Regardless of which medication a physician chooses to treat, it is important for patients to know that none of these medications are effective immediately. Therefore, it is important to observe the effects of the medication for several weeks in adequate doses before deciding to switch to another antipsychotic. Most patients recover well from their first episode, although this may take several months. If the medication has caused some side effects, the doctor may prescribe appropriate medication to reduce the side effects so that the patient can better tolerate the treatment. In addition, it is important not to stop or reduce medication even after discharge from the hospital. You should follow up regularly at the clinic and follow the doctor’s instructions to adhere to the medication. After a relapse of schizophrenia, the most important thing a doctor wants to know is whether the patient has been taking the prescribed amount of medication, regularly. If not, why. A common reason for relapse is not taking the medication regularly and the reason for not taking the medication regularly and quantitatively is often due to side effects of the medication. If the doctor finds that the reason the patient is not taking the medication regularly is indeed due to a large number of side effects, he will consider reducing the dose of the antipsychotic, adding a medication for the side effects, or will consider switching the patient to another, newer antipsychotic. If the lack of regular dosing is due to other reasons, such as the patient’s belief that he or she does not need treatment, the physician may recommend the option of injecting the medication every two to four weeks.