8.6 Ongoing treatment

Outline - Chapter 8: Medication

• Drug therapy for mental health problems
• Drug therapy for substance use problems
• Medication management
• Medication abuse or dependence
• Drug interactions
• Ongoing treatment
• Stopping medication

Clients and their families are often concerned about how long they will be taking medications. In some situations, the treatment will be short-term, as in the case of a sleeping pill for temporary insomnia. For a first episode of depression, medication is recommended for at least one year. For bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, the period of treatment is usually indefinite to prevent symptoms from returning. In the case of a first-episode psychosis, it can be difficult to distinguish between a drug-induced psychosis and schizophrenia. If a client does not have symptoms for several months, it may be possible to slowly taper and then stop the medication, with close monitoring.

Many mental health problems are lifelong conditions, so treatment with medications is often indefinite. Once an acute episode has been successfully treated, you, your relative and the treatment team need to watch for any signs of possible relapse.

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