Young people seeking help who are at high risk of developing
psychosis could significantly reduce their chances of going on to develop a
full-blown psychotic illness by getting early access to cognitive behavioural
therapy (CBT), new research shows.
Researchers from The University of Manchester found the risk
of developing psychosis was more than halved for those receiving CBT at six, 12
and 18-24 months after treatment started.
The team from the University’s School of Psychological
Science and the Psychosis Research Unit at Greater Manchester West Mental
Health NHS Foundation Trust adds weight to earlier studies in this area.
CBT is a person-centred approach which involves helping
people understand how the way they make sense of their experiences, and how
they respond to them, can often determine how distressing or disabling they
are. Through CBT, patients learn a range of strategies they can use to reduce
their distress, allowing them to work towards a recovery which is meaningful to
them. CBT for psychosis prevention places a heavy emphasis on ‘normalising’ and
de-stigmatising experiences such as hearing voices or having paranoid thoughts.