Strategies of long-term treatment of psychotic disorders

Long-term treatment of psychotic disorders requires both the general and the individual approach to the patients and their problems. Such strategies are mainly directed to solve various problems, which not solely are restricted to the medical ones. It is crucial to determine what are the principal goals for the treatment, as the requirement to resolve psychotic symptoms is not always possible to fulfil. Thus, the description of the treatment strategies should include the precise definition of treatment goals (remission, recovery, functional improvement, subjective well-being, etc.). The time of treatment needed to reach such a goal is also crucial. An important role plays the choice of antipsychotic medication, which sometimes leeds to the application of guidelines or treatment algorithms. Such widely accepted standards are valuable tools to help to identify the most appropriate treatment for psychotic conditions, being not necessary adequate to patient's expectations and needs.