Dealing with bipolar disorder

Abstract

The psychoeducational group therapy program for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder is carried out in the Hospital Vazquez Diaz in Huelva. The objectives of the group therapy are: provide an adequate patient awareness of the disease, improve the drugs adherence, facilitate early detection of new episodes, stress management, avoid the use and abuse of illegal substances, achieve a consistency in their lifestyle, prevent suicidal behavior, increase understanding and coping with the psychosocial consequences of the past and future episodes, improve social activity, cope with the subsyndromal residual symptoms and the following deterioration and increase the welfare and the quality of life. The group consists of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder I, II and cyclothymia. The psychiatrist has to establish if it is convenient for the patient to attend the group and has to communicate, if it has been detected, lack of knowledge about the disease, distorted beliefs, lack of awareness of the disease, unhealthy habits and poor adherence to the treatment. The group was a closed group consisting of 10 to 12 patients. It was carried by a clinical psychologist with the help of the clinical psychology residents. The psychoeducational program we developed in our hospital consisted in 9 bimonthly sessions of 90minutes. As a result, we can say that the psychoeducation was very useful in improving the course of bipolar patients and in reducing the number of episodes and hospitalizations. Patients who received psychoeducation and pharmacotherapy have suffered significantly fewer relapses. Therefore, there is a prophylactic efficacy of psychoeducation in bipolar disorders.