Is Psychotherapy Beneficial For Reducing The Negative Symptoms Of Schizophrenia?

 What comes to your mind when you hear Schizophrenia? 

Schizophrenia is mainly visual and auditory and has various negative symptoms. It includes the lack of pleasure, apathy, trouble with speech, withdrawal, flattening with speech, lack of concentration, changed sleeping patterns, and struggling with basics of daily life. Negative symptoms can have a profound effect on the quality of life. They can also affect your ability to live independently and work efficiently. In this regard, they may have a greater impact than positive symptoms which may have a longer impact on the individual too. They’re also more difficult to treat in general be it through medication or therapy. Does psychotherapy just help in managing the negative symptoms? 

Psychotherapy, as Cognitive- Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps in treating one to change how one thinks and reacts to things. It also teaches one how to deal with negative feelings by thinking about them differently so you feel good instead. Research suggests that combining antipsychotic medications with yoga therapy may be effective in treating negative symptoms. In terms of most cases, CBT is extremely efficient to enable the successful reduction of symptoms. Psychotherapy helps a person focus on the present moment so that they can effectively deal with their experiences especially when it comes to the negative effects. Is cognitive restructuring essential for the reduction of negative symptoms? This helps in dealing with thought patterns, avoidance behaviors, beliefs about voices, and many more. There is also the presence of family intervention and social skills training along with any other thought-based therapies. 

A WORD FROM SOCIALLY SOULED

There should be an understanding of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and the therapy should be based on the client’s needs, challenges, and significant coping skills. Thus, psychotherapy can be a great way for improving the symptoms but only with medication can they be forgone!