Our Services
At Mount Sinai, we have special expertise in helping patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Our highly trained psychiatrists and psychologists offer compassionate, comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. We offer expert treatment through:
- Outpatient services: We offer a range of treatment options, including psychotherapy and medication management.
- Inpatient psychiatric services: While staying in the hospital, patients can receive individual therapeutic medication (psychopharmacology), as well as individual and group psychotherapy.
- Psychiatric emergency room: Dedicated psychiatric emergency room doctors provide immediate evaluation and stabilization for patients in crisis.
When working with patients with psychotic disorders, our team of specialists emphasizes:
- Controlling symptoms: Reducing the severity of symptoms and the distress that they cause
- Maintaining physical well-being: Providing guidance and advice about diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices
- Enhancing functioning: Supporting skill development to enhance interpersonal, academic, and work functioning
Antipsychotic Medications
Antipsychotic medications are an important way we control symptoms and prevent relapses. Often, though, they cause side effects. Our psychiatrists prescribe the medication that is most effective in reducing symptoms while causing minimal side effects. Each patient responds differently to an antipsychotic medication. We carefully monitor the patient’s reaction to determine the right medication for them.
Common side effects include:
- Rigid muscles
- Weight gain
- Abnormalities in blood sugar and lipids
- Endocrine problems
- Sexual dysfunction
Some antipsychotic medications may cause drowsiness, increased heart rate, and reduced blood pressure. Side effects are often strongest at first. We do all we can to minimize side effects. In most cases, we are able to find acceptable alternatives should problems occur.
Psychotherapy and Psychosocial Interventions
Our psychologists offer cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp), an evidence-based form of psychotherapy, or talk therapy, which has been shown to be effective in treating individuals experiencing psychosis and related problems.
Innovative Research
Our goal is to improve treatment outcomes for our patients. At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, our researchers work to identify risk factors for psychosis. They also develop novel approaches to prevent and treat these conditions. We endeavor to identify the genetic origins and the biology underlying affective psychotic disorders. We also work to develop cognitive, affective, and behavioral interventions targeting key symptoms and features of psychosis.