Long-acting injectable antipsychoticsDownloads

A 24-year-old woman presents with a 3-month history of worsening insomnia and anxiety. She says that she has an important college exam in the next few weeks for which she has to put in many hours of work each day. Despite the urgency of her circumstances, she states that she is unable to focus and concentrate, is anxious, irritable and has lost interest in almost all activities. She also says that she has trouble falling asleep and wakes up several times during the night. She claims that this state of affairs has severely hampered her productivity and is a major problem for her, and she feels tired and fatigued all day. She denies hearing voices, abnormal thoughts, or any other psychotic symptoms. The patient asks if there is some form of therapy that can help her sleep better so that she can function more effectively during the day. She claims that the other symptoms of not enjoying anything, irritability, and anxiety are things that she can learn to handle. Which of the following approaches is most likely to address the patients concerns most effectively?

A 24-year-old man presents to the emergency department after a suicide attempt. He is admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. A review of medical records reveals a history of illicit drug use, particularly cocaine and amphetamines. He is started on aripiprazole, paroxetine, and trazodone. At the time of discharge, he appeared more coherent and with a marked improvement in positive symptoms of hallucinations and delusions but still with a flat effect. During the patient’s first follow-up visit, his mother reports he has become increasingly agitated and restless despite compliance with his medications. She reports that her son’s hallucinations and delusions have stopped and he does not have suicidal ideations, but he cannot sit still and continuously taps his feet, wiggles his fingers, and paces in his room. When asked if anything is troubling him, he stands up and paces around the room. He says, “I cannot sit still. Something is happening to me.” A urine drug screen is negative. What is the next best step in the management of this patient?