A drug that is safe for use during pregnancy may not be safe for the nursing infant.  Exposure to antipsychotic medication in breast milk markedly differs from exposure to antipsychotics by the fetus…

Guidelines for prescribing antipsychotics during pregnancy and lactation include the following:

1.  Consider nondrug options
2.  Avoid drugs if possible during weeks 6–10
3.  Use antipsychotics about which most is known…

Genetics, age, height, weight, lean-fat ratio, diet, exercise, concurrent disease, smoking and alcohol, and the administration of concomitant drugs all contribute to antipsychotic drug response, as does…

Dr. Talbot is fairly certain that Kevin meets the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. His hallucinations and delusions are evidence that he is experiencing psychotic behavior. Dr. Talbot believes that his behavior change in…

Typical Antipsychotic Medication

The first medications designed to treat schizophrenia are now called typical antipsychotic medications,  or first-generation antipsychotics. Many of these early medications are still used today, and are helpful…

Many patients must try a variety of medications before finding one that controls their symptoms. This can be a very difficult and frustrating process. Many months or years may pass before a patient begins…

Patients with schizophrenia often have very poor interpersonal skills. Making appropriate eye contact, controlling the volume of their voice, and participating in a conversation can all be difficult for them. The goal of…

Dealing with a family member with a serious mental illness can be difficult. In order to make the transition from hospital to home as smooth as possible, many schizophrenia patients attend therapy with their…

People with schizophrenia are encouraged to follow some basic advice in order to manage their illness and avoid relapse. Some therapists suggest that patients keep records of their daily behavior so that they might…

In 1994, a study by J.D. Hegarty and colleagues examined existing data to figure out just how likely patients are to recover from schizophrenia. These researchers studied outcome data from more than 100 years for…