OnTrack: The Champlain First Episode Psychosis Program

Hearing the word “psychosis” can be scary, but taking the time to learn what it is, how common it is and how to find treatment can decrease the fear. Many Canadians who experience psychosis live full and productive lives.

Illnesses like heart disease or diabetes interfere with the functions of major organs such as the heart or the pancreas. These diseases leave a person weak and tired, often unable to do the things he or she wants to do each day. Psychosis is similar; the only real difference is that the organ struggling to work effectively is the brain.

Psychosis may occur in a variety of mental and physical illnesses. Psychosis generally means that a person has lost the ability to recognize what is real and what isn’t. 

Although the exact cause of psychosis is presently unknown, symptoms of psychosis are thought to develop when the activity of certain chemicals in the brain, known as neurotransmitters, becomes disturbed (for example, when too much of a specific neurotransmitter is active in a specific part of the brain). Psychosis may occur in a variety of mental and physical illnesses. 

Psychosis generally means that a person has lost the ability to recognize what is real and what isn’t. More specifically, people with psychosis may experience hallucinations (hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling and feeling things that others can’t and that are not present), delusions, (fixed, false beliefs) and disorganized thoughts or behaviour.

It can be harder for people experiencing an episode of psychosis to understand and interact with the world around them. Thinking often becomes more difficult or may not be logical or well organized. Feelings and moods may change rapidly. It is often very difficult to relate to others. As a result of such difficulties, many people begin to spend more time by themselves. They find it difficult to accomplish day-to-day tasks and may even stop doing things they once enjoyed.

Go to the signs and symptoms page for more information. 

Although there is no cure, there is plenty of hope for people who have experienced psychosis.  

Medications that control symptoms are available, and when they are combined with other types of therapies most people with psychosis do recover, either completely or to a great extent. Once the symptoms of psychosis have been controlled, a vulnerability for relapse will remain for many people. People who have this vulnerability can learn to adjust, manage their symptoms and live full, productive lives.

Psychosis is treatable, and most people experience significant improvements with treatment. The sooner a person with psychosis gets treated, the better, because—although treatment at any stage can be effective—getting help early can result in a faster and more complete recovery.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to recovery:

• Getting help at the earliest possible time is important.
• Early detection and treatment are important, but even individuals who have suffered from psychosis for many months or years can still expect to respond to treatment.
• With treatment, many people with psychosis go on to live full lives and to experience success at work, in school, in their social lives and in other areas.
• Treatments of mental illness are effective 60 to 80 percent of the time! In fact, mental illnesses are successfully treated at a much higher rate than many other chronic and serious health conditions. 

All of the medications prescribed for psychosis help to restore and correct the activity of natural neurotransmitters (chemicals that help nerve cells “communicate” with each other) in the brain. As the activity of these neurotransmitters returns to normal, the symptoms of psychosis improve. Medications that treat psychosis are called antipsychotics.

The positive symptoms usually get better first. Problems with negative symptoms and cognitive symptoms generally take more time to improve. Sometimes other types of medications, such as antidepressants, are recommended. 

Most medications have to be taken each day to work properly. A small number of medications can be given with a needle once every few weeks. These can be helpful for people who don’t want to take a pill every day. 

Antipsychotic medications are normally quite safe and are well tolerated by most people. Like all medications, however, antipsychotics have side effects. Common side effects include feeling tired, having stiffness or shaking and gaining weight. These side effects are normally limited, are not permanent and can usually be corrected by adjusting the dose of the prescribed medication. Your doctor will review your progress on the medications, check for side effects and work with you to find the best medication for you. 

Medications are an essential part of treatment for psychosis; however, we recognize that recovery requires more than medication. As part of the treatment, we offer patient and family education about psychosis and its treatment as well as plenty of support and education about preventing a relapse of psychosis. We run frequent groups to address areas of patients’ lives that have been disrupted by illness. Through education and support, we provide our patients with hope and the best possible chance for recovery. 

It depends. Each person is different, and each psychosis is different. The goal of the OnTrack program is to use the smallest amount of medication to have the best possible level of functioning. We work together with our patients and families to find this balance. 

Hearing the words “mental illness” can be scary, but taking the time to learn what mental illness is, how common it is and how to find treatment can decrease the fear. Many Canadians with mental illness live full and productive lives.

Illnesses like heart disease or diabetes interfere with the functions of major organs such as the heart or the pancreas. These diseases leave a person weak and tired, often unable to do the things he or she wants to do each day. Mental illness is similar; the only real difference is that the organ struggling to work effectively is the brain.

There are many different forms of mental illness, such as anxiety disorders, major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Each of these conditions has a different collection of symptoms. Doctors use these collections of symptoms to diagnose and make treatment decisions for each condition. 

Mental illness occurs when the chemicals in the brain become unbalanced.

Your brain is responsible for completing thousands of tasks at any given moment. These very vital tasks include:

• Organizing the flow of your thoughts and speech.
• Taking in sensory stimuli like sight and sound.
• Organizing these stimuli and making an internal map of reality that matches up with the external world.
• Planning your actions and behaviours
• Remembering things.
• Reacting in an emotionally appropriate way.

Mental illness occurs when the chemicals in the brain become unbalanced and the tasks listed above can’t be performed as usual. It can be harder for people with a mental illness to understand and interact with the world around them. Thinking may become more difficult or may not be as clear.  

Feelings and moods may change, making it hard to relate to others. When this happens, many people begin to spend more time by themselves. They find it difficult to accomplish day-to-day tasks and may even stop doing things they once enjoyed. 

Mental illness is just as treatable as diabetes or heart disease. Psychiatrists are doctors who help people who are living with mental illnesses. Early treatment minimizes the negative effects that mental illness can have on a person’s life. 

“I don’t think I can do it alone.”

We’re here to help! The staff at OnTrack are a caring group of health professionals whose number one goal is to help you get better. We’ll:

• Meet with you to help figure out what’s going on.
• Help you make a plan to get better.
• Discuss medications to help control your symptoms.
• Be available to you and your family.
• Help you during a crisis.
• Provide links to financial support.
• Provide links to housing support.
• Help you to stay in school, or to get back to school.
• Help you to stay in a job, or to find a job.
• Link you up with recreation programs.
• Provide you, your family and your friends with education about psychosis. 

The program serves the Champlain District (from Deep River to Cornwall), an area with a population of about 1.2 million people.

Go to the Eligibility section for inclusion and exclusion criteria. 

No.  Anyone can make a referral to the OnTrack Program: individuals, parents, family members friends, doctors, teachers, hospitals etc.

Go to the Getting Help page for more information. 

Yes.  OnTrack is a bilingual service (French and English). 

Yes.  OnTrack has various partnerships with community-based health and social services, including the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ottawa Salus, Community Health Centres, Mobile Crisis Team, the Schizophrenia Society and others.