Ready to talk?

To ensure you get the right treatment, you need to be able to have a good discussion about your illness, and how you feel. Below are some tips to help you prepare for your appointment and to make things easier:

1. Write down before your visit any questions you want to ask your healthcare team
2. Take a notepad with you to jot down important information your healthcare team gives you
3. You may find it’s helpful to take someone else with you to your appointment, to remind you of questions to ask and help make notes
4. List any symptoms and side-effects that you have experienced since last seeing your healthcare team. This will help them to assess if your present treatment is working well or not
5. If you are experiencing distressing side-effects or you feel that your symptoms are not controlled, ask your healthcare team to consider whether a different treatment would be suitable for you
6. Discuss the potential benefits of psychotherapies with your healthcare team

Beyond establishing a treatment plan, you can also discuss with your healthcare team if there are suitable support groups in your area that you, your friends and your family can join.

Make sure you mention anything at all that’s bothering you, not just things related to your diagnosis of schizophrenia – your physical health is just as important as your mental health.