Schizophrenia & Other Psychotic Disorders A Practical Primer

Schizophrenia is a devastating illness that affects well over 20 million people worldwide and is one of the top ten causes of disability in developed countries. Because patients with schizophrenia are encountered in many health care provider settings, a broad range of health practitioners should to be able to recognize schizophrenia and treat it effectively. This book is for the professional trainee and early career mental health worker (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and nurses) and is written to cover in a concise and accessible way what is of immediate and practical relevance to gain familiarity with schizophrenia.

Introduction. What is and is not schizophrenia? Assessment of schizophrenia. Non-illness related factors affecting assessment. Schizophrenia, spirituality and religion. Putting together the (clinical) pieces. Talking to patients and families. Prognostication. Phase-Specific Treatment. Managing symptoms: pharmacological approach. Managing symptoms: psychosocial approaches. Rehabilitation: Road to Recovery. Managing treatment-related complications. Suboptimal Treatment Response. Treatment nonadherence. Managing decompensation and relapse. Suicide and Violence. Achieving Recovery. History of schizophrenia. Who gets schizophrenia and why? Neurobiology of schizophrenia. What does the future hold? Appendices. Glossary of terms. Medications used in treating schizophrenia. Bibliography. Sources of help and information