Pharmacological and Psychosocial Treatments in Schizophrenia


Book Description

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.




A Guide To Treatments that Work


Book Description

A fully revised and updated edition of this unique and authoritative reference The award-winning A Guide to Treatments that Work , published in 1998, was the first book to assemble the numerous advances in both clinical psychology and psychiatry into one accessible volume. It immediately established itself as an indispensable reference for all mental health practitioners. Now in a fully updated edition,A Guide to Treatments that Work, Second Edition brings together, once again, a distinguished group of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists to take stock of which treatments and interventions actually work, which don't, and what still remains beyond the scope of our current knowledge. The new edition has been extensively revised to take account of recent drug developments and advances in psychotherapeutic interventions. Incorporating a wealth of new information, these eminent researchers and clinicians thoroughly review all available outcome data and clinical trials and provide detailed specification of methods and procedures to ensure effective treatment for each major DSM-IV disorder. As an interdisciplinary work that integrates information from both clinical psychology and psychiatry, this new edition will continue to serve as an essential volume for practitioners of every kind: psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, counselors, and mental health consultants.




Psychosocial Interventions for Mental and Substance Use Disorders


Book Description

Mental health and substance use disorders affect approximately 20 percent of Americans and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although a wide range of evidence-based psychosocial interventions are currently in use, most consumers of mental health care find it difficult to know whether they are receiving high-quality care. Although the current evidence base for the effects of psychosocial interventions is sizable, subsequent steps in the process of bringing a psychosocial intervention into routine clinical care are less well defined. Psychosocial Interventions for Mental and Substance Use Disorders details the reasons for the gap between what is known to be effective and current practice and offers recommendations for how best to address this gap by applying a framework that can be used to establish standards for psychosocial interventions. The framework described in Psychosocial Interventions for Mental and Substance Use Disorders can be used to chart a path toward the ultimate goal of improving the outcomes. The framework highlights the need to (1) support research to strengthen the evidence base on the efficacy and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions; (2) based on this evidence, identify the key elements that drive an intervention's effect; (3) conduct systematic reviews to inform clinical guidelines that incorporate these key elements; (4) using the findings of these systematic reviews, develop quality measures - measures of the structure, process, and outcomes of interventions; and (5) establish methods for successfully implementing and sustaining these interventions in regular practice including the training of providers of these interventions. The recommendations offered in this report are intended to assist policy makers, health care organizations, and payers that are organizing and overseeing the provision of care for mental health and substance use disorders while navigating a new health care landscape. The recommendations also target providers, professional societies, funding agencies, consumers, and researchers, all of whom have a stake in ensuring that evidence-based, high-quality care is provided to individuals receiving mental health and substance use services.




Psychotherapy of Schizophrenia


Book Description

Inevitably, every psychotherapist has some experience with severely disturbed patients. Consequently, they will turn with excitement to this important new book which is a stunning attempt by two knowledgeable, persevering psychotherapists to present their understanding and sound therapeutic approach to these difficult and challenging patients. The authors argue that the treatment of choice is clearly psychotherapy and that such treatment can be successful and as long lasting for schizophrenic patients as it is for neurotic patients, but the journey may be longer and it may take more time to traverse.The task of therapy is to untangle the past from the present to make the future conceivable. The volume provides a thorough historical overview of the theoretical and clinical approaches to the problem of schizophrenia, including the views of leading contemporary clinicians on the topic. In general, the major clinical controversies have been regarded as issues of whether to focus on past, present or future; reality or fantasy; affects; exploration or relationship; whether the therapist should be active or passive; and how to handle regression. The authors argue that these are the wrong issues. They say that the task of therapy is to untangle the past from the present to make the future conceivable. Reality and fantasy are intertwined and must both be dealt with. Affects are central to all therapy, and emphasis on anger, despair, loneliness, terror, and shame are all necessary, as is the clarification of affect, and the acceptance of positive affect. Activity versus passivity is again in the wrong question; the right one is what action is helpful, when it is helpful, and when is not doing anything helpful? Regression is inevitable; should one accept it fully or try to limit it? This has no general answer other than do what is necessary (i.e., unavoidable) or most helpful to a particular patient at a particular time.




Psychological Interventions in Early Psychosis


Book Description

Psychological Interventions in Early Psychosis provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging research and clinical evidence base for psychological treatments across the phases of early psychosis. Beginning with identified at-risk young people, the text continues through to those in acute and recovery phases, to the needs of patients with persistent symptoms. This practical treatment handbook: draws upon the expertise of several internationally recognised clinical and research programs integrates reviews of the relevant research literature with illustrative case examples covers critical issues for the clinician in focal chapters on suicide prevention, comorbid cannabis abuse, and family work describes several modalities of treatment, such as multi-family psychoeducation, group work, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches. Specialist early psychosis services are developing rapidly worldwide. Psychological Interventions in Early Psychosis will be an essential resource for clinicians and service leaders alike.







Cognitive-Behavioral Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia


Book Description

This unique manual presents cognitive-behavioral social skills training (CBSST), a step-by-step, empirically supported intervention that helps clients with schizophrenia achieve recovery goals related to living, learning, working, and socializing. CBSST interweaves three evidence-based practices--cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, and problem-solving training--and can be delivered in individual or group contexts. Highly user friendly, the manual includes provider scripts, teaching tools, and engaging exercises and activities. Reproducible consumer workbooks for each module include skills summaries and worksheets. The large-size format facilitates photocopying; purchasers also get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials. Listed in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices




Recovering the US Mental Healthcare System


Book Description

This is a vital resource for anyone looking to better support people with psychosis and serious mental illnesses.




Innovations in the Psychological Management of Schizophrenia


Book Description

Offers practical guidance for those who desire to develop and enhance their skills in new treatment and intervention approaches. Coverage includes family intervention and network support, early warning signals to anticipate and regulate relapse, numerous techniques to manage challenging behavior, motivational and emotional deficits, and improving skills for daily living. Focusing on the need to integrate these developments into ongoing clinical practice, a section is devoted to models of service delivery, particularly the marriage of psychosocial interventions and systems for care of the long-term mentally ill such as case management.




CBT for Psychosis


Book Description

This book offers a new approach to understanding and treating psychotic symptoms using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT for Psychosis shows how this approach clears the way for a shift away from a biological understanding and towards a psychological understanding of psychosis. Stressing the important connection between mental illness and mental health, further topics of discussion include: the assessment and formulation of psychotic symptoms how to treat psychotic symptoms using CBT CBT for specific and co-morbid conditions CBT of bipolar disorders. This book brings together international experts from different aspects of this fast developing field and will be of great interest to all mental health professionals working with people suffering from psychotic symptoms.