Treating psychosis involves education, medication, close monitoring
of symptoms, stress management and creating a strong, supportive
environment.
These treatments all help to speed up the recovery process and
promote good quality of life for both the person and the family.
Education
Becoming educated about psychosis is an important part of treatment
because it allows the person and family to understand the experience
of psychosis and what to expect with the treatments that are recommended.
Medication
Medication is an important part of the treatment of psychosis.
It relieves symptoms of psychosis and is critical in preventing
relapse. There are many different medications available to treat
psychosis. These medications are called antipsychotics (or sometimes
neuroleptics).
The antipsychotic medications are usually divided into two categories:
- Typical antipsychotics which include haloperidol, loxapine and
many others
- Atypical antipsychotics which include risperidone, olanzapine,
quetiapine, ziprasidone and clozapine
There are also other medications that are sometimes used along
with antipsychotics, depending on the symptoms. For example, antidepressants
or mood stabilizers may be used for problems with mood.
Handling side-effects
 Antipsychotics differ in terms of side effects. Many side effects
diminish over time and some people do not experience any side effects.
Atypical antipsychotics are usually tried first, as they have fewer
side effects.
Some common side effects of the atypical antipsychotics include
tiredness, dry mouth, blurred vision and weight gain.
Mental health professionals need to closely monitor for side effects,
and if bothersome side effects develop, they may recommend a lower
dose, or add a medication to reduce them, or try an alternative
medication. Mental health professionals may also work with a person
by helping cope better (eg. chewing gum for dry mouth; walking more
to avoid weight gain).
Stress
management and coping skills
Stress can worsen a person's symptoms and ability to function.
Managing stress starts with learning to recognize stress. Stress
symptoms include many mental, social and physical changes. Common
symptoms of stress include feelings of exhaustion and fatigue, irritability
or anxiety, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, headaches and/or
muscle tension in the back and neck. Increased use of alcohol and/or
drugs may also be a sign of poor coping. Each person's response
to stress is unique.
By anticipating stress, a person can prepare for it and work out
how to control it when it happens. Some ways to reduce stress include:
- Relaxation
- Realistic thinking
- Time management and organization
- Reducing responsibilities and obligations
Other strategies include regular exercise, eating and sleeping
well and goal-setting. Different stress strategies work better for
some people than others. Therefore, trying out a number will help
to figure out what works best.
Support
groups
Having the support of groups can be very beneficial. Groups provide
a safe environment to meet with others who have been through similar
experiences. Groups offer education about psychosis through videos,
presentations, written material and discussion. They are also a
great way to learn and be positive about recovery.
What about counselling/therapy?
Having someone to talk to is an important part of treatment. The
exact method may vary to suit the individual and the phase of the
psychotic episode. A person with acute psychotic symptoms may simply
want to know there is someone who can understand their experience
and provide reassurance that they will recover. As the recovery
phase progresses, people may ask "why me" and want to
learn practical ways to prevent further episodes, such as stress
management and early recognition of warning signs. Counselling or
therapy can take place on an individual basis or in groups.
Relapse
prevention
Many of the treatments offered are important to help prevent a
reoccurrence of psychosis (called a "relapse"). Taking
medication as prescribed, education and learning how to manage stress
will all help prevent relapse.
In addition, becoming educated about the early warning signs of
relapse and developing a plan of action if these occur, can help
thwart or reduce the severity of relapse.
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