational therapy occurs at least once per day and includes activities such as physical therapy and yoga.
Daily school is provided for all of our child and adolescent patients. There is an onsite school room and lessons are led by our public school district’s teachers.
Continuing Care
Continuing care and levels of treatment for schizophrenia
At Red River Hospital, we begin planning for discharge the moment patients enter the hospital. This plan is consistently reviewed and updated throughout the individual’s stay so that, when the time for discharge arrives, the patient is already set up for the next step in his or her recovery process. We believe that aftercare is a major part of treatment, so we ensure that the unique needs of each individual will be cared for, whether that be a step down into our partial hospitalization program (PHP) or our intensive outpatient program (IOP), or being provided with referrals for traditional outpatient services. For patients who require a structured plan in order to return to life’s daily routines, Red River also provides onsite therapy through our Pathways program which includes coping skills training and supervised medication management. Whatever your needs may be, our caring and compassionate staff will make sure that you are comfortable and confident as you embark on your next stage of recovery.