USA Today (1/1, Szabo) ran, as part of its “The Cost of Not Caring” series, a long-form version of its report on new programs intended to help young people with schizophrenia successfully cope with a psychotic break and prevent further decline. Thomas Insel, MD, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, said “first episode” programs “aim to change the trajectory of schizophrenia from one of tragic decline to one of a chronic but manageable condition.”
He added that studies “suggest that early intervention can halt the deterioration so often seen in schizophrenia, allowing young people to get their lives back on track after their first full break with reality.” The National Institutes of Health is “testing early intervention through a major study called RAISE, or Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode. The study has generated enormous excitement across the mental health world, even before its results have been released.”
Related Links:
— “Early intervention could change nature of schizophrenia,” Liz Szabo, USA Today, December 31, 2014.