Schizophrenia is a long term mental health condition that affects how a person thinks, perceives reality, feels and behaves. It usually begins in the late teens to early thirties and can involve psychosis, which means losing touch with what is real. Schizophrenia is treatable, and with early and consistent care many people manage symptoms, return to work or school and maintain meaningful relationships.
At Paramount Healthcare Services in Las Vegas, NV, Dr. Chidiogo Nwokike, DNP, PMHNP-BC, provides psychiatric evaluation, antipsychotic medication management and ongoing outpatient care for teens and adults with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.
Symptoms of schizophrenia are usually grouped into three types:
Hallucinations involve hearing, seeing, or sensing things others do not experience. Hearing voices is common. Delusions are strongly held beliefs that continue despite evidence, such as believing someone is monitoring or trying to harm the person.
Speech may become difficult to follow, answers may seem unrelated, or thoughts may shift rapidly between topics. Behavior can appear confused, agitated, unpredictable, or poorly organized.
A person may withdraw from relationships, lose interest in activities, struggle with hygiene or daily routines, speak less, show little emotion or have trouble starting and finishing tasks. These negative symptoms are often mistaken for laziness or depression, but they are part of the illness and can improve with treatment and support.
Schizophrenia is part of a group of related conditions called schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. An accurate diagnosis matters because treatment can differ:
Before a first episode of psychosis, many people go through a prodrome, a period of weeks to months with subtle changes. Possible early signs include pulling away from friends and family, a drop in school or work performance, suspiciousness, unusual beliefs or perceptions, trouble thinking clearly, neglecting hygiene, strong reactions or very little emotion, and changes in sleep.
Getting help early, especially after a first episode of psychosis, is linked to better long term outcomes. Coordinated specialty care programs for early psychosis, such as the NAVIGATE based First Episode Psychosis program offered through UNLV Health in Las Vegas, combine medication, therapy, family education and help with school or work.
Schizophrenia has no single known cause. It likely results from a combination of genetic vulnerability, differences in brain development and brain chemistry, including dopamine and glutamate activity, and environmental factors. Risk factors include a family history of schizophrenia, complications during pregnancy or birth, heavy cannabis use during adolescence, use of stimulants such as methamphetamine, and severe or ongoing stress. Schizophrenia is not caused by bad parenting and is not the same as having a split personality.
No single blood test or brain scan confirms schizophrenia. Diagnosis involves reviewing symptoms, duration, daily functioning, medical and family history, medications, substance use, and safety concerns.
The provider also considers other possible causes, including mood disorders with psychotic features, schizoaffective disorder, substance-induced psychosis, and medical or neurological conditions.
Treatment is personalized according to symptoms, physical health, previous response, side effects, recovery goals, and available support. Medication, therapy, family education, and practical support may be combined.
Antipsychotic medication is the foundation of treatment and can reduce hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking and help prevent relapse. Options your provider may discuss include:
We monitor for side effects such as weight gain, changes in blood sugar and cholesterol, sleepiness, restlessness and movement symptoms, and adjust treatment to balance benefits and side effects.
Therapy and psychosocial support work alongside medication. Helpful approaches include cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp), which helps people cope with distressing voices or beliefs, family psychoeducation, social skills training, relapse prevention planning and support with returning to school or work.
Families are often the first to notice changes and play a big role in recovery. With the patient’s permission, we include family members in education and planning, help create a relapse prevention and crisis plan, and talk through practical questions about medication, safety and daily life.
Families in Southern Nevada can also connect with local resources such as NAMI Southern Nevada for education and support groups, and Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (SNAMHS) for public outpatient care, service coordination, mobile crisis support and help finding housing and community programs.
Paramount Healthcare Services is an outpatient psychiatric clinic located at 1705 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89104. We see patients from across the Las Vegas Valley, including Henderson, Summerlin and North Las Vegas, and offer secure telehealth follow up for patients in Nevada when appropriate. We accept Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare and Medicaid, and offer affordable cash pay options.
When symptoms are severe or a person is not safe, a higher level of care, such as inpatient psychiatric treatment, may be needed first, and we can continue outpatient care afterward.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if the person is a danger to themselves or others, cannot care for basic needs, or has severe confusion. You can also call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which can connect you with local crisis services in Southern Nevada. If someone talks about suicide or self harm, do not leave them alone.
If you or a loved one is experiencing possible symptoms of schizophrenia or psychosis, schedule a confidential evaluation with Paramount Healthcare Services. Call +1 (702) 514-4057, email support@paramounthcslv.com or book online.
Providing compassionate, professional, and reliable psychiatric care in Las Vegas. We are dedicated to quality mental health services and supporting healthier lives.
