Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment Center and Hospital in LaPlace, LA

Learn More About Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment at River Place Behavioral Health Hospital

With symptoms that are similar to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder is a complex form of mental illness that can have a devastating impact on a person’s life.

In addition to experiencing episodes of mania and/or major depression, a person who develops schizoaffective disorder may also suffer from hallucinations, delusions, diminished emotional expression, disorganized speech or behavior, and catatonia.

These symptoms can make it extremely difficult for a person to fully engage in a healthy and productive lifestyle. However, with effective treatment, a person whose life has been impacted by schizoaffective disorder can achieve an improved quality of life.

At River Place Behavioral Health, we are dedicated to providing the comprehensive, personalized care that can help adolescents and adults who have been struggling with schizoaffective disorder. While in our care, these individuals will benefit from specialized programming provided by experienced and compassionate professionals in a safe and structured environment.

Helping a Loved One or Family Member Get Treatment for Schizoaffective Disorder

If someone in your life has been struggling with symptoms of schizoaffective disorder, you may be experiencing a range of difficult emotions. It is completely normal to be confused, worried, or even frightened when a loved one is in obvious distress, especially if you feel like you cannot help.

As noted in the previous section, schizoaffective disorder is a complex mental health disorder. If your loved one is struggling with this type of mental illness, he or she needs professional help. You cannot cure your loved one, but you can play an essential role in getting him or her into treatment.

Here are a few important steps that you can take:

• First, educate yourself about schizoaffective disorder. Becoming more familiar with what your loved one is experiencing will allow you to act with greater empathy and will prepare you to provide meaningful support and guidance.
• Evaluate treatment opportunities. Research the types and levels of care that have helped others whose situation is similar to what your friend or family member is experiencing, and identify programs in your area that appear to be a best fit for your loved one.
• Talk to your loved one. Most importantly, listen to him or her. The type and severity of your loved one’s symptoms will impact his or her ability to effectively discuss what he or she is experiencing. However, continuing to engage him or her in conversation will yield a myriad of benefits, including providing you with invaluable insights into his or her frame of mind and helping you to determine whether or not he or she is willing to seek treatment.
• Talk to mental health experts. Ideally, your loved one will acknowledge the need for treatment and participate to the greatest possible degree in the effort to find the right program. However, the nature of schizoaffective disorder may preclude your loved one from acting in his or her own best interests. A mental health professional or other advocate can provide invaluable advice on how best to get help for an individual who is resistant to the idea of treatment.
• Stay involved before, during, and after your loved one is in treatment. When you have located the best program for your loved one, participate in family therapy sessions or other family support services that are offered.

Finally, be sure to attend to your own needs. It is easy to get overwhelmed when you are caring for someone who is struggling schizoaffective disorder. You cannot provide optimal support to your loved one if you are neglecting your own physical and mental health.

Why Consider Treatment for Schizoaffective Disorder at River Place Behavioral Health

Without proper treatment, a person who struggles with schizoaffective disorder may experience significant challenges in virtually all areas of his or her life. The symptoms of untreated schizoaffective disorder may make it difficult or virtually impossible for a person to make academic progress, get and keep a job, establish and maintain healthy relationships, establish financial independence, and otherwise fully engage in a productive and satisfying lifestyle.

The impact of untreated schizoaffective disorder may also undermine a person’s ability to perform basic self-care and advocate in his or her own behalf. This can lead to the development or worsening of both physical and mental health problems. Underscoring the need for effective professional care is the fact that individuals who struggle with schizoaffective disorder are at an increased risk for substance abuse, addiction, and suicide.

When a person who has been dealing with schizoaffective disorder enters an effective, comprehensive treatment program, his or her life can get much better. First, while he or she is in treatment, he or she can begin to heal from past damage while being protected from further harm. Second, he or she can receive the medical and therapeutic support that will help him or her to manage symptoms and experience long-term improvements.

Types of Treatment for Schizoaffective Disorder at River Place Behavioral Health

When you or your loved one enters inpatient treatment for schizoaffective disorder at River Place Behavioral Health, you can expect to receive comprehensive services that have been customized according to your or your loved one’s specific needs, and that are provided in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

Our state-of-the-art treatment center in LaPlace, Louisiana features specialized treatment tracks for adolescents and adults whose lives have been impacted by mental and/or behavioral health concerns. Our age-appropriate services address the unique ways that members of these demographic groups are impacted by mental and behavioral health disorders, and are provided in a manner that is best suited to the developmental levels of our patients.

Age is just one of many factors that we consider when developing personalized treatment plans for each individual who heals with us. One of your first experiences at River Place will be to complete a thorough assessment. This will enable the members of your treatment team to identify the therapeutic elements that will best help you to achieve true and lasting healing from the effects of schizoaffective disorder.

Based upon that assessment and an ongoing evaluation of your progress while in our care, your personalized treatment plan may include the following features:

Medical care: Internal medicine clinicians, including advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) and other members of our nursing staff, are available to meet with you on a daily basis throughout your stay at River Place. These professionals are prepared to provide a variety of medical services, including symptom management, medication management, and stabilization.

Medication management:  As noted in the previous paragraph, our clinicians are available for medication management services as needed. During your initial assessment or at any other time while you are in treatment for schizoaffective disorder, you may be prescribed certain medications to help ease symptoms and promote recovery.

If prescription medications are included in your personal treatment plan, we will closely monitor the effects of these medications throughout your time in our care, and make all necessary adjustments to ensure you are receiving maximum benefit.

Individual therapy: One-on-one sessions with an experienced professional such as a social worker or counselor can help you to process successes and setbacks that occur while you are in treatment for schizoaffective disorder, as well as to address issues that you may be hesitant to discuss in a group setting. At River Place, we can schedule individual therapy sessions for you on an as-needed basis throughout your time in our care.

Group therapy: While you are healing from schizoaffective disorder at River Place, you will have the opportunity to participate in daily group therapy sessions. Featuring the guidance and supervision of nurses, counselors, social workers, and other professionals, group sessions are excellent forums in which to share your experiences, learn from the insights of others, and practice healthy interpersonal communication skills.

Our groups focus on a variety of topics that are relevant to your treatment and recovery, such as the following:

• Life management
• Communities
• Daily living skills
• Coping skills
• Self-esteem building
• Goals

Family therapy: Your loved ones may have also been impacted by your struggles with schizoaffective disorder, and they can play a significant role in supporting your recovery during and after your time in treatment at River Place. Family therapy sessions provide a safe and supportive environment in which you and your loved ones can address how you all have been affected by your mental health challenges, can resolve any rifts or conflicts, and can learn to function as a healthier unit. Family therapy sessions at River Place may be led by social workers, counselors, or a psychiatrist.

Experiential therapies: In addition to traditional individual and group therapy sessions, River Place also offers a variety of experiential therapies to men and women who are being treated for schizoaffective disorder. Depending upon your needs and treatment goals, you may participate in art therapy, music therapy, movement/exercise therapy, or other types of experiential activities while in our care.

Benefits of experiential therapy include discovering new ways to express your emotions, learning to manage symptoms more effectively, addressing issues related to your mental health struggles in a more productive manner, and developing healthier coping skills.

Continuing Care After Inpatient Treatment for Schizoaffective Disorder

At River Place Behavioral Health, we understand that your time in treatment with us will be just one part of your recovery journey. For this reason, from the day you arrive at our center we will work to prepare you for continued success after you have transitioned out of our care.

While you are in our inpatient program, you will achieve stabilization and will begin to develop skills for managing the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. One of the many essential benefits of inpatient care at River Place is that you can focus on your health without being exposed to the stresses, pressures, and distractions of daily life.

Our detailed discharge planning process ensures that when you are ready to once again face those challenges, you will have the support that you need to resist relapse and continue to progress in your healing. When you leave River Place, you will have recommendations and referrals for the outpatient programs, community-based support groups, and other resources that will be of greatest assistance to you as you continue to work toward your long-term goals.

To learn more about inpatient treatment for schizoaffective disorder at River Place Behavioral Health, or for additional information about any aspect of our programming, please do not hesitate to contact us at your convenience. A knowledgeable and friendly member of our team is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We look forward to answering all of your questions and helping you determine if River Place has the solutions that you have been searching for.