Early intervention for psychosis seeks to limit the negative impact that psychosis may have on a person’s life and to ensure optimal recovery. A whole set of specialized early psychosis treatments and services have been developed that are based on scientific evidence of their usefulness. These treatments and services aim to:
- Provide treatment as quickly as possible to reduce the length of time psychosis remains untreated
- Limit the suffering and negative effects of psychotic symptoms
- Facilitate a rapid recovery
- Provide age-appropriate supports that minimize disruption to the young person’s life and enable them to more successfully meet the developmental challenges of youth and young adulthood
- Support individuals in the pursuit of their academic, vocational and social goals
- Decrease negative impact of psychosis on families and engage with them throughout the course of treatment
- Achieve the best short and long term outcomes possible
- Lower risk of relapse and the need for hospitalization
- Preserve and develop psychosocial skills, family and social supports
- Reduce associated problems such as depression and substance use problems
- Promote recovery, stability, self-determination and personal fulfilment
For all psychotic disorders, the better a person does over the short term, the better the long-term outcome.
To learn more about early intervention in psychosis go to the Resources section and read the BC Standards and Guidelines.