ABSTRACT
As more effective treatments for schizophrenia have evolved, emphasis has
started to be placed on defining treatments for the individual symptoms
rather than on the whole schizophrenia syndrome. The hallmark positive
symptoms, i.e. hallucinations and delusions, are a case in point. Although the
severity of these symptoms may be controlled by medication, it is not uncom-
mon for them to persist, or at least to reappear in subsequent relapses, despite
adequate doses of medication. For some patients the effects of medication on
positive symptoms include making them less anxious about the symptoms
(this is particularly so for delusions), and allowing them to ‘ignore’ the symp-
toms so they can concentrate on their domestic and social lives. Others
describe their ‘voices’ as getting quieter and less frequent with medication.
