Read about how early schizophrenia intervention in the prodromal stage changes the nature of the illness.

I’m a big fan of treating individuals in the prodromal stage of schizophrenia.

The anti-psychiatry nonsense that you should want to live in a psychotic state because it’s a natural life experience reinforces stigma.

I say: treat the symptoms immediately to stop the person from becoming permanently disabled. Every other female blogger I’ve followed over the years (one with 500 followers) whose treatment was delayed too long has suffered ongoing damage.

The Harvard Mental Health Letter of November 2008 stated that the earlier you treat schizophrenia with medication, the more likely the drugs will be effective. The longer you wait to get treated, the worse the outcome. The earlier you’re treated, you’ll require a lower dose of medication most likely, offsetting the side effects.

Having symptoms is not a walk in the park. The so-called anti-psychiatry crowd with their “alternatives to psychosis treatment” are engaging in practicing medicine without a license when they claim to have effective “treatments” like taking a psychotic person into a quiet room and talking to them gently.

Early intervention programs that treat individuals who are in the prodromal stage of schizophrenia have proven effective in halting full-blown psychosis and the imminent disability that occurs from delayed treatment. The PIER early intervention program in Maine was started easily 10 years ago and it’s still going strong.

The choice is clear to me: if you have the opportunity to stop the symptoms completely, do this as soon as possible. Pronto. Immediately. Without delay.

Yes: I’m a fan of the medical model: of using medication to treat schizophrenia for individuals that need medication to achieve remission or at least a better shot at recovery.

Taking medication is how I got to be in remission. Research indicates 25 percent of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia can achieve a spontaneous remission without needing to continue medication.

I’m not one of those 25 percent. And if you ask me the goal in schizophrenia treatment should be remission. As a psychiatrist told me years ago: “Total symptom relief is the only acceptable outcome for you, Chris.” He wasn’t kidding.

Being in remission or at least having minimal symptoms is in my estimation as equally important as getting to recovery. I’m not a fan of the current “consumer recovery movement” with its anti-medication zealots advising vulnerable people to accept not taking meds and living with psychosis.

No one I know who went on a drug holiday to discontinue their schizophrenia medication achieved a spontaneous remission. They wound up sicker than ever and doomed to collecting SSI.

This choice is clear to me too: that when you’re able to achieve remission by taking medication the future is wide open. Your life certainly becomes easier than if you have to struggle every day with recurring symptoms. Why suffer “major ongoing episodes” if you don’t have to?

Early intervention:

Yes. Yes. And yes.