1. Do you know anyone who has experienced psychosis?
   • What were the symptoms?
   • Was this a troubling experience for the person?
   • If there was a diagnosis, what was it?
   • What happened in the aftermath of the psychosis? Hospitalization? Psychiatric care? Social withdrawal?
2. How did it impact the lives of the person’s family?
3. What could you do to help in such a situation?
   • Encourage them to be evaluated by a professional mental health worker. If this is a first time psychosis, try and find a professional who knows about how to treat people with first breaks.
   • If they are severely disabled from the effects of psychosis, encourage them to seek an intensive therapy program.
   • Help them to learn all they can about psychosis and possible treatments
   • Encourage them to stay on their treatment plan or work with their doctor/therapist to change the plan until it works
   • Help them to find a support group of peers who are going through the same thing
   • Encourage the family in learning about psychosis, possibly learning about the NAMI Family-to-Family program so they can supporting their loved one
4. What do you think of the suggestion that we over treat people at their first psychotic break with too much medication? Do you know of models from other parts of the world that work better?
5. What more do you want to know about psychosis?
6. How can we learn more about how psychosis is treated both effectively and ineffectively?
7. How can we advocate for what we think needs to change in the system?

Notes:

• For resources see: Resources for First Psychotic Break