Question

You have been assigned to care for Jim. He is 29 years old and has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Jim has been prescribed chlorpromazine [Thorazine]. He lives with his parents. You have been asked to talk with Jim's family. His parents have questions about the side effects of chlorpromazine. While Jim is in a group session, you meet with his parents. Jim's mother states that she is concerned. "I understand that Jim will need to take the medication for the rest of his life. How can I ever going to get him to take these pills if the side effects are so bad?" What is your response​

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

My first response would be that it is not a good strategy to speculate things negatively in the very begining even when you have not tried it. We can definitely go for alternative drugs in case it doesn't fit to Jim's metabolic functioning and physiology. However, it is also possible that the drug would help Jim. Everybody is different when it comes to side effects of a particular drug. Some people even don't show any side effects for one particular drug whereas others show mild or significant concerns. Therefore, I would suggest her to reconsider her decision and try chlorpromazine as prescribed. After all, it is Schizophrenia and you cannot simply ignore it. Such negligence could worsen the situation for Jim and you all.