Critical thinking stop point 34.3

Possible answer to: Prescribing antipsychotic medication is often a difficult balancing act between maximising efficacy and minimising adverse effects. If you were taking a medication, which box would you like to be in?

The obvious answer would be box D because this is where you have maximum effectiveness to reduce symptoms and minimum side effects. However, there is a lot of variation and some people end up in box A, the worst case scenario, with a high burden of side effects and low effect on symptoms. The problem is that many health professionals presume everyone is in box D and this can cause conflict between the professional and the service user. Open discussions about benefits and side effects of prescribed medication are desirable.