Schizophrenia Resources and Organizations

Having a good support system is important when living with schizophrenia. Reaching out to family members and friends is an excellent start toward building your support system.

Sharing with people who have had similar experiences may help you gain a greater understanding of your illness.

It may also be helpful to join an outside schizophrenia support group. Sharing with people who have had similar experiences may help you gain a greater understanding of your illness.

Below is a list of helpful schizophrenia support groups and resources for you to consider.

Homelessness Resource Center

http://www.nrchmi.samhsa.gov

An interactive community of providers, consumers, policymakers, researchers, and public agencies at federal, state, and local levels, the Homelessness Resource Center shares state-of-the art knowledge and promising practices to prevent and end homelessness through training and technical assistance, publications and materials, online learning opportunities, and networking and collaboration.

MedlinePlus

http://medlineplus.gov

MedlinePlus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, and other government agencies and health-related organizations. Preformulated MEDLINE searches are included in MedlinePlus and provide easy access to references to medical journal articles. MedlinePlus also has extensive information about drugs and supplements, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, the latest health news, and surgery videos.

Mental Health America (MHA)

2000 N. Beauregard Street, 6th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311
800-969-6MHA (6642)

www.nmha.org

Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association) is dedicated to helping people live mentally healthier lives. With more than 320 affiliates nationwide, MHA represents a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of the nation—every day and in times of crisis.

NARSAD: The Mental Health Research Association

60 Cutter Mill Road, Suite 404
Great Neck, NY 11021
800-829-8289

www.narsad.org

Originally incorporated in 1981 as the American Schizophrenia Foundation, NARSAD: The Mental Health Research Association was formed by 3 leading national mental health organizations. In addition to funding research about schizophrenia and depression, NARSAD funds psychiatric brain research in many areas, such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201
800-950-NAMI (6264)

www.nami.org

NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness, and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has become the nation’s voice on mental illness. NAMI has affiliates in every state and in more than 1,100 local communities across the country. NAMI members and friends work to fulfill its mission by providing support, education, and advocacy.

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)

10400 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 500
Kensington, MD 20895-3944
1-800-896-3650

http://www.nfcacares.org/

The National Family Caregivers Association educates, supports, empowers and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness or disability or the frailties of old age. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of diagnoses, relationships, and life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers.

National Hopeline Network

800-SUICIDE (800-784-2433)

www.hopeline.com

The Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KHC) and its primary program, the National Hopeline Network, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to suicide prevention, intervention, and healing. The organization accomplishes this by: providing a single point of entry to community-based crisis services through innovative telephony and internet-based technologies; bringing national attention and access to services for postpartum depression and other women's mood disorders; through education and advocacy; through formal research and evaluation of crisis line services; and championing the need for national funding for community-based suicide prevention crisis services.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Public Information and Communications Branch
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
866-615-6464

www.nimh.nih.gov

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is one of 27 components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the federal government's principal biomedical and behavioral research agency. NIH is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The NIMH mission is to reduce the burden of mental illness and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. This public health mandate demands that the institute harness powerful scientific tools to achieve better understanding, treatment, and eventually, prevention of these disabling conditions that affect millions of Americans.

The Schizophrenia Home Page

http://www.schizophrenia.com

Started in 1995, Schizophrenia.com is a leading nonprofit Web community dedicated to providing high quality information, support and education to the family members, caregivers and individuals whose lives have been impacted by schizophrenia.

The COPE Program

www.CopingWithMentalIllness.com

The COPE Program is an educational tool that provides practical and useful information for understanding and coping with mental illness on a day-to-day basis. The COPE Program also helps people who are dealing with mental illness learn to regain footing in their lives by preparing them to live on their own and reenter the workforce.


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The information on this Web site should not take the place of talking with your doctor or health care professional about how to manage and treat schizophrenia. If you have any questions about your condition, or if you would like more information about SEROQUEL XR, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Only you and your doctor can decide if SEROQUEL XR is right for you.

Important Safety Information About SEROQUEL XR

This is not a complete summary of safety information. Please discuss the full Prescribing Information with your health care provider.

SEROQUEL XR is a once daily tablet approved to treat schizophrenia.

Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis (having lost touch with reality due to confusion and memory loss) treated with this type of medicine are at an increased risk of death, compared to placebo (sugar pill). SEROQUEL XR is not approved for treating these patients.

Antidepressants have increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults. Patients of all ages starting treatment should be watched closely for worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, unusual changes in behavior, agitation, and irritability. Families and caregivers should watch patients daily and report these symptoms immediately to the physician. SEROQUEL XR is not approved to treat depression. SEROQUEL XR is not approved for patients under the age of 18 years.

  • High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with SEROQUEL XR and medicines like it. If you have diabetes or risk factors such as obesity or a family history of diabetes, ask your doctor about checking your blood sugar before starting SEROQUEL XR and regularly throughout treatment. If you develop symptoms of high blood sugar or diabetes, such as excessive thirst or hunger, increased urination, or weakness, contact your doctor. Complications from diabetes can be serious and even life threatening
  • A rare, but potentially fatal, side effect reported with SEROQUEL XR and medicines like it is neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Tell your doctor if you have very high fever; rigid muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness because treatment should be stopped if you have NMS
  • Another serious side effect reported with SEROQUEL XR and medicines like it is tardive dyskinesia (TD)—uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, or other parts of the body. TD may become permanent, and the risk of TD is believed to increase as the length of time on and the amount of these medications increase. While TD can develop in patients taking low doses for short periods, this is much less common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away partially or completely if treatment is stopped
  • Before starting treatment, tell your doctor if you have high cholesterol or have a history of, or are at risk for, seizures or a low white blood cell (WBC) count. An eye exam for cataracts is recommended at the beginning of treatment and every 6 months thereafter. During treatment, tell your doctor if you feel dizzy or lightheaded upon standing. Suicidal thoughts or actions may occur in schizophrenia; tell your doctor if you have thoughts about death or suicide. Since drowsiness has been reported with SEROQUEL XR, you should not participate in activities such as driving or operating machinery until you know that you can do so safely. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking SEROQUEL XR because SEROQUEL XR increases the effects of alcohol. Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated while taking SEROQUEL XR
  • Common side effects: The most common side effects are dry mouth, constipation, upset stomach, sedation, drowsiness, dizziness, and a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing

Talk to your doctor about prescription SEROQUEL XR.
Click here to see Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warnings.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 

This product information is intended for US audiences only.
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