Time--a neglected aspect of psychiatric treatments

This review attempts to deal with the complex issues involved in the time to heal, with special reference to psychological processes. The questions of convalescence and relapse in organic medicine are explored and extrapolated to psychiatric processes. The concept of a latency period of change in treatment outcome is discussed with reference to both less complicated reactive states as well as highly charged neurotic processes. The problems of recognizing slow but perceptible change and separating it from failure to respond is analysed. The value of long-term psychotherapy is assessed and comparison made with the newer concept of short-term therapy. Crisis therapy and disaster reactions are discussed within the concept of time to heal. Finally the difficult issue of "miraculous cure" with its therapeutic implications is evaluated.