Archive 1992–2014

Objectives. The course of treatment after a psychotic episode largely depends on patients' stable beliefs concerning the reality of their experiences at the time. The presented case illustrates selected theoretical concepts accounting for this phenomenon.
Case report. The presented case is a 52-year-old man treated for schizophrenia for 9 years. Even though his productive symptoms have resolved, he has been invariably convinced throughout his treatment that his psychotic experiences were real. The effect of his beliefs on the course of treatment is discussed.
Commentary. Long-term conviction about the reality of psychotic experiences is frequently seen in patients after a psychotic episode. This problem should be taken into consideration during routine psychiatric examination because such faulty beliefs may have an adverse effect on the course of treatment.