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Cognitive-behavioural assessment and treatment of maladaptive help-seeking behaviour in a patient with schizophrenia
1Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. gus@psych.usyd.edu.au
Objective:
Maladaptive help-seeking behaviour in psychiatric patients is a significant problem for public mental health services, yet it is not addressed in the mainstream literature. We present a report on the successful treatment of a person with schizophrenia who displayed this common dilemma for patients and clinicians.
Clinical Picture:
A 31-year-old man with borderline intellectual functioning had a 10-year history of schizophrenia marked by negative features. He frequently presented in crisis to public mental health services, the local hospital, and his general practitioner; this resulted in excessive use of services, including admissions.
Treatment:
The patient was reassessed from a cognitive-behavioural perspective rather than a syndromal perspective. Specific behaviours were modified, cognitions were identified, challenged and restructured, and other service providers were provided with an alternative to admission or acute community care.
Outcome:
At 24 months the maladaptive behaviour remains in remission.
Conclusions:
Behavioural problems in persons with chronic schizophrenia may be effectively treated by reconceptualising the behaviour as distinct from the major diagnosis.
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