After you are diagnosed with schizophrenia, your health care providers should set you up with a community mental health team, sometimes called assertive community treatment (ACT). These teams consist of highly experienced professionals from a variety of backgrounds who can provide day-to-day individualized treatment and support for living with schizophrenia. Your team might consist of psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, pharmacists, counselors, social workers, and occupational therapists. Receiving support from your loved ones is critical to your ability to manage schizophrenia. Include your family and friends in doctor visits, ACT team meetings, therapy sessions, and support groups. Encourage them to ask your treatment team any questions they need to better support you. You might also make special requests as to how your loved ones can support you. These may include helping you spot early warning signs, helping you remember your medications, accompanying you to appointments, and helping you relearn skills to function in everyday life. Being diagnosed with schizophrenia can make you feel isolated and misunderstood. That’s why it’s a great idea to connect with other people who are living with the condition. Self-help and support groups are designed to help you build relationships with others with schizophrenia.  In support groups, you might discuss helpful coping strategies, get education about managing schizophrenia, and share stories about what’s it like living with the disorder. Ask your doctor or therapist about schizophrenia support groups in your area. Ask your community mental health team or support group about how you can receive social skills training. These behavioral interventions can help you better function in the community and feel more capable of managing schizophrenia. Social skills training can improve your quality of life by helping you behave appropriately in social situations, solve problems, communicate more effectively with those around you, and deal with everyday life stress. Doing meaningful work in your community can also help improve your quality of life with schizophrenia. Consider getting vocational training to help you develop transferrable skills, look for a job that suits your lifestyle and condition, and learn how to manage your money. In some cases, vocational training may be grouped in with social skills training.
Connect with a community intervention team. Involve your friends and family. Participate in a support group. Get social skills training. Receive vocational rehabilitation.