New trends in treatment for psychosis
- Lemos Giráldez, Serafín 12
- Vallina Fernández, Oscar 3
- Fernández Iglesias, Purificación 1
- Fonseca Pedrero, Eduardo 12
- Paino Piñeiro, María de las Mercedes 12
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1
Universidad de Oviedo
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2
Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental
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Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental
Madrid, España
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3
Hospital Sierrallana
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ISSN: 1137-9685
Year of publication: 2011
Issue: 15
Pages: 33-47
Type: Article
More publications in: Psychology in Spain
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to summarize current knowledge about pharmacological, psychosocial, and other emerging treatments for psychoses. Although antipsychotic medications are the mainstay of treatment for psychoses, and particularly for schizophrenia, the degree of improvement in positive symptoms is moderate, and they have no demonstrable efficacy against positive enduring or deficit negative symptoms. Indeed, many patients continue to suffer from persistent positive symptoms and relapses, particularly when they fail to adhere to prescribed medications. This underlines the need for additional treatment methods to help patients understand and manage their disorders, alleviate symptoms, improve adherence, social functioning and quality of life, and solve problems that do not fully respond to medication. Nowadays, comprehensive treatment entails a multi-modal approach, including medication, psychotherapy and social treatments (psychoeducation and coping-oriented interventions, cognitive behaviour therapy, cognitive remediation, social skills training and assertive community treatment), as well as assistance with housing and financial support. In the foreseeable future, phase-specific interventions should be applied to the different stages of psychoses.