The meaning of psychoeducation in bipolar affective disorder treatment

Abstract

The chronic nature of bipolar disease, it’s cyclic course and prevalence rates between 0,4 to 1,5% and implicates multiple consequences involving both individual functioning of the patient as well as public health. It is substantial to make every effort towards optimization of treatment effects. According to modern standards the basis of bipolar affective disorder therapy is the administration of mood stabilizers and psychotherapeutic methods. In most cases, patients between 2 and 4 weeks before the onset of full-blown episode, present prodromal symptoms specific for the patient. The aim of psychosocial guidance, such as psychoeducation, is development in a patient the strategy of early diagnosis and response. Psychoeducation (PE) combines elements of group therapy, interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral and family intervention. The outstanding example is the model designed by Francesco Colom and Eduardo Vieta from University of Barcelona. This model emphasizes the role of participant’s identification with group process along detailed scenarios of the course of disease presented by professionals and other patients’ own experience from autopsy. Results of studies performed with different methods estimated efficacy of PE in bipolar illness with regard to reduction of frequency and duration of maniacal episodes, depressive and mixed disorders, reduction in intensity of symptoms, improvement of patient’s insight in the matter of the disease and growth of commitment in the cooperation with therapist. It highlights the relation of these aspects to such variables as the length of the disease, the number of episodes in the past, the moment of deployment of psychoeducation and specificity of particular like the one run by the authors of the article in Poznan Adult Psychiatry Clinic.