Seeing the person behind the psychosis.

The psychotic patient may lose his sense of individuality and his physician may see him in a way that stereotypes or depersonalizes him. Three principles or attitudes of the physician help prevent this depersonalization. They include judging all interventions by whether they improve the patient's confidence and sense of self-control; understanding the reason behind the patient's behavior, and avoiding the view that he is author of his own fate. Specific methods help the physician to manage a patient who has suffered a psychosis. These include: treating the patient sympathetically; taking time to discover his fears; setting limits so he observes the basic rules of human interaction; individualizing medication regimens; being attentive to his physical complaints; allotting sufficient time for counselling; recognizing his positive attributes; treating crises as opportunities to help him understand his problems better; encouraging him to record problems in a diary; and recognizing one's own needs and limits.