Pharmacological and Psychosocial Treatments in Schizophrenia

Pharmacological and Psychosocial Treatments in Schizophrenia provides a succinct clinical overview of key areas pertinent to the holistic treatment of people with schizophrenia and, in particular, puts firmly back onto the agenda the importance of psychosocial treatments. The latest data concerning the newer antipsychotic agents and clinical guidelines for their use are reviewed. The real emphasis, however, is on the psychosocial interventions for specific aspects of schizophrenia symptomatology and disability that have been shown to offer major benefits to recovery in the disorder, and yet have failed to have a high profile in the literature, as more effective biological treatments have become available. This book offers practical guidance on effective strategies for use in both clinical settings and in the family context, placing the patient (and their family) once again at the centre of therapeutic endeavours. Encouraging professionals to offer a broader therapeutic approach, this book will offer real hope to therapists, patients and families of what can be achieved if psychosocial interventions complement the many psychopharmacological treatments available today. Key topics include: female patients, treatment resistance, the substance abuser patient, family intervention, helping the patient at work, managing violent behaviour, first episode psychosis and rating scales in schizophrenia.