Tips from ODSW February 2016: Caregiver's Guide to Psychosis | Page 10

TREATMENT OF PSYCHOSIS:
MEDICATION
WHAT ARE
ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATIONS?
Antipsychotic medications act against the symptoms mentioned in the
previous page. These medications cannot “cure” the illness, but they
can take away many of the symptoms or make them milder. In some
cases, they can shorten the course of an episode of the illness as well.

IMPORTANCE OF
ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION
CORRECTS AND MAINTAINS CHEMICAL
IMBALANCE IN THE BRAIN
REDUCES THE INTENSITY OF PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS
REDUCES NEED FOR HOSPITALISATION
CHANCES OF RELAPSE IS REDUCED WITH
REGULAR ADHERENCE
SEVERITY OF RELAPSE IS REDUCED
SPEEDS UP TREATMENT OF RELAPSE
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