Schizophrenia

Prevention

Schizophrenia cannot be prevented. However, there are measures that can be taken to prevent schizophrenic relapses. Although antipsychotic medications can provide effective relief from the symptoms of schizophrenia, at least 50% of people with schizophrenia will suffer one or more relapses within one year.

One of the major reasons that people relapse is because they stop taking their medication. This may be because they experience inconvenient and distressing side effects, or because they do not fully understand the importance of their treatment. People with schizophrenia, and their families, should be given extensive and well-prepared information to enable them to fully understand the nature of the symptoms of schizophrenia, the course of the disease and the importance of taking their medication.