Successful treatment of schizophrenia and all other illnesses does not only depend on doctors. It also depends on patients. Why? Because if the psychiatrist selects the right medication and in the right dose, this is an important part of the treatment, but not the whole treatment. Especially if the patient is not in hospital, but is at home and should follow the regular medication himself. The second (after the correct choice of medication) most important part of the treatment is the patient's compliance with the medication. Psychiatrists use different words here but the most commonly used term is 'patient cooperation in treatment'.
As you can see from this formulation, it is not about obeying all instructions or unconditionally obeying all orders. Cooperation is collaboration, i.e. working together towards a single goal. If it is understood in this way, the course and results of treatment are likely to be better.
Cooperation between patient and doctor can sometimes be a problem in any field of medicine, and it does not only apply to psychiatry. It happens to many people, regardless of the illness they have, that they do not follow medical advice. This lack of cooperation can include:
- not taking medication regularly, interrupting treatment
- failing to attend appointments
- non-compliance with recommendations on lifestyle, diet, exercise, etc.
In any situation, non-cooperation may lead to a worsening of the patient's condition (exacerbation of the disease), the development of complications or other adverse effects.
Articles in medical journals state that non-cooperation in treatment can affect up to half of patients. It is also said that one third of people cooperate very well in treatment, one third of patients cooperate incompletely or irregularly and another third are those who do not comply with medical recommendations. Whichever way you look at it, this problem is serious and affects a great many patients. Usually, also at the beginning of treatment, for example just after discharge from hospital or after starting treatment in the outpatient clinic, compliance with the doctor's recommendations is better and more accurate. However, it deteriorates over time and, after a few months, not so many people regularly follow what their doctor has recommended. Non-compliance or selective, partial adherence to recommendations can, however, have adverse consequences for the person who should be receiving treatment.
