All of the symptoms may not be present when someone is psychotic, but some of them always are. Antipsychotic medications, as their name suggests, act against these symptoms. In some cases, they can shorten the course of the illness as well. Some people might think that the higher the dose of medication, the more serious the illness, but this is not always true. These include the patient's age, body weight, and type of medication.
Past history is important, too.
If a person took a particular medication before and it worked, the doctor is likely to prescribe the same one again. These medications vary in their side effects, and some people have more trouble with certain side effects than others. A side effect may sometimes be desirable. For instance, the sedative effect of some antipsychotic medications is useful for patients who have trouble sleeping or who become agitated during the day. Unlikesome prescription drugs, which must be taken several times during the day, antipsychotic medications can usually be taken just once a day.