Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment Center & Hospital in Covington, LA

Learn more about schizoaffective disorder treatment at Covington Behavioral Health in St. Tammany Parish

Individuals who have schizoaffective disorder will experience many symptoms of schizophrenia along with either a manic or major depressive episode. The schizophrenia symptoms that are characteristic of schizoaffective disorder may include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, diminished emotional expression, and catatonic behavior. Major depressive episodes can include profound and persistent sadness, lack of motivation and/or energy, diminished appetite, sleep disruptions, and pervasive thoughts of death. Manic episodes can be characterized by abnormally elevated mood and increased energy, along with racing thoughts, distractibility, and inflated sense of self-worth.

The combination of these symptoms can understandably have a devastating impact on a person’s ability to function in a healthy and productive manner. At Covington Behavioral Health, we are familiar with the many ways schizoaffective disorder can affect adolescents and adults, and we have developed specialized programming to stabilize individuals at our hospital who have been struggling with schizoaffective disorder and to help them manage their symptoms.

Helping a loved one get treatment for schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder can have a negative impact both on the person who has developed the disorder and on his or her loved ones. However, if someone that you care about has developed schizoaffective disorder, you may not realize that you can play a key role in getting him or her the professional help at a hospital or treatment center that he or she needs to experience an improved quality of life. Please consider the following:

• First, educate yourself. Visit reputable websites. Speak with experts. Consult mental health organizations in your area. Learn the signs and symptoms of schizoaffective disorder so that you can better understand what your loved one is experiencing.

• Research treatment centers and hospitals specializing in schizoaffective disorder and identify programs that provide the care that your loved one needs.

• Learn how to discuss treatment at a hospital or center with someone who has schizoaffective disorder. This discussion can be influenced by several factors, including your loved one’s symptoms and the quality your relationship with him or her. Get information about how best to conduct this conversation in a respectful and productive manner.

• Get help for yourself. Enlist a small group of trusted friends or family members to research important issues, ensure that your loved one is safe, and participate in the effort to get him or her into treatment. Depending upon the degree to which your loved one’s disorder has impacted your life, you may also want to consider seeing a counselor or therapist in order to ensure that your mental and emotional health does not suffer.

• Stay positive, but be realistic. Schizoaffective disorder is a complex challenge that resists simple solutions. If possible, consult with the personnel at the program where your loved one is being treated to get an accurate picture of your loved one’s diagnosis and prognosis.

Finally, remember that residential care at a hospital or center is just one step in the long process of living with schizoaffective disorder. Your loved one will have both successes and setbacks, and will need your love and support long after he or she has completed treatment. Prepare to be an active positive member of his or her support network.

Why consider treatment for schizoaffective disorder at Covington Behavioral Health in St. Tammany Parish

Schizoaffective disorder can diminish a person’s ability to participate in a healthy, productive, and satisfying life. An individual’s interpersonal relationships, academic progress, occupational performance, and financial independence can all be threatened by the symptoms of untreated schizoaffective disorder. Depending on the type and severity of a person’s symptoms, a man or woman who has schizoaffective disorder may also be at increased risk for suicide. In some cases, people with untreated schizoaffective disorder abuse alcohol or other drugs in misguided attempts to self-medicate or numb themselves to their ongoing psychological pain. Of course, abusing alcohol or other drugs increases a person’s risk for myriad additional problems, including health issues, cognitive impairments, and addiction. The good news is that the risk of continued damage can be reduced by getting proper professional treatment at a center or hospital. At Covington Behavioral Health, we are prepared to provide life-changing care that can introduce stability and hope into the lives of people who have been struggling with schizoaffective disorder.

Types of schizoaffective disorder treatment offered at Covington Behavioral Health in St. Tammany Parish

Covington Behavioral Health is a 104-bed residential treatment center that provides personalized, comprehensive care for adolescents ages 10-17 and adults age 18 and older who have experienced acute changes in their emotional and mental well-being and need psychiatric stabilization.

At Covington Behavioral Health, care for people who have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder is provided by multidisciplinary teams of talented and dedicated professionals, including psychiatrists, medical psychologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, counselors, activity therapists, and mental health technicians. Among the members of center’s our staff who have specialized training are our full-time staff dietitian, social workers who are certified in gerontology, and physicians certified in forensic psychiatry and addictionology.

The care that our patients receive at our center incorporates a variety of treatment techniques and therapeutic modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). We place a premium on conducting thorough assessments on each patient at Covington Behavioral Health to ensure that we are able to develop individualized treatment plans that address each person’s specific strengths, needs, and treatment goals.

Each patient’s time at Covington Behavioral Health will be a unique experience based upon his or her specific strengths and needs. Depending upon those unique factors, a patient’s treatment at our center may include the following elements:

Medication management: Some individuals with schizoaffective disorder may benefit from having certain prescription medications incorporated into their treatment plans. Covington patients who meet this description will have the opportunity to meet with our psychiatrist and nursing staff on a regular basis to receive medication management services.

Detoxification: Covington Behavioral Health is not a substance abuse treatment center; however, we do understand that prospective patients may have struggled with substance abuse in addition to their challenges with schizoaffective disorder. To best serve these individuals at our center, we provide detox services for individuals who been abusing alcohol, prescription painkillers, and certain other drugs. After they have rid their bodies of the substances that they have been abusing, detox patients will transfer directly into residential treatment to receive care for their mental health disorders.

Individual therapy: Patients in the inpatient program may meet with a member of our social service staff (LCSW, LMSW, LPC, or PLPC) or nursing staff (RN or LPN) for individual therapy as needed. Individual therapy allows patients to address issues that they may be hesitant to bring up during group sessions, provides them with one-on-one feedback and guidance from experienced professionals, and helps them to develop effective skills for managing the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder.

Group therapy: Group therapy sessions are fundamental elements of treatment at Covington Behavioral Health. Group therapy provides a structured yet dynamic environment in which participants can share their insights and experiences, learn from the contributions of fellow patients, and practice healthy interpersonal skills such as effective communication, empathy, and giving and receiving support. The following are among the groups that a patient who is being treated for schizoaffective disorder at our center may participate in during his or her time at Covington:

• Activity groups
• Creative therapy groups
• Dietary groups
• Process groups
• Psychoeducation groups

Group therapy sessions, which are typically offered at least five times during each treatment day at our center, are led by nurses, activity therapists, mental health technicians, and members of our social services staff.

Family therapy: At Covington Behavioral Health, we understand that an individual’s struggles with schizoaffective disorder may impact his or her entire family. With family therapy, loved ones of Covington patients have the opportunity to address how they have been affected by the patient’s mental health problems, learn how to strengthen family bonds and improve intra-familial relationships, and develop the skills that will allow them to provide the best possible support as their loved one continues in recovery following the residential phase of his or her treatment at our center. Family therapy sessions at Covington Behavioral Health are typically conducted by the patient’s case manager and may be scheduled on an as-needed basis or by request.

Discharge planning: We provide robust discharge planning services to ensure that each patient and his or her family has a thorough plan that identifies the referrals, community-based services, and other support services that will put the patient in the best position to maintain and improve upon the progress that he or she made while in treatment for schizoaffective disorder at Covington Behavioral Health.

At Covington Behavioral Health, our ultimate goal is to provide the focused, effective, and personalized care that can improve the quality of life for all who are entrusted into our care. For more information about our services at our center, please do not hesitate to contact us at your convenience. We look forward to answering all of your questions and helping you determine if Covington Behavioral Health is the perfect place for you or your loved one.