Mr. L, who has a severe fear of needles, is hospitalized on your medical unit. The laboratory technician enters to draw blood for the routine CBC, and Mr. L begins to cry out, "Get away from me! I can't breathe! I'm having a heart attack!" What should be your first response to Mr. L?

Choice A reason: One of the primary goals of pharmacotherapy in schizophrenia is to reduce psychotic symptoms to improve the patient's ability to perform daily self-care activities.

Choice B reason: Decreasing psychotic symptoms to help the patient maintain employment is another goal, as it contributes to the patient's independence and quality of life.

Choice C reason: Reducing symptoms to allow for the maintenance of normal social relationships is also a key goal, as social functioning is often impaired in schizophrenia.

Choice D reason: While the ultimate goal may be to cure schizophrenia, currently, pharmacotherapy aims to manage symptoms as there is no cure for the condition.

Choice E reason: Increasing delusional symptoms is not a goal of treatment; the aim is to decrease such symptoms.

Choice A reason: Consuming alcohol as a coping mechanism for stress, especially before work, is concerning and unprofessional for a healthcare provider, as it can impair judgment and performance.

Choice B reason: Seeking advice from friends before asking someone out is a common social behavior and not typically a cause for concern.

Choice C reason: Taking deep breaths to manage anxiety is a healthy coping strategy and is not a cause for concern.

Choice D reason: Studying late into the night might indicate a high level of dedication or poor time management, but it is not inherently concerning unless it leads to chronic sleep deprivation.