“Schizophrenia researchers have long been puzzled about why the illness normally begins in adolescence when important risk factors such as genetic loading and neonatal brain damage are present from birth or sooner,” wrote Colorado Recovery founder Richard Warner, M.D., in The Environment of Schizophrenia. “Many believe that the answer to this puzzle could tell us a lot about the cause of the illness.”

Schizophrenia is often diagnosed well into adulthood, typically from the late teens to early 40s.  Researchers recently found new clues in young adults that could help predict the severity of symptoms later in life. According to a study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, “Early detection of subtle, nonpsychotic forms of perceptual disturbance may aid in identifying individuals at increased risk for nonaffective psychosis outcomes in adulthood. Perceptual aberrations may constitute a useful endophenotype for genetic, neurobiological, and cognitive neuroscience investigations of schizophrenia liability.” 

Study author Mark F. Lenzenweger, Ph.D., of the State University of New York at Binghamton and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City found that subtle differences in perception during their late-teen years predicted the development of hallucinations, delusions, and, in some instances, psychosis later in life. These early perceptual distortions included a heightened awareness of sound or color, uncertainty about the boundaries of one’s body, feeling that the world around them is tilting, and similar experiences.

“We discovered that people, who were free of psychotic illness at age 18, would show hallucination and delusion symptoms in mid-life if they showed many very subtle disturbances in their perception early on,” he said. Anxiety and depression played no role in the development of psychotic symptoms in mid-life, Lenzenweger added.

The precise causes of illnesses such as schizophrenia are largely unknown, although genetics and brain-based factors are known to play an essential role. Approximately 3.5 million people have the illness in the United States, with an estimated annual healthcare cost of more than $155 billion.

“These new findings point to a specific focus for future research to drill more deeply into the biological factors driving psychotic illness and real-world experiences in the form of perceptual disturbances,” Lenzenweger said. “Understanding the nature of such perceptual aberrations might provide more clues as to what is going on in the development of schizophrenia and other similar conditions.”

The Colorado Recovery treatment model emphasizes the experience of empowerment, the strengthening of social relationships, and overall support for people with schizophrenia to improve all aspects of their lives. Our treatment facility provides the services needed to address schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other serious mental illnesses which are specific to each individual. Call us at 720-218-4068 to discuss treatment options for you or the person you would like to help.

Colorado Recovery has expanded services outside our signature continuum of care. We are now admitting directly into our intensive outpatient program (IOP) clients who may be ready to begin their recovery at the IOP level of care, or for those in the process of stepping down from another program. One of the offerings now available at the IOP level is our employment group.

Meaningful employment is an important aspect of the treatment model originated by our late founder, Richard Warner. Clinical research shows that employment can improve outcomes of mental health treatment. “Several studies have shown that patients discharged from psychiatric hospital who have a job are much less likely to be readmitted to hospital than those who are unemployed, regardless of the patient’s level of pathology,” Dr. Warner wrote The Environment of Schizophrenia. 

“Finding suitable employment for clients as part of their treatment plan is the task of the employment group,” explains relocation counselor Dalma Farkas. “Clients learn and practice social skills which are essential for job searches and placements. Participants receive continued support, assistance, and encouragement—from each other as well—to successfully get back into the labor market.”

Employment support includes helping clients find a job, go back to school, or find volunteer work in the community. The group covers a lot of territory: how to write a stellar resume, how to prepare for a job interview, and how to keep a job.

Farkas usually gets things rolling with a thorough career assessment. “I ask them what they would like to do, what’s their dream job? I inquire about their job record and also find out what didn’t work for them to avoid bad experiences in the future.”

The trick is not to overwhelm clients. “We choose two to three job openings, but not more. We work on the resume to fit the job description. And, of course, we prepare clients for job interviews, going over a lot of possible questions like ‘Where do you see yourself in five years?’ or ‘What is this gap in your resume?’ We prepare at least 20-25 questions.” says Farkas. “They practice every day and when they get the job, we’re not done, either. We check in, ask how it is going, and inquire about the stress levels. Every client is different and has different needs so we need to be attentive and flexible.”

Sometimes, Farkas recommends a short job experience just to practice being in a work environment. Many clients don’t have an extensive employment history, they are typically young people who haven’t had much of a career, so they require quite a bit of help.

“Often, they don’t really know what to do, that’s where I come in,” says Farkas. “They may have tried the wrong job with long shifts that exacerbated their symptoms. We’re using those work experiences to find the right job for them. We avoid stressful, triggering places to avoid a relapse.”

The Warner model is all about empowerment through engagement because if people with mental illness lack a useful social role, they “face lives of profound purposelessness,” as Dr. Warner wrote. Like most of us, they are much healthier if they care passionately about their job. 

“I try to find jobs for our clients that are also their passion,” says Farkas. “Employment that still allows for recreational activities. Not a job that makes them go home exhausted and that makes their symptoms worse. Employment is supposed to improve their health after all.”

Another option is volunteer work. “Most of them have never volunteered before but Boulder offers many fantastic options here, one of my clients recently volunteered at a local museum,” recalls Farkas. “It turned out to be perfect for her—she is the happiest person now.”

For more information about direct admission to our intensive outpatient program or our other services, connect with a specialist who can answer your questions at (720) 218-4068.