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Antipsychotic medication
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Medication prescribed for psychotic illness, often called neuroleptic medication.
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| Atypical Antipsychotics |
Relatively new medications which claim to treat positive and negative symptoms and have fewer side effects. They are more expensive than older neuroleptic drugs.
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| Care Programme Approach (CPA) |
A written plan of care after collaboration between the client, family and professionals involved in treatment and recovery. A keyworker is responsible for co-ordinoting the plan of care.
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| Cognitive problems |
Difficulties with perception, attention or memory.
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| Cognitive therapy |
A collaborative treatment which supports a person in reviewing thoughts or attitudes which impede recovery.
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| Comorbidity |
Having symptoms of two or more diagnoses e.g. psychosis and substance misuse.
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| Critical period |
The first 3 years of a psychotic illness which is the optimal time for interventions and influences the long-term course of illness.
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| Keyworker |
A service providing practitioner who has most contact with the client and co-ordinates care.
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| Negative Symptoms |
Symptoms of a psychotic illness affecting energy and emotion e.g. lack of activity, loss of interest. May be wrongly attributed to “laziness”.
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| Positive Symptoms |
Symptoms of a psychotic illness which affect perception e.g. hallucinations and delusions.
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| Prodromal Period |
A period prior to the onset of positive psychotic symptoms associated with a change in the person’s functioning or personality e.g. social withdrawal.
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Prophylaxis
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Preventative treatment e.g. continuing to take antipsychotic medication when not experiencing symptoms to avoid relapse.
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| Psychoeducation |
Explaining about the cause, nature and treatment of symptoms of mental Illness, including medication and ways of keeping well.
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| Psychosis |
The name given to an experience where a person has unusual perceptions e.g. hallucinations, delusions which may be accompanied by a reduced ability to cope with usual daily routines.
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| Psychosocial Interventions |
Self-help interventions aimed at identifying helpful and unhelpful environmental factors which may influence wellbeing e.g. dealing with anxiety-provoking situations, increasing pleasurable activities.
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