Individuals with schizophrenia do well when they feel that they are contributing members of an accepting community, and when they have decent housing. During the acute stage, efforts are aimed at alleviating symptoms and eliminating immediate danger. The stabilization phase involves slowly reintegrating him or her into life. The stable phase has as its goal a more positive quality of life. Medication usage and side effects here are balanced with long-term effects.
Early intervention is the desired goal at the first sign of any relapse during the stable phase.
Because of the inconsistent nature of symptoms across patients with schizophrenia, it may be more accurate to speak of the disease in the plural form. People with schizophrenia are people first, and enjoy a higher quality of life when treated within a holistic framework of appropriate medication combined with psychosocial community supports and family involvement whenever possible. Cognitive therapy helps patients examine the beliefs they have about their symptoms, and understand the behaviours that result. All effective treatment involves a multidisciplinary effort combining medications with housing, vocational training, group therapy and caring. What is clear is that more studies on the prevalence and the incidence aspects of the disease, and those associated factors, need to be done within the Canadian setting.