Published 4 August 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a710
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a710

Head to Head

Is early intervention in the major psychiatric disorders justified? No

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride G75 8RG

Psychiatric disease can take many years to emerge fully. Patrick McGorry (doi: 10.1136/bmj.a695) argues that early specialist treatment is essential, but Anthony Pelosi is unconvinced that current evidence of benefit is enough to balance the potential harm

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

General practitioners and psychiatrists must ensure that prompt diagnostic assessment and appropriate care are available for young people who seek help (or whose families seek help) because of worrying changes in emotions, thinking, and behaviour. In a small minority of such patients it will emerge over time that the initial symptoms were, in fact, the start of a severe—and sometimes devastating—psychotic illness.

Health professionals and families will inevitably ask themselves whether more could have been done in the earliest stages. But without the benefit of hindsight, when does it become justified to prescribe antipsychotic drugs that have serious side effects? When should patients be offered at least as powerful and potentially dangerous psychotherapy addressing the causes and consequences of psychosis? Important programmes of research are under way that will inform these difficult clinical judgments.¹ So far, evidence from randomised trials does not support the use of psychological therapies or drugs . . . [Full text of this article]

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Relevant Article

Is early intervention in the major psychiatric disorders justified? Yes

Patrick D McGorry
BMJ 2008 337: a695. [Extract] [Full Text]

Rapid Responses:

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Early intervention

Eugene G Breen
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Paging Dr. Freud

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Start with getting the biochemistry right

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Re: Start with getting the biochemistry right

Sharif Elleithy
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Late intervention for psychosis: no thanks.

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