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Schizophrenic relapse after drug withdrawal is predictable
Author(s) -
Dencker S. J.,
Malm U.,
Lepp M.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1986.tb10584.x
Subject(s) - drug withdrawal , psychology , drug , psychiatry , social withdrawal , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , withdrawal syndrome , psychotherapist , medicine , anesthesia
— Thirty‐two patients in remission were followed by regular ratings during a prospective neuroleptic withdrawal study. They were outpatients who fulfilled the DSM‐III criteria of schizophrenia and who were motivated for drug withdrawal. The relapse rate was 81 %. The results from the rating scales confirm the hypothesis that a symptom increase occurs before psychotic relapse. In the order statistical differences occurred, the factors predicting relapse were those concerned with positive psychopathology, motor dysfunction, impaired affects and sleep disturbances. The corresponding symptoms and signs were mainly concerned with thought disorders, paranoid ideation, overactivity, depression and insomnia middle, all of nonpsychotic degree of severity. If prodromes appear, the patient should resume his neuroleptic treatment, or other preventive measures should be taken. By such therapeutic interactions, psychotic relapse may be prevented, or can be dealt with in an outpatient setting.