Conditions & Symptoms - Level 2
Goal:
Continue to build knowledge about Schizophrenia. Ensure understanding of symptom management.
Possible Action Steps
- Discuss the symptoms of Schizophrenia (examples of positive symptoms may include hallucination, delusions, disorganized speech/thinking; examples of negative symptoms can include loss of motivation, loss of ability to express emotion, loss of ability to experience pleasure.
- Help individual to identify their current Schizophrenia symptoms. Which one is the most troublesome?
- Review the individual's indicator(s) for relapse and talk about how to be aware of their presence when they first present.
- Assist the individual in developing an early response plan when Schizophrenia symptoms and/or relapse indicators are identified.
- Talk with the individual about what happens when relapse indicators for Schizophrenia are ignored.
Goal:
Have the individual identify what is a priority for them with regard to how they feel and function.
Possible Action Steps
- Work with individual to choose a small action step to work toward a particular life-priority.
- Problem solve together about how to work this small step into their daily life.
- Ask individual to commit to taking a small action step in the upcoming week.
- Ask the individual to identify how a friend or loved-one can help them achieve this goal.
- Discuss educational/vocational resources and how to access them.
Goal: Work with the individual to ensure they understand the importance of maintaining activities of daily living (ADL's) as a way to avoid severe symptom relapse.
Possible Action Steps
- Together, talk about activities of daily living (ADL) and find out what the individual is currently doing/not doing to maintain them on most days.
- Discuss the importance of maintaining activities of daily living (ADL's). Together, explore iPhone and Android apps that support and track activities of daily living.
- Find out if the individual knows how to identify worsening symptoms and their indicators for relapse.
- Find out if individual thinks that their symptoms worsen when activities of daily living are avoided.
- Discuss how to respond to worsening symptoms of Schizophrenia.
- Together, develop a plan to maintain ADL's on most days as a way to control severe symptoms of Schizophrenia.
Goal: Start to increase knowledge of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs).
Possible Action Steps
- Together, review ADL and IADL (personal hygiene: bathing, grooming, oral care; dressing appropriately; basic communication, meal prep, managing meds, etc.)
- Have the individual verbalize their ADL routine (especially dressing & personal hygiene).
- Have individual take notice when they experience fluctuations in self-care behaviors and ADLs.
- Connect for the individual IADLs to their everyday routine (medication management/adherence, managing transportation needs, housework, shopping, managing personal finances, etc.)
- Have the individual verbalize their daily routine relative to IADLs.
Goal: Continue to instill the importance of individual self-management behaviors to better control Schizophrenia and improve life functioning. Work on an achievable small-step changes.
Possible Action Steps
- Together, review individual's ADL/IADL functioning (personal hygiene – bathing, grooming, oral care; dressing appropriately; basic communication, meal prep, managing meds, etc.)
- Have individual take notice of how they feel when adherent with ADL regimen.
- Have individual take notice when fluctuations in self-care behaviors happen.
- Work together to identify one or two small-step changes. Options to consider:
- Reduce smoking or other tobacco use with a plan to quit (see smoking section).
- Reduce alcohol consumption with a plan to eliminate (see nutrition section).
- Increase adherence to 1 or 2 areas of ADL functioning.
Goal: Start to make a small step change to eliminate or reduce smoking and drug & alcohol use with Schizophrenia.
Possible Action Steps
- Ask individual if they understand how drug & alcohol use can make symptoms of Schizophrenia worse.
- Ask individual to talk about their daily exposure to drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Find out if the individual is interested in limiting exposure.
- Have the individual identify a small step change to begin the process of cutting back on drug & alcohol use or avoiding situations that trigger use.
- Ask the individual to commit to implementing the small step change to cut back exposure or use of alcohol or non-prescription drugs in the upcoming week.
- Explore iPhone and Android apps that support and track smoking cessation.