How is psychosis treated?

People with Psychosis are likely to be given medication to alleviate symptoms. It is not possible to know in advance which medication will work best for an individual. Several medication adjustments may be required. This period of trial and error can be difficult for everyone involved.
Some medications may have unpleasant side effects, dry mouth, drowsiness, stiffness or restlessness. However, the newer generation of medications are generally much better tolerated, than the old ones and are generally used as ‘first line’ treatment for young people.

People, families and friends can benefit from learning about psychosis. They should also be directly included in planning the treatment programme. Families should find out what assistance is available in their community, including day programmes, extra help in schools, self–help groups, rehabilitative work and recreational programmes.
It is important for the patient and the family to understand the facts about psychosis, to have every hope for recovery, and to learn how best to manage any residual symptoms.

Since the patient and the family are often under enormous strain, family support should be available from professionals who understand the illness.

If a person has an acute episode of psychosis, they may require hospitalisation. This allows the person to be observed, assessed and if necessary, started on medication under the supervision of trained staff.
The purpose of hospitalisation is to provide proper medical care and protection. Once the person is stabilised and discharged from hospital, regular follow up care will reduce the chance of relapse

It is very important to have plans for education, social activities, recreational, vocational and residential opportunities as part of the treatment plan; they can result in improved outcomes for everyone.

Families can be very effective in supporting each other and in advocating for much needed research, public education and community based programmes. People who have experienced psychosis can also provide consultation and advocacy in these areas, as well as offering peer support to other individuals who have had psychosis.

Recovery from psychosis, as with any illness, requires patience. It is aided by a well balanced diet, adequate sleep and regular exercise. However, side effects from medication may interfere with proper eating, sleeping and exercise habits. There can be appetite loss, lack of motivation and withdrawal from normal daily activity.

Someone who has been ill may still forget to eat, or may become suspicious about food, so supervision of daily routines is sometimes required.

Some of the most recent and hopeful news in psychosis research is emerging from studies in the field of Early Intervention. New studies challenge several long held myths in psychiatry about the inability of people with psychosis to recover. It now appears that such myths, by maintaining an overall pessimism about outcomes, may significantly reduce a persons opportunities fro improvement and/or recovery. After three decades of empirical study, it is now clear that early intervention is an important part of the treatment strategy. Furthermore, the importance of family input for treatment and the benefits of supportive partnerships between clinicians and families are well established.

Families need education, information, coping and communication skills and emotional support. For this reason, a knowledgeable team involve all family members, if possible. Once relationships are established, the team, the person and the family can work together to identify needs and appropriate interventions. Everyone should be able to have realistic yet optimistic expectations about improvement and possible recovery.

Studies show that families and friends who have information and education are supportive and non-judgmental, and, most especially, non-critical and can do much to help recovery. On the other hand, uninformed family members may have volatile reactions that will add to the ill person’s difficulties. Since we now know this, it is important for those who are close to the ill person to assess their coping skills. They need to know if the ill person has some degree of cognitive impairment. If so, treating professionals need to teach them some basic, simple communication techniques and strategies to prevent everyday mis-understandings leading to frustration and stress. Health professions should help families to try to anticipate and adapt to the ups and downs of the illness. Calm assurance, assistance and support from family members and others who care can help the individual towards recovery.