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Page 2
have schizophrenia and that I was on the wrong medication. It took another two or three years before I sort of
accepted I had schizophrenia.
Lucky for me the antipsychotic medication seemed to have no effect whatsoever and I was willing to keep
taking it to keep my psychiatrist happy. Many people, unconvinced they have schizophrenia are extremely
reluctant to take a medication that for them is worse then the supposed illness itself. The side effects of the
older conventional medications were more then just unpleasant, they could be quite frightening. I was also
lucky that my father is a physician - I had some faith in the medical profession. I liked seeing my
psychiatrist because he was virtually the only intelligent person I got to talk with.
Compliance was very difficult with the conventional medications like Haldol, and is already much better with the advent of atypicals. Some governments still won't allow people to start treatment on an atypical, unable to appreciate that atypicals save money in the long run in spite of their cost. After a bad experience with something like Haldol, people are often unwilling to take any antipsychotic or to ever see a psychiatrist again. Trying to convince someone that they have a long term disabling mental illness can be counterproductive. To be told you have to give up your hopes, dreams and ambitions can be unacceptable and people can respond by simply refusing treatment. The stigma of schizophrenia doesn't help either. It is much easier to convince someone they have schizophrenia if they recover fairly well on medication, especially if they naturally adapt to what is a only a slight disability. The only time this is possible is at the first psychotic episode. The solution to both insight and compliance is a focus of resources on the first psychotic episode using atypical medications. The response to medication is best during the first psychotic episode. A good recovery facilitates insight, and helps assure compliance. An individual is also better able to adapt to a less disabling disease. Many people in society are adapting to slightly disabling diseases that require daily medication. Their father may have high blood pressure, a cousin may have Crohn's disease, an uncle may have diabetes. With atypical medication, family support and trust in their physician, the next generation can hopefully avoid the devastating deterioration caused by lack of insight and poor compliance. At the moment though, lack of insight and noncompliance are the major barriers to relief from schizophrenia.
The copyright of the article Insight and Compliance - Shaping the Future - Page 2 in Schizophrenia is owned by . Permission to republish Insight and Compliance - Shaping the Future - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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