7 Tips to Help You Follow Your Schizophrenia Treatment Plan

Following a treatment plan for schizophrenia isn’t always easy. Symptoms of schizophrenia like memory problems, trouble focusing, or low motivation can make daily tasks, like taking your medication, feel harder. Side effects from medication might also make you think about stopping treatment. But staying on your treatment plan can help improve your well-being and give you more stability over time.

Psychiatrist Dr. Robert Channon explained, “At the end of the month, if you still have more than one or two pills left in the bottle, meaning that you’ve missed more than just a day or two, the medication is not going to work as well for you.”

In this article, we’ll explore some ways to make it easier to follow your schizophrenia treatment plan, even when it feels hard.

1. Learn About Your Treatment Plan

Learning more about your treatment plan can help you understand why it’s important to follow it. Antipsychotic medications are the main treatment for schizophrenia. These medications work by balancing chemicals in the brain and can help reduce symptoms of psychosis, like hallucinations and delusions.

Schizophrenia is an ongoing mental health condition. Most people will need to take medication for at least a few years to prevent future symptoms. For the medication to be most effective, you need to take it exactly as your healthcare provider prescribed it. If you stop taking your schizophrenia medication or don’t take it as you should, your symptoms can come back.

Know the Side Effects

One of the most common reasons people stop taking schizophrenia medication is because of the side effects. Learning about the potential side effects of your treatment before you start taking your medication(s) can help you come up with a plan to cope with the side effects.

Ask Questions

When you start a new medication, here are some questions to ask your healthcare provider to help you learn more about it:

• What is the medication, and why do you recommend I take it?
• How much should I take?
• How often do I take it?
• Do I need to take it with food?
• What are the possible side effects, and how likely are they?
• Is it safe to take if I have other health conditions?
• When should I expect the medication to start working?
• Do I need additional tests while I’m taking this medication?
• How long do I need to take this medication?
• How can I stop taking this medication safely?
• What should I do if I run out of medication?
• Does this medication interact with any other medications?
• Are there other treatment options I should consider?
• Can I participate in other types of treatments, like talk therapy, when I take this medication?

You may want to write down the answers on paper or in your phone so you can refer to them later if you’re unsure or forget. Keep a list of all your medications — including over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements — and update it every time your treatment plan changes.

2. Identify What Makes Taking Your Medication Difficult

Some parts of your treatment plan can feel harder to manage. If you can identify the factors that make it harder for you to stick to your treatment plan, you can find solutions that work for you.

“When there are particular instructions on taking the medicine, that’s going to interfere with adherence,” said Dr. Channon. “You can imagine that takes a certain amount of planning. And you can imagine that can be a little bit of an extra hassle, even for people who don’t have schizophrenia.”

If you have trouble remembering to take your medication, you could talk to your healthcare team about treatment options with fewer pills or fewer daily doses. Some antipsychotic medications are also available in a long-acting injectable form that is usually given just once every two to four weeks.

If your medication costs too much or isn’t fully covered by your insurance, it can be harder to keep up with your treatment. Don’t hesitate to ask your healthcare provider about ways to help you reduce the cost of your medication. Community-based care programs may also have options to help reduce the cost of your treatment.

3. Build a Routine That Works for You

Most medications should be taken at the same time each day. That doesn’t mean there’s one best time that works for everyone. It’s a good idea to take your medication at the time that fits into your schedule and when you’re most likely to remember it.

Dr. Channon explained, “I usually say that the time at which a person takes their medication has to do with convenience. When is it easiest to remember to take it? Are there certain side effects you’re trying to work around or take advantage of? Like, if one of the side effects is that it kind of makes you drowsy, maybe you want to take it at the end of the day to help you sleep, or it helps settle you down.”

To help make this a part of your routine, you can pair taking your medication with something you already do, like drinking a morning cup of coffee or eating dinner. A routine that feels natural to you can make it easier to stick with your treatment plan.

4. Use Reminders and Organizers To Stay on Track

Even with the best intentions, forgetting a dose of your medication happens. Using some practical tools can help you stay organized so you can stay on track.

Dr. Channon recommended using a pill box to keep track of your medication. To use a pill box, put your doses into labeled compartments for each day, or even different times of the day. With a pill box, you can tell if you’ve taken your medication just by looking at it. “If you’re not sure if you took your medicine on time, a pill box can be useful,” Dr. Channon shared.

Other ways to help you remember to take your medication include:

• Set a daily alarm
• Leave yourself a note where you’ll see it
• Sign up for text message reminders
• Use a medication reminder app
• Try a pill reminder cap that tracks the last time you opened your pill bottle
• Ask a loved one to help you remember

5. Talk to a Therapist

Talk therapy (also known as psychotherapy) with a mental health professional can help you manage schizophrenia. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that can help you recognize patterns in your thinking and behavior that can influence your emotions. CBT can help make you more aware of how your emotions can affect the way you take your medication. A 2022 study found that people who participated in CBT were more likely to take their medication as prescribed.

6. Connect With Others for Support

A trusted support system can help keep you on track with your treatment plan and make you feel less alone in the process. Friends, family members, or peers can help with daily reminders, refill reminders, and support when you need it.

Family therapy and education programs can help your friends and family members learn about schizophrenia symptoms, how to best support you, and how to cope with their own emotions.

If you’re not sure where to start, ask your healthcare provider about support groups or community programs. You don’t have to do this alone — connecting with others can help you feel more supported and in control of your treatment.

7. Remember That Sticking With Treatment Doesn’t Have To Be Perfect

Following your treatment plan perfectly is hard. Remember that missing a dose every once in a while doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Dr. Channon reassured, “If someone forgets to take the medicine at their usual time — for most medicines — taking it a couple of hours later is going to be OK.” Ask your doctor to confirm this is safe to do for your specific medication.

If you do miss a dose, don’t be hard on yourself. Talk to your healthcare team about what to do if you miss a dose and strategies to help you stay consistent. Progress isn’t about being perfect — it’s about finding what works for you.

Find Your Team

On MySchizophreniaTeam, the social network for people living with schizophrenia and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with schizophrenia.

Do you struggle to follow your schizophrenia treatment plan? What tips have helped you follow your treatment plan? Share your experience in the comments below.