Schizophrenia patients need more talk, less medicine

Mainstream treatment for schizophrenia emphasizes drugs, often with heavy doses and severe side effects. But a robust new study suggests that patients do better with a combination of lower doses and nondrug interventions, including family education and talk therapy, The New York Times reports. The study contributes to a growing appreciation of nondrug treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for schizophrenia. Policymakers are already using the new findings to help guide mental health reform, according to The New York Times.