Early intervention in psychosis : a guide to concepts, evidence and interventions

Schizophrenia has far too long been regarded as a chronic malignant illness with an aura of pessimism surrounding its management.

However, the early recognition and treatment of psychosis - particularly in adolescents and young adults - is increasingly accepted as an important factor in the individual experience of mental illness, which can have major implications for mental health care and provision Early intervention in psychosis is a new approach which has caught the imagination of the psychiatric community.

This book covers the main methods of treatment, including drugs, CBT and family intervention.

It challenges the pessimism surrounding psychotic illnesses and argues that vigorous intervention in the early phase of psychosis can limit, or even prevent, later difficulty.