On the path to recovery: Patients’ experiences of treatment with long‐acting injections of antipsychotic medication

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore how patients experience living with long-acting depot antipsychotics given by injection. An interpretive perspective and a qualitative content analysis guided the research process and data analysis. Findings indicate that the participants understood dependency on depot treatment, as a 'safety-net' protecting from relapses and re-hospitalizations. More 'normal lives' became possible despite continuing distress from untoward effects. Participants also expressed favourable attitudes when they suffered from disabling side-effects or when they were committed to psychiatric treatment. Adherence to treatment was understood as crucial for recovering. The recovery process, related to depot treatment, was described as mainly based on the participants' experiential knowledge. This implies the need for exploring, in communication with patients, different kinds of support that might benefit their recovery.

The Importance of Medication in Consumer Definitions of Recovery from Serious Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study

“…(See also Paquette & Navarro, 2005;Spaniol, Wewiorski, Gagne, & Anthony, 2002;Young & Ensing, 1999). Consumers in the Svedberg study (Svedberg et al, 2003) described medication as a safety net, protecting them from relapse and re-hospitalization. Yet, most would agree with Lunt (2002) that "the biochemical solution does not bring with it a dream, a goal, a journey, a direction, an inspiration, a faith, or a hope.…”

“…Moreover, medication planning and management are key areas for consumer control and choice. For example, Svedberg et al (2003) understood medication to be the basis on which patients could begin to recognize their strengths in other areas, thus introducing hope and empowerment into the issue of medication management. Happell (2008) found that having input into decision making also increased consumers' perceptions of the benefits that accrue from medication.…”

Why aren't depot antipsychotics prescribed more often and what can be done about it?

“…Similarly, Wistedt (1995) found that more than 60% of patients converted to depot medication preferred the injection to their previous tablet treatment and said that they felt better during the injection regimen. In a qualitative survey, patients on depot felt that 'more normal lives' are possible and that depots were a safety net protecting them from relapses and rehospitalisations (Svedberg et al, 2003). In The Netherlands, out-patients receiving oral or depot antipsychotics were compared and were found to have similar attitudes towards their disease and medication use (Hoencamp et al, 1995).…”

Attitudes towards long-acting depot antipsychotics: A survey of patients, relatives and psychiatrists

“…Furthermore, second-generation long-acting injectable drugs are considered to be associated with high treatment costs (Heres et al, 2006). Studies in which the patient's satisfaction with a method of administering drugs is taken into account show that patients have a positive attitude towards depot medication (Pereira and Pinto, 1997;Walburn et al, 2001;Svedberg et al, 2003). However, most findings included a selection bias because they focused on patients who were compliant with medication or received injections regularly.…”