The involvement of family members in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia

Opinion statement Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic, and disabling mental disorder characterized by a distinct cluster of symptoms. A variety of treatment approaches have been used, including antipsychotic medication, functioning rehabilitation, and family psychoeducation. Antipsychotic medications are effective in relieving schizophrenic symptoms, but its discontinuation often results in high relapse rates. Literature showed that family intervention in functioning rehabilitation is helpful for the schizophrenia patients. In addition, family psychoeducation is useful to rebuild the confidence of patients and their family members in an optimal way and enable them to cope with the illness together. It is known that family is the fundamental caregiver and provides important physical and mental support to the patients. Ongoing research into the role of family members in the treatment of schizophrenia is being conducted, and there are a number of literatures showing the advantages of family members participating in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research