Psychosis and schizophrenia in children and young people: recognition and management

Further help if you are not getting better

If medication has not helped, your healthcare professional should check that you have been taking it as prescribed. They should also look for other reasons why you might not be getting better. These could include physical illness, drinking too much alcohol or taking non‑prescribed drugs, which can stop the medication working properly.

If you have tried at least two different antipsychotics (for 6 to 8 weeks each) and these have not helped, you should be offered an antipsychotic called clozapine. If this does not help, you may be offered a second antipsychotic to take at the same time as clozapine. Your healthcare professional should discuss the choice of antipsychotic with you and with other members of your healthcare team.

If therapy has not helped, your healthcare professional should check that it has been provided as recommended (see the section called treating a first episode of psychosis). They may suggest trying a different therapy.