Antipsychotics. Antipsychotic medicines are usually recommended as the first treatment for psychosis. They work by blocking the effect of dopamine, a chemical that transmits messages in the brain.
Atypical Antipsychotics
These medications, including quetiapine, risperidone, and aripiprazole, are generally prescribed because they pose a lower risk of certain serious side effects than conventional antipsychotics.
Medications available in this class include risperidone (Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel), olanzapine (Zyprexa), ziprasidone (Zeldox), paliperidone (Invega), aripiprazole (Abilify) and clozapine (Clozaril).
Among typical antipsychotics, haloperidol is the drug of choice in the rapid tranquilization setting.
Psychosis can be treated, and many people make a good recovery, especially if they get help early. Treatment may be recommended either on an outpatient basis or in hospital. It usually consists of medication and psychosocial interventions (e.g., counselling).
Psychosis can also be triggered by traumatic experiences, stress, or physical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, a brain tumour, or as a result of drug misuse or alcohol misuse. How often a psychotic episode occurs and how long it lasts can depend on the underlying cause.
An episode of psychosis is treatable, and it is possible to recover. It is widely accepted that the earlier people get help the better the outcome. 25% of people who develop psychosis will never have another episode, another 50% may have more than one episode but will be able to live normal lives.
While not a certainty, long‐term antipsychotic treatment is a very common outcome for people with schizophrenia.
More than seventy years after its discovery, lithium remains the most effective medication in all of psychiatry, with a response rate of more than 70% for patients with bipolar disorder. It also has useful applications in the treatment of unipolar depressions.
Some people need to keep taking it long term. If you have only had one psychotic episode and you have recovered well, you would normally need to continue treatment for 1–2 years after recovery. If you have another psychotic episode, you may need to take antipsychotic medication for longer, up to 5 years.
You should not dismiss, minimize, or argue with the person about their delusions or hallucinations. Similarly, do not act alarmed, horrified, or embarrassed by such delusions or hallucinations. You should not laugh at the person's symptoms of psychosis.
Eight hours of sleep, and less distracting activities. Meditation can also assist in relaxation. Clearing your head of any thoughts that can cause the mind to wander may prevent an episode of psychosis. Find a quiet place to close your eyes and quiet your mind every day to relieve yourself of any negative emotions.
In fact, many medical experts today believe there is potential for all individuals to recover from psychosis, to some extent. Experiencing psychosis may feel like a nightmare, but being told your life is over after having your first episode is just as scary.
Apart from clozapine, the following two drugs—aripiprazole and paliperidone—have been shown to be most effective, whereas quetiapine, ziprasidone and haloperidol displayed a relatively short time to discontinuation.
This first antipsychotic drug, chlorpromazine, was first developed as a “tranquilizer.” Its usefulness for treating psychosis was recognized by accident. It was found to decrease positive symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorder.
“What we do know is that during an episode of psychosis, the brain is basically in a state of stress overload,” says Garrett. Stress can be caused by anything, including poor physical health, loss, trauma or other major life changes. When stress becomes frequent, it can affect your body, both physically and mentally.
Clozapine and olanzapine have the safest therapeutic effect, while the side effect of neutropenia must be controlled by 3 weekly blood controls. If schizophrenia has remitted and if patients show a good compliance, the adverse effects can be controlled.
When people who are prescribed antipsychotics for psychotic disorders stop taking them, some relapse, meaning that their psychosis returns. However, some patients are able to sustain a psychosis-free existence after the cessation of antipsychotics.
You may find it's possible to manage your symptoms, or to make a full recovery, without medication. If you are taking antipsychotics, you may also want to use other options to support your mental health, as well as your medication.
The most common psychotic disorder is schizophrenia. This illness causes behavior changes, delusions and hallucinations that last longer than six months and affect social interaction, school and work.
Some people will recover from the psychosis very quickly and be ready to return to their life and responsibilities soon after. Other individuals will need time to respond to treatment and may need to return to their responsibilities more gradually. Recovery from the first episode usually takes a number of months.