Much of this expense comes from hospitalisations and caring for people with schizophrenia who do not respond well to treatment. This drug costs 6,000 per year. However, it costs 1,000 per week to keep a person with a mental illness in hospital. This section covers the available treatments for schizophrenia and considers future approaches to the condition. The two major groups are typical and atypical antipsychotics based on their side effects.
Antipsychotic drugs can take between one and three months to take effect.
The typical antipsychotics include haloperidol, chlorpromazine, chlorpromazine and thioridazine. Most are given as tablets or syrup. Depot antipsychotics mean that tablets do not have to be taken every day, but like any medication, they have side effects, which can be severe. Typical antipsychotic side effects Antipsychotics can have a range of side effects. These are listed in the section on atypical antipsychotics.