Treatment

• Drug Therapies


  Most common treatment for schizophrenia involves use of antipsychotic drugs, short or long-term. They are divided into typical and atypical.
• Typical Antipsychotics


  Try to reduce dopamine levels by blocking dopamine receptors in the postsynaptic neuron. The brain will realise the build up and naturally start producing less.

  • Combat positive symptoms
• Typical Antipsychotics


  Chloropromazine

  • Effective sedative
  • Is fast acting
  • Available as tablets, injection or liquid
  • Prescribed doses have declined over the last 50 years
• Atypical Antipsychotics


  Temporarily block dopamine receptors in the postsynaptic neuron, then quickly unblock to allow normal transmission.

  • Aim to improve effectiveness and minimise side effects
  • Combat positive symptoms but also have beneficial effects on negative symptoms
• Atypical Antipsychotics


  Risperidone

  • No serious side effects
  • Is stronger so effective in smaller doses
  • Binds to dopamine and serotonin receptors
• Eval : Strength


  Leucht et al analysed the effectiveness of antipsychotics compared to placebos, and found the drug to be more effective in the treatment of positive and negative symptoms.
• Eval : Weakness


  There are the dangers of side effects is both typical and atypical antipsychotics. Typical antipsychotics include dizziness and weight gain. Atypical antipsychotics include blood clotting. Patients may stop taking their medicine because of side effects reducing effectiveness.
• Eval : Weakness

  Ross and Reid argue that when people are prescribed drugs it reinforces the view that something is wrong with them. It could reduce their motivation to look for solutions. It is reductionist as by only considering biological factors it ignores other possible stressors.