Ira Steinman Treating the 'Untreatable'

Annotation

Treating the 'Untreatable' offers the hope of recovery, healing and cure for the most severe psychotic disturbances, schizophrenia and delusional disorder. Through a psychotherapeutic exploration of hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder, even the most hopeless and "untreatable" patients have a chance for returning to a life of relationships and function even after years, if not decades, of disturbance. These studies in the intensive psychotherapy of schizophrenia and delusional disorders demonstrate that recovery, healing and cure can be achieved in those most disturbed. In this era of treating schizophrenic and delusional patients with a primarily antipsychotic drug oriented approach, a more thorough exploration of the meaning to the patient of his psychosis - with judicious antipsychotic use, when indicated - leads to internal character and external behavioral change that is far more lasting than with antipsychotic use alone. With such a psychodynamic approach, some of these previously chaotic, disturbed and heavily medicated people were able to understand the symbolism and the origin of their psychotic productions and go off antipsychotic medication altogether.