Hope for schizophrenia sufferers?
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
When a patient presents with signs of mental problems, a physician will normally reach for a questionnaire or a copy of official mental health classifications from the World Health Organization or American Psychiatric Association. By the time the physician has asked a few questions, the patient will be some way towards a diagnosis. If the doctor suspects schizophrenia, the next step is usually an appointment with a psychiatrist, and it may then take six months of diagnostic work-up to confirm schizophrenia and prescribe the right sort of anti-psychotic drugs or another treatment, such as electro-convulsive therapy.