Schizophrenia Talk Therapy Success Encouraging for Teen Depression, Suicide

New research shows that talk therapy, or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, is having success with schizophrenics, many of whom are teens and young adults. These findings are encouraging for parents; they demonstrate that CBT can help with teen depression and suicide prevention, too. Here's how.

Schizophrenia generally manifests in the teen years.

One million Americans suffer from schizophrenia. A large portion of schizophrenics are teens and young adults. First-diagnosed schizophrenia usually occurs after age 12 and before age 40.

Schizophrenia and normal teen behavior can be hard to differentiate.

In normal development, behavior, moods, emotions and thinking may seem very abnormal. Even physicians may miss symptoms of mild schizophrenia in children and teens. Parents have even more difficulty. Schizophrenia is characterized by: delusions, illogical thinking, moodiness, peculiar behavior, paranoia, immaturity and anxiety. All these describe child and teen behavior. Schizophrenics confuse fantasy and reality. Most parents would nod emphatically that kids do this. Schizophrenics have difficulty making and keeping friends; so do most kids.

Suicide is linked to teens and schizophrenia.

40 percent of schizophrenics will attempt suicide. 60 percent of male schizophrenics will attempt it. 90 percent of teen suicides are connected to mental health problems, including schizophrenia. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in people ages 15-24. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in children ages 10-14.That doesn't count the number of kids who attempt suicides. For every child who dies from suicide, there are at least 10 suicide attempts. Schizophrenic feelings of persecution may explain, somewhat, the high number of youth and teen suicides related to bullying.

CBT changes behavior by changing thinking patterns.

CBT, an offshoot of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is one of the most useful treatment methods, especially with children. CBT is commonly used in special needs classrooms with emotionally impaired children. It teaches people to change how they think and perceives things. It teaches them to "pokes holes" in irrational thinking and redirect dysfunctional or self-destructive behavior. It should be noted that CBT works best when used with medication in treating severe depression and schizophrenia.

CBT has great success with emotionally impaired children and schizophrenics.

The Archives in General Psychology says that schizophrenics who received CBT, along with proper medication, jumped a whole level of behavioral functioning. They were able to set and achieve goals, interact more appropriately, communicate normally, socialize more comfortably and form better relationships. These findings are reflected in studies with special needs students, too.

CBT helps teen depression and suicide.

If CBT can help schizophrenics, the most resistant to treatment, it can help help depressed people. Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and despair are root causes of depression and suicide. Kids are especially vulnerable to these feelings. Their lack of experience prevents them from seeing beyond problems. CBT teaches kids how to heal themselves.

Early intervention is the best treatment for any condition. CBT prevents depression and hence suicide, in children, by routing out dysfunctional thinking before it becomes ingrained.