How treatments compare

• Apart from clozapine (see page 8), there is little evidence at the moment to suggest that there are large differences in effectiveness of any of the typical or atypical antipsychotics.
• It is also not possible to say in advance whether one antipsychotic will work better for you than another.
• In practice, you may need to try one antipsychotic and see how you get on with it. If it isn't working or you have troublesome side-effects, discuss trying another with your psychiatrist.
• On the whole, people seem to find the side-effects of the atypical antipsychotics are easier to put up with than the side-effects of the typicals. So, treatment should usually start with an atypical.
• Clozapine does seem to work better than other antipsychotics for some people. However, its potentially serious side-effects mean that it would usually only be used after other treatments have failed. If you have had two antipsychotics (including one atypical) for 6-8 weeks, without real benefit from either, Clozapine can be considered.
• We know that CBT is helpful in people who are taking medication, we do not know how well it works if someone is not taking medication.
• Research is being carried out to find out if early schizophrenia can be treated just with CBT.
• If you want further information about treatments, read the NICE guidelines (listed at end of the leaflet)
• If you are unhappy with the treatment you are receiving, you can ask for a second opinion from another psychiatrist.