How about treatments other than medication?
Although medication can help alleviate psychotic symptoms, patients also need a lot of mental support to help with their process of healing. Depending on different situations, patients have their own unique needs. Many patients lose confidence in themselves or worry about the future; some also feel anxious about interacting with other people, or even refuse to face their situation because of societal labels and prejudices. Other than medication, psychosocial therapy can also help patients to overcome these difficulties.
Psychosocial therapy can provide help to patients in the following aspects:
• Gain knowledge about psychosis and relevant therapies
• Learn to think positively and manage stress
• Increase awareness and learn to manage possible relapses
• Enhance social skills and learn to manage social anxiety
• Establish communities and receive emotional support
• Discover talents and boost self-confidence
• Re-evaluate self-expectations and needs
• Learn to prevent relapses
• Rebuild and adapt to patterns of life
Psychosocial therapy can be divided into individual or group therapy. Different professionals, such as social workers, nurses, professional therapist or clinical psychologists can help plan the period and details of the therapy of the patient according to their stage of onset and situation. Therapy methods include counseling, psychological education, cognitive behavioral therapy and life navigation etc. These therapeutical methods can help integrate these ideas into patients’ daily lives, and hopefully help the patients regain confidence to return to work or school.
For information on organisations which provide the above services, click here.