Psychotherapy and Recovery from Schizophrenia, Lysaker et al.

Solution Preview

Yes, I agree...There are many -including clinicians and researchers especially those who are more psychoanalytically oriented who have opposed the use of psychoactive drugs for the treatment of mental illness-such as Schizophrenia-who have challenged conventional and harnessed or embraced the unconventional particularly psychotherapy. Lysaker and others have argued that even when drugs and psychotherapy are combined; the drugs suppress the states and conflicts of the mind and have a negative influence on psychotherapy and also cause it to be less effective. This is dangerous, unrealistic, partial and flawed.

Specifically; in order for schizophrenics to even participate in a psychotherapy session they have to be able to mentally participate. In other words, they can never develop a sense of who they are with psychotherapy alone. In order for them to not be restless, with thoughts racing, hearing voices, and all the myriads of different symptoms they can present with; it would make sense that that is (not necessarily repressed); but rather modified or controlled. Lysaker et al (2010) concluded that psychotherapy, because it focused on increasing metacognition- improves work performance as well. While that could be true. We do not have enough information to disregard the scientific attitude that has been widely used for so many. In the light of all the evidence-based guidelines that we have come to know- there is no negating the important role of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Psychotherapy, on the other hand; can best be utilized for particularly CBT, ...