Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Part 1 Clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of bipolar disorders
- Part 2 Concept and methodology of psychoeducation
- Part 3 Psychoeducation program: sessions and contents
- Unit 1 Awareness of the disorder
- Session 1 Presentation and rules of the group
- Session 2 What is bipolar disorder?
- Session 3 Etiological and triggering factors
- Session 4 Symptoms I:Mania and hypomania
- Session 5 Symptoms II: Depression and mixed episodes
- Session 6 Evolution and prognosis
- Unit 2 Drug adherence
- Session 7 Treatment I: Mood stabilizers
- Session 8 Treatment II: Antimanic drugs
- Session 9 Treatment III: Antidepressants
- Session 10 Plasma levels of mood stabilizers
- Session 11 Pregnancy and genetic counseling
- Session 12 Psycho-pharmacology vs. alternative therapies
- Session 13 Risks associated with treatment withdrawal
- Unit 3 Avoiding substance abuse
- Session 14 Psychoactive substances: risks in bipolar disorders
- Unit 4 Early detection of new episodes
- Session 15 Early detection of mania and hypomanic episodes
- Session 16 Early detection of depressive and mixed episodes
- Session 17 What to do when a new phase is detected?
- Unit 5 Regular habits and stress management
- Session 18 Regularity of habits
- Session 19 Stress-control techniques
- Session 20 Problem-solving strategies
- Session 21 Closure
- Final note: Is psychoeducation efficacious?
- Bibliography
- Index
Session 7 - Treatment I: Mood stabilizers
from Part 3 - Psychoeducation program: sessions and contents
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 January 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Part 1 Clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of bipolar disorders
- Part 2 Concept and methodology of psychoeducation
- Part 3 Psychoeducation program: sessions and contents
- Unit 1 Awareness of the disorder
- Session 1 Presentation and rules of the group
- Session 2 What is bipolar disorder?
- Session 3 Etiological and triggering factors
- Session 4 Symptoms I:Mania and hypomania
- Session 5 Symptoms II: Depression and mixed episodes
- Session 6 Evolution and prognosis
- Unit 2 Drug adherence
- Session 7 Treatment I: Mood stabilizers
- Session 8 Treatment II: Antimanic drugs
- Session 9 Treatment III: Antidepressants
- Session 10 Plasma levels of mood stabilizers
- Session 11 Pregnancy and genetic counseling
- Session 12 Psycho-pharmacology vs. alternative therapies
- Session 13 Risks associated with treatment withdrawal
- Unit 3 Avoiding substance abuse
- Session 14 Psychoactive substances: risks in bipolar disorders
- Unit 4 Early detection of new episodes
- Session 15 Early detection of mania and hypomanic episodes
- Session 16 Early detection of depressive and mixed episodes
- Session 17 What to do when a new phase is detected?
- Unit 5 Regular habits and stress management
- Session 18 Regularity of habits
- Session 19 Stress-control techniques
- Session 20 Problem-solving strategies
- Session 21 Closure
- Final note: Is psychoeducation efficacious?
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Goal
The objective of this session is to inform our patients the various types of mood stabilizers, their differences and specific indications, and their advantages and side effects. It is very important not to ignore this last part, since the patients may feel cheated if we only talk about the positive aspects of pharmacological treatment. The final objective of this session and of the entire Unit 2 is to improve adherence.
Procedure
After initial and formal conversation, we will ask the volunteers to present their own life charts or ones invented by them. It is to be expected that a commented presentation of a life chart will take about 15 min, so that it is advisable to make a maximum of two presentations per session.
Next, we can start discussing the topic of the session. Taking into account that this is the first session we dedicate to drugs, we must first answer a series of questions or fears, which certain patients have about psychotropic drugs; we must make it very clear that psychotropic drugs are not addictives – except for benzodiazepines, if not properly used; that they do not “brainwash” or destroy the mind; that most of them are not stimulants; that they are not drugs “for weak people”; and that their purpose is not under any circumstance to replace the will of those who take them. Thus, we tackle at once the entire black legend surrounding psychotropic drugs.
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- Psychoeducation Manual for Bipolar Disorder , pp. 111 - 116Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006