Schizophrenia (PDF)

This text provides a person-centered approach to helping individuals with schizophrenia meet their personal goals.The approach is strongly influenced by the "recovery" model. This model emphasizes a respect for an individual's ability to participate in decision-making about their illness and an appreciation that people can achieve many of their personal goals even when their illness is only partially controlled. There is also an emphasis on the diversity of individuals with schizophrenia.That is, although many people with this illness are severely disabled with limitations in their abilities to work or to function socially, others manage to function at a high level with successful careers and rich social and family relationships.

The book is organized into chapters that focus on common treatment situations including the acutely psychotic individual; the first episode of psychosis; the partial responder; the individual with schizophrenia and substance use problems as well as children and the elderly. Each of these situations presents itself with unique stages of treatment and emphasizes that each stage has unique challenges regarding evaluating an individual and his or her problems and selecting interventions. For each clinical situation, pharmacological as well as psychosocial approaches are described.

This book also recognizes that helping people with schizophrenia often requires a diverse group of treatment providers including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, clinical pharmacists, case managers and others. Individuals from all of these disciplines are likely to find this volume interesting and useful.