Paper In New 'Psychosis' Journal Shows Many Patients Do Better Without Psychiatric Drugs

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 02 Mar 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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The first edition of Psychosis: Psychological, Social And Integrative Approaches was published this month. The journal, published by Routledge in the UK, [http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/psychosis] is the official scientific journal of the International Society for the Psychological Treatments of Schizophrenia [http://www.isps.org].

The very first paper, by Dr John Bola of the University of Southern California and three European researchers, reviews the only five studies of what happens when people diagnosed 'schizophrenic' are given psycho-social support instead of anti-psychotic drugs in the first few weeks of treatment. All five found better long-term outcomes than the traditional approach of hospitalization and medication.

Dr Mario Maj - President, World Psychiatric Association:
"Psychosis will be extremely useful not only in providing information on evidence-based psychotherapies and other psychosocial interventions, but also in re-educating all of us about the importance of the psychosocial dimension in the development, persistence and outcome of psychoses."

Dr Paul Fink - Past President, American Psychiatric Association:
"Psychosis is going to be a monumental help to people working with psychosis all over the world. I particularly value the fact that it stresses psychotherapy"

Editor, Dr John Read of the University of Auckland, New Zealand:
"Psychosis fills a gap in the scientific literature, which is currently dominated by a rather simplistic and reductionist bio-genetic model that often seems to be based more on ideology and vested interests than on rigorous research. This approach can lead to a minimization of psychological and social factors and to a damaging pessimism about the probability of recovery."

The journal, which includes first-person accounts from people who experience psychosis, will be one of a tiny minority of mental health journals which will not carry drug company advertisements. Its official international launch will be at the ISPS Congress in Copenhagen in June [http://www.isps2009.ics.dk]

For information about the ISPS visit http://www.isps.org

For information about Psychosis: Psychological, Social and Integrative Approaches visit http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/psychosis

ISPS

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