Schizophrenia & Early Psychosis Support for Adolescents in Dubai

Positive Symptoms

• Symptom 1 – Hallucinations: Hearing, seeing, or sensing things that others do not (most commonly hearing voices)
• Symptom 2 – Delusions: Strongly held false beliefs that are not consistent with the young person's cultural background (e.g. believing they are being followed, that thoughts are being inserted or removed)
• Symptom 3 – Disorganised Thinking and Speech: Difficulty organising thoughts and jumping between unrelated topics

Negative Symptoms

• Symptom 4 – Negative Symptoms: Reduced emotional expression, social withdrawal, loss of motivation, and poverty of speech

Early Warning Signs

• Symptom 5 – Early Warning Signs: Unusual or suspicious thinking, social withdrawal, decline in school performance, neglect of self-care, and disrupted sleep, which may appear weeks or months before a full episode

• Psychiatric assessment and diagnosis by a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist
• Antipsychotic medication management – carefully monitored and reviewed, with the lowest effective dose and attention to side effects in young people
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) – helping the young person understand and manage distressing symptoms
• Family psychoeducation and support – helping families understand the condition, reduce stress in the family environment, and provide effective support
• Relapse prevention planning – identifying early warning signs and creating a personalised plan to prevent or minimise future episodes
• School and educational support – liaison with the school regarding academic accommodations and re-integration planning