24, and Trying to Outrun Schizophrenia

December 31, 2024

a silhouette of a person sitting by water at sunset

(New York Times) – Early intervention tries to rein in psychotic disorders before they can ruin young lives. For Kevin Lopez, everything is on the line.

An estimated 100,000 people experience a first episode of psychosis every year, roughly four times the number of spots available in early intervention programs. So in December, it would all go away: the team of five providers and the hotline and the therapist who reminded him of his mother.

What would happen to him without their support? Even as enthusiasm for early intervention builds, long-term studies are casting doubt on whether its benefits last after discharge. For Kevin, leaving the program meant a sudden blast of autonomy and a million questions about what his future, with schizophrenia, would look like. (Read More)