October 11, 2005

Early Treatment Confirmed as Optimal for Best Outcome

A new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry (October, 2005) confirms that studies have increasingly been showing the past few years - the the early that someone who is starting to show symptoms of schizophrenia, gets treatment - the better the outcome for that person.

In the study, Dr. Perkins and colleagues combined the data from 43 different studies addressing the question: "Does prolonged duration of untreated psychosis influence outcome?"

They report, as have other studies on this topic over the past few years, that the greater the interval between the onset of psychosis and its treatment, the greater the severity of negative symptoms.

"On average, there is a delay of over a year -- or longer -- from the time that the symptoms of schizophrenia first emerge to the time that the person first receives treatment," Perkins told Reuters Health. "The main result of this meta-analysis," she added, "is that the sooner treatment is started, the better the clinical and functional outcome."

A shorter duration of untreated psychosis was associated with greater response to standard antipsychotic treatment.

Thus, "ameliorating the symptoms of the initial psychosis may not only lessen the immediate suffering and burden of disease experienced by patients and their families," Perkins said, "but may also improve long-term prognosis by limiting progression of the illness and preserving a person's ability to respond to antipsychotic medication."

Click on the Following link for a listing of the World's Schizophrenia & Psychosis Early Diagnosis and Treatment Centers

Source: Relationship between duration of untreated psychosis and outcome in first-episode schizophrenia: a critical review and meta-analysis, Perkins DO, Gu H, Boteva K, Lieberman JA.



Comments

I developed schizophrenia in my early 30s and within two years I was on medication. I have NO symptoms. I am on 120 mgs of Geodon and have been on medication for 3 years.

Occasionally I get insomnia and if I do sleep during insomnia it is short periods and I have schizophrenic dreams. Other than insomnia maybe once every two months, I have no negative or positve symptoms.

I can testify that getting treated early is the best way to go.

Posted by: Steve Lister at October 12, 2005 03:03 PM

can u please send me close information about psychotic episode,symptons and the best treatments and medication for it.thank u

Posted by: beata at August 17, 2006 11:26 AM

I had a gradual onset of schizophrenia when I was 14 years old. Thanks to early treatment, I can say that I have few negative symptoms of the disease.

Posted by: Lindsay de la rosa at August 28, 2006 01:52 PM

i would like more info.. free early screening.. thanks

Posted by: Erica Lopez at March 13, 2007 12:06 PM

Would you please send some information to me about parionoid sczhophrenia I would be more appreciated Thank you

Posted by: vanessa at May 22, 2007 04:30 PM

I am suffering from schizophrenia since two year.i want to know scientest made new druge or technology search or not if yes then write me.

Posted by: jignesh at May 30, 2007 08:43 AM

My brother in law is suffered from this disease, he is 32 and recently ,he has been diagnosed with this disease, he become voilent at home and got angry very often

Posted by: AJAZ at August 27, 2007 03:52 AM

I have a 16 and half year old step-son he suffers from ADHD, Bi-Polar, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, paranoid psychotic, dilusional, and now has been diagnosed as sczhoprenic at the RTC where he resides. He has attempted suicide several times and hears voices in his head! He is violent when he doesn't get his way and has been in and out of mental treatment centers since he was 13. The RTC is set to release him in one week because my health carrier refuses to pay for another week (he has been in for 4 weeks now). The medical doctors (psychiatrists) have said he is incurable, but can be stabilized if he stays on his medication. The problem is he will not voluntarily take his meds when he is suppose to. It is then that he "acts" out and makes our lives miserable.
He is highly intelligent child with a high IQ and makes straight A's in highschool. I suspect he also suffers from Asperger's syndrome. What is wrong with the medical health care insurance industry? How can some bureaucrat in the huge Blue Cross company veto the pleas from three or four medical psychiatrists with a stack of documentation of this poor boy's affliction. The bureaucrat says the boy only needs family councilling!
Sight unseen and they can make that ridiculous diagnosis? We have been to so many family counsellings that it was a waste of time!
The boy is clever, manipulative, and cunning. He tells them what they want to hear so that he can get out from under. He's intelligent, but thank God he lacks common sense or he would be very dangerous. He is also has been diagnosed as a socio-pathe and a sexual offender. Addiction to pornography too. He is an adoptive child from Romania (from one of those terrible orphanages)- he has a younger half brother who is a half wit at 13 years old, but the mind of a 2 year old. The boys natural mother in Romania has been in and out of mental hospitals for years.
She was raped each time while in the institutions. You think genetics has a say in this? Interested in any feed back!

Posted by: James at June 6, 2008 11:53 AM

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