ngsocial skills, are very widely used in the road to relief (Driedger, 2). Driedger feels thatschizophrenic patients have to be somewhat “coached,” and corrected as they rehearsebehavior. “They should be lectured on how to monitor their thoughts, overcometendencies to withdraw, paranoia, and learn how to cope with guilt, sadness, and feelingsof humiliation” (Driedger, 2). Because schizophrenics think a mile a minute, Driedgerfeels that in addition to drugs a patients should be taught to evaluate and correct theirdelusional ideas and hallucinatory understandings.Both Dr. Long (Mentalhealth.com) and John McGrath (British Medical Journal)agree that drug use is absolutely necessary for a patient with schizophrenia to maintain asomewhat “normal” life, holding a job, starting a family, or attending school. Withoutdrugs schizophrenics can live a miserable life, with many patients having constant bizarreoutbursts or even committing suicide. Both of these men also agree that a certain kind ofschizophrenia calls for a certain type of drug. Many of these drugs will have no affect ona person or it might work immediately after it is given. John McGrath says: “Patients whodo not respond to treatment with new antipsychotics, a trial of traditional antipsychoticsshould be offered” (3) Sharon Driedger (Maclean’s) and Martin Leibman (Journal of General Psychology)both argue that in addition to drug use patients she also go through and learn copingstrategies as well. Learning how to deal with their problem and how it is effecting them. Also living with this problem in real life situations, decision making, planning things, orremembering something. “Patients given integrated psychological therapy showedimprovement on tests of attention after 18 months” (Driedger, 2) With these results, itseems that in addition to drugs, therapy is very effective. But with its success there has ...
