Recovering from a First Episode of Psychosis: An Integrated Approach to Early Intervention

Despite years of research, debate and changes in mental health policy, there is still a lack of consensus as to what recovery from psychosis actually means, how it should be measured and how it may ultimately be achieved. In Recovering from a First Episode of Psychosis: An Integrated Approach to Early Intervention it is argued that recovery from a first episode of psychosis (FEP) is comprised of 3 core elements: symptomatic, social and personal. Moreover, all 3 types of recovery need to be the target of early intervention for psychosis programmes (EIP) which provide evidence based, integrated, bio-psychosocial interventions delivered in the context of a value base offering hope, empowerment and a youth focused approach. Over the 12 chapters in the book, the authors, experienced clinicians and researchers from multi-professional background, demonstrate that long term recovery needs to replace short term remission as the key target of early psychosis services and that to achieve this we need a change in the way we deliver EIP: One that takes account of the different stages of psychosis and the `bespoke' targeting of integrated medical, psychological and social treatments during the `critical period'. Illustrated with a wealth of clinical examples, Recovering from a First Episode of Psychosis, will be of great interest to clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses and other associated mental health professionals.