Millions of people struggle with mental illness every day. Many of those people struggle with under-diagnosed or untreated mental illnesses like schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. For these struggling individuals, life can, at times, feel hopeless. However, it can be helpful to remember a line from an old parable: “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.” There is always hope. The good news is that, once diagnosed, there are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can help one to recover from mental illnesses like schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder.
What Is the Difference Between Schizophrenia and Schizotypal Disorder?
Many people often mix up schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. This is actually quite common and natural, as they do share many characteristics. However, there are some key differences that distinguish them. Primarily, the differences lie in the severity of the disorders and the various symptoms.
Schizophrenia tends to have much more severe symptoms than schizotypal disorder. These symptoms can include delusions and hallucinations (both audible and visual). Schizotypal disorder is a personality disorder that is defined by very specific behaviors. These behaviors are “eccentric” and often include social awkwardness and odd or “strange” thinking. There are also slight differences in how these disorders are diagnosed as well as how they are treated (though treatments tend to overlap more than they don’t).
However, there are also many similarities between schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. One is how often they can go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Two is that they are often under-treated. Three is that they frequently co-occur with addictions like alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use disorder (SUD).
Better Understanding Mental Illness
As previously mentioned, millions of people struggle with mental illness every day. This is true both in the U.S. and around the world. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Mental illnesses are common in the United States and around the world. It is estimated that more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (59.3 million in 2022; 23.1% of the U.S. adult population). Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe. Two broad categories can be used to describe these conditions: Any Mental Illness (AMI) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI).”
The mental illnesses that we are discussing fall into the latter category of SMI. It is also true that mental illnesses often co-occur with addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders…. Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.” This also applies heavily to individuals struggling with schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder.
It is also true that there are many reasons why people with mental illness are not getting the help that they need. According to a study reported in the peer-reviewed journal Health Services Research, “Of the 6.2 percent of respondents who had SMI in the year prior to interview, fewer than 40 percent received stable treatment…. The majority of those who received no treatment felt that they did not have an emotional problem requiring treatment. Among those who did recognize this need, 52 percent reported situational barriers, 46 percent reported financial barriers, and 45 percent reported perceived lack of effectiveness as reasons for not seeking treatment.” This includes people struggling with schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder.
Better Understanding Schizophrenia
So, what exactly is schizophrenia? According to the peer-reviewed journal Pharmacy and Therapeutics, “Schizophrenia is a complex, chronic mental health disorder characterized by an array of symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, and impaired cognitive ability. The early onset of the disease, along with its chronic course, makes it a disabling disorder for many patients and their families. Disability often results from both negative symptoms (characterized by loss or deficits) and cognitive symptoms, such as impairments in attention, working memory, or executive function.”
Schizophrenia also has many distinct symptoms that make it unique. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Schizophrenia, by Doctors Hany and Rizvi, “Schizophrenia, a serious mental illness, affects 1% of the global population and is marked by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized behavior, and negative signs and symptoms such as reduced emotional expression, avolition, and cognitive impairment. Symptoms generally emerge in late adolescence or early adulthood, and the disorder may be more common in men. Causes include genetic, environmental, and neurobiological factors.”
Now, one can see why schizophrenia can be so disruptive, and it absolutely requires professional attention. The good news is that with the right support and treatment, schizophrenia is highly manageable. Often, these treatments include medication and therapy. With these treatments, one can live a highly functional and fulfilled life. The same is true for people with schizotypal disorder.
Better Understanding Schizotypal Disorder
Now that we know more about schizophrenia, what exactly is schizotypal disorder? According to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychiatry Reports, “Introduced in DSM-III, the diagnostic construct of schizotypal personality disorder was derived from two converging lines of investigation: 1) borderline personality conditions, which represented a clinically identified and heterogeneous population of functionally impaired patients that manifested a variety of pervasive disturbances of interpersonal function, cognition, affect, and behavioral control, many of whom exhibited attenuated schizophrenia-spectrum traits; and, 2) studies of non-psychotic family members of patients with schizophrenia who exhibited chronic peculiarities of thought and communication, as well as impoverished social function.”
So, there are clear links between schizotypal disorder and schizophrenia. This includes the number of people who are struggling with the disorders. Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the population, and schizotypal disorder is roughly the same. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Schizotypal Personality Disorder, by Doctors Francois and Torrico, “The estimated prevalence of schizotypal personality disorder is between 1% and 4%; however, these numbers may be skewed by symptom overlap and possible misdiagnoses of other psychiatric disorders with psychotic symptoms. Schizotypal personality disorder can adversely affect multiple aspects of life, underscoring the need for early intervention and interdisciplinary care.”
The good news is that, like schizophrenia, schizotypal disorder is highly treatable, and many successful people successfully manage the disorder with proper care. The key is finding that proper care, because without it, many people wind up adding to their problem by self-medicating with alcohol and illicit substances. This can quickly lead to addiction.
Better Understanding Addiction, Schizophrenia, and Schizotypal Disorder
Many people try to manage their symptoms of mental illness by drinking and using substances. Ultimately, this only makes the problem worse and leads to more issues that need to be resolved. Substances like alcohol and opioids also make the symptoms of schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder significantly worse.
There are many symptoms of co-occurring addiction and mental illness that need to be looked out for in order to get yourself or a loved one the specific help that they need. The following are just a few of those symptoms:
- Isolating away from loved ones
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Struggling with physical and mental withdrawal symptoms
- Not being able to stop once starting to drink or use substances
- Feeling excessively anxious or depressed
- Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
- Experiencing excessive mood swings
- Struggling to sleep
- Sleeping too much
- Issues with diet
- Excessive weight gain or weight loss
- Having suicidal ideations
- Attempting suicide
As one can see, these are extremely serious symptoms, which is why reaching out for professional help as soon as possible is critical. Doing so could mean the difference between long-term consequences and short-term side effects. The key is to get help as soon as symptoms arise and to ensure that the help is focusing on healing at the cellular level.
Healing From Schizophrenia and Schizotypal Disorder at the Cellular Level
Now, what exactly does healing at the “cellular level” mean? It means to heal holistically. Many people are confused by this statement because they associate “holistic healing” solely with Eastern medicine. This is simply untrue. Holistic simply means “whole.” So, healing at the cellular level simply means whole mind-body healing. This includes the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual self.
It is also important to remember that issues like addiction and mental illness are chronic diseases and thus need to be treated as such. They cannot be willed away. They need specific medical and professional attention. This attention is best utilized when the care is individualized and comprehensive, with a multi-angled approach.
The multi-angled approach simply means that one should utilize as many means, methods, and modalities as possible to treat addiction and mental illness. This is especially true with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. The methods should include evidence-based treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and surf therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and meditation.
How to Treat Schizophrenia and Schizotypal Disorder
Regarding schizophrenia, it is important to understand that medication is a critical component of the treatment. According to Molecules: A Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry, “The clinical effectiveness of antipsychotics in enabling patients suffering from schizophrenia to lead relatively normal lives has been presented in many controlled trials. The patient population of psychiatric hospitals, which was comprised mainly of chronic schizophrenics, declined exponentially in the 1950s and 1960s. It took place due to the introduction of neuroleptics, as well as the changing professional and public attitudes in terms of hospitalization of mentally ill patients.”
However, it is important to understand that medication should never be the sole solution for treating any mental illness. This includes schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. These mental illnesses also require other modalities like therapy, physical exercise, and creative output.
Also, some people feel that schizotypal disorder is not being treated appropriately because it is often overly conflated with schizophrenia. According to the peer-reviewed BMJ Open, “Categorizing schizotypal disorder as a prodromal state of psychosis may possibly negatively impact the treatment offered to patients with schizotypal disorder. For example, viewing the conditions as a prodromal state may miss taking the trait-like features of the disorders into account. Additionally, a substantial amount of research is dedicated to discovering variables predicting transition from schizotypal disorder or a clinical high-risk state to psychosis, but research on the treatment of schizotypal disorder as a separate diagnosis is scarce.” This is why individualized care and treatment plans remain so important.
Treating With Psychotherapy
Psychotherapies can be critical for treating both schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder because they can get to the underlying root/core causes of the disorders. Of course, it is important to understand that there are also unavoidable genetic components. Psychotherapies like CBT and DBT also help individuals see the skewed way in which they view themselves and the world around them. Once these skewed views are recognized, they can then be addressed, and the associated behaviors can be mitigated.
CBT can also be very highly effective because it offers other key benefits like stress management, which is essential for managing one’s mental illness. According to the peer-reviewed journal BioPsychoSocial Medicine, “CBT is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people to identify and change destructive or disturbing thought patterns that have a negative influence on their behavior and emotions. Under stressful conditions, some individuals tend to feel pessimistic and unable to solve problems. CBT promotes more balanced thinking to improve the ability to cope with stress.”
It is also important to utilize many types of therapy at once. Yes, there is CBT and DBT, which can help you talk through your issues and change behaviors, but there are also other therapies that are more hands-on.
Treating With Experiential Therapy
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™, we are blessed to be located in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Here, our clients can take advantage of the amazing landscapes, such as lush overlooks, amazing waterfalls, beautiful hiking trails, awesome beaches, and even a live volcano.
These landmarks make engaging in nature immersion therapy all the more enjoyable and accessible. Nature immersion therapy allows you to connect to the world around you, and then, in doing so, you can better connect to yourself.
There are also many other types of nature-based experiential therapies that can be highly effective. These therapies include surf therapy, swim therapy, and horticulture therapy. Horticulture therapy is particularly special at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™ because we have some of the most amazing gardens that can be utilized to get well while also getting your hands dirty and reconnecting with the earth.
A Focus on Diet and Nutrition
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™, we believe in the maxim, “Food is medicine.” That is why we have such a focus on diet and nutrition. We have licensed dietitians and nutrition specialists on staff. We are also one of the few recovery centers that employs a full-time naturopathic doctor on staff.
However, we do not just focus on diet and nutrition. We also know how important satiation and taste are when it comes to adjusting one’s diet. That is why all of our meals are tailor-made by world-class chefs who use only local and organic ingredients. For those clients who need extra attention on their cellular-level nutrition, we also offer pharmaceutical-grade supplements. This can be particularly important for our clients who struggle with schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder because they are often low in essential vitamins and minerals, especially in early recovery.
Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive, with a focus on the future. This is how you can truly heal at the cellular level.
If you are struggling with schizophrenia or schizotypal disorder, please know that you don’t have to struggle anymore. The time to recover is now. You can do this! We can help.
Many people are unaware of the difference between schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. It can be critical to understand these differences, as well as how one can heal from both disorders at the cellular level if one wants to attain a healthy, long-term recovery. The good news is that there are many modalities that can help one recover from schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the right road to recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™ today at (808) 775-0200.
