Plain-language, educational articles on schizophrenia, psychosis, antipsychotic medications, and lived experience — by ColdAI.
Family psychoeducation cuts relapse rates by 20 to 50 percent — yet only a fraction of families ever receive it. This is a closer look at what it is, why it works, and how to find it.
StoryA composite story about being held involuntarily in a psychiatric hospital — the anger, the loss of trust, and the slow practical work of coming back.
CaregiverCaregiver burnout is not weakness — it is what happens when too much weight rests on too few people for too long. Recognising it is the first step in carrying less of it.
HospitalRehospitalisations rarely come out of nowhere. Most follow a recognisable run-up of sleep changes, missed doses, and rising symptoms. Catching it early is the entire game.
MedicationPerseris delivers a month of risperidone with a single subcutaneous injection in the abdomen — and skips the long oral overlap required by older risperidone LAIs.
DifferentialParanoid personality disorder and paranoid schizophrenia share a word but not much else. One is a personality pattern; the other is a psychotic illness.
Side effectsBlurred vision on antipsychotics is usually a temporary anticholinergic effect on the eye's focusing muscle — but a small number of vision changes need urgent evaluation.
MedicationBrexpiprazole is often called a 'cleaner aripiprazole' — same partial-agonist family, smoother receptor profile, and a different feel for many patients.
Physical healthEye health is rarely discussed in psychiatric care, but several antipsychotics affect vision. Regular eye exams catch problems early — and most are very manageable.
How-toPrior authorization is the most common reason a prescribed antipsychotic doesn't reach the pharmacy. Here is how to get one approved — and what to do when it isn't.
LifestyleScreen time gets blamed for almost every mental health problem in modern life. The schizophrenia-specific evidence is more nuanced. Here is the honest picture.
LifestyleVitamin D deficiency is unusually common in schizophrenia. The link is real but the picture is more complicated than headlines suggest. Here is the practical takeaway.
Side EffectSexual side effects from antipsychotics are very common and very under-discussed. They are usually treatable — but only if patient and prescriber are willing to have the conversation.
MedicationBenztropine remains one of the most prescribed adjunctive medications in psychiatric practice — useful for dystonia and drug-induced parkinsonism, but with real cognitive and bowel costs over time.
MedicationIloperidone has a notable orthostatic hypotension profile that requires a slow titration schedule. Once titrated, it tends to be relatively well-tolerated.
Women's healthThe best pregnancy planning happens before pregnancy. For women with schizophrenia, a few months of preconception work can change the trajectory of the entire perinatal period.
GeriatricLong-term care for older adults with schizophrenia is one of the hardest navigation challenges in mental health. Here's what families and clinicians need to understand about the system.
StoryI was on haloperidol for eleven years. Switching to an atypical was the hardest medication transition of my life and the best decision I have made for my body. Here is what it actually felt like.
Practical lifeCrossing borders with schizophrenia takes a little more planning than the average trip. A few hours of preparation prevents most of the trouble travelers run into.
Crisis & safetyThe cultural story that schizophrenia equals danger is wrong. The careful story — small absolute risk, real but modifiable factors — is what actually helps people get good care.
Therapy modalitiesTrauma is one of the most consistent findings in the histories of people with psychosis — and one of the most under-treated. Trauma-focused CBTp adapts proven PTSD methods for safe use alongside voices, paranoia, and ongoing antipsychotic treatment.
Special populationsRefugees and asylum-seekers experience higher rates of psychosis than the populations they settle into and the populations they leave behind. The reasons — and the responses — matter.
StoryI had not been on a real date in five years. The first time I tried, the hardest part was not the conversation about my diagnosis — it was figuring out who I was without it being a crisis.
Medication managementStopping an antipsychotic is not just a reverse of starting one. The pace, the schedule, and the safety net all matter — and the field's thinking has shifted in the last decade.
Levels of careIOP sits between PHP and standard outpatient — three to five hours of group and individual treatment several days a week, while you keep working, schooling, or living at home.
City guidesMiami runs schizophrenia care through Jackson Health, the University of Miami, FACT teams, and one of the country's most studied mental-health jail-diversion programs. Here is the practical map.
Brain circuitsThe thalamus relays nearly every sensory and cortical signal in the brain. In schizophrenia, parts of the thalamus shrink, its connections rewire, and signals between thalamus and cortex become less coordinated.
Expressive therapiesMusic therapy in schizophrenia is delivered by trained music therapists, not by playing favourite songs. The evidence base — including a major Cochrane review — is more positive than for many other arts therapies.
HousingGroup homes occupy a middle rung of the supported-housing ladder: more support than an apartment, less institution than a hospital. Here is what they look like in practice.
SleepObstructive sleep apnea is several times more common in schizophrenia than in the general population — and it is one of the most under-diagnosed contributors to fatigue, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular risk in this group.