Key Messages Early intervention in psychotic disorders is dependent on early recognition of the illness and the initiation of appropriate treatment or management strategies at the earliest opportunity. Delayed treatment can have serious consequences for patients and their families. Early intervention allows preventive strategies to be adopted. These may reduce long-term morbidity and improve recovery. Untreated patients may experience significant biological, social and psychological deterioration in the early phase of their psychotic illness.
General practitioners have an important part to play in starting treatment early.
They should maintain a high degree of suspicion when treating young people with persistent changes in behaviour and functioning, particularly where other risk factors are present. These individuals can then be monitored for the emergence of psychosis. This helps to reduce the delay before treatment is started and allows other problems to be addressed in the meantime, thereby reducing the risk of psychosis developing.