NY Times: Talk Therapy Found to Ease Schizophrenia

This looks like a hugely significant story. Let’s see if we can keep from getting this thread locked this time around.

"More than two million people in the United States have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and the treatment for most of them mainly involves strong doses of antipsychotic drugs that blunt hallucinations and delusions but can come with unbearable side effects, like severe weight gain or debilitating tremors.

"Now, results of a landmark government-funded study call that approach into question. The findings, from by far the most rigorous trial to date conducted in the United States, concluded that schizophrenia patients who received a bigger emphasis on one-on-one talk therapy and family support made greater strides in recovery over the first two years of treatment than patients who got the usual drug-focused care. …

Correction: October 23, 2015
An article on Tuesday about a study of the treatment of first-episode schizophrenia referred incorrectly to the conclusions of the study. Though it studied a program intended to reduce medication dosages, the researchers do not yet know for sure if dosages were lowered or by how much. Therefore, the study did not conclude “that schizophrenia patients who received smaller doses of antipsychotic medication and a bigger emphasis on one-on-one talk therapy and family support made greater strides in recovery.” (The study did conclude that the alternative treatment program as a whole led to better outcomes.)

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**My sister just sent this article to me today. It sounds wonderful, and makes sense.
Now-if I could just get my son to agree…
We need to pass Lauras law here in Ky.** I am always praying that a third party will open my son up. He doesnt want to hear from me.

I would scarcely call being under psychiatric care for 42 years and on antidepressants, mood stabilisers and/or antipsychotics for over 41 of those years having a weak “illness”(as you put it).
Quite frankly I’m just a little pissed off with your snide comments and if you don’t want this thread of @notmoses to be closed you’ll desist from further nasty insinuations.

I have done nothing to you and don’t deserve this hounding.

Aww Jeeze Dude … ,

e(Y)e’m Sorry ,

e(Y)e Meant No Harm With What e(Y)e Sayd … ,

It’s Tough Sometymes Thus Schizophrenia … ,

People Don’t Always Understand … ,

Please ,

Dear Sir ,

Rest Easy …

Correction: October 23, 2015
An article on Tuesday about a study of the treatment of first-episode schizophrenia referred incorrectly to the conclusions of the study. Though it studied a program intended to reduce medication dosages, the researchers do not yet know for sure if dosages were lowered or by how much. Therefore, the study did not conclude “that schizophrenia patients who received smaller doses of antipsychotic medication and a bigger emphasis on one-on-one talk therapy and family support made greater strides in recovery.” (The study did conclude that the alternative treatment program as a whole led to better outcomes.)

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