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 3 - Etiological and triggering factors
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 basic goal of Session 3 is to have patients learn about the biological nature of their disorder and, above all, to learn to distinguish between the “causal” concept of the disorder, which we always emphasize as biological- and the “triggering” concept, which can be either biological or environmental. This distinction plays a basic role in the way many patients handle the feelings of guilt they have about their disorder, given that they believe they are suffering from bipolar disorder because of some factor they are responsible for and that acted as a trigger; for example, the consumption of toxic substances, stress, or interrupted sleep.
Although Session 3 is considered as part of Unit 1 (Awareness of the Disorder), it also covers aspects relative to Unit 3 (Avoiding Substance Abuse, see p. 147). Working on the topic of attributions is particularly relevant in patients whose feelings can fluctuate between feeling guilty and feeling no responsibility at all. Making a special emphasis on the biological nature of the disorder can have an unwanted effect. It can lead patients to blame all of their behavior on their disorder and adopt an attitude ranging from victimism, learned helplessness, or “passiveness, ”depending on each patient's personality.
Procedure
Although we are going to begin the session, like we always do, with an informal discussion and review questions that may have come up regarding the material and contents of Session 2, we should be cautious not to let the discussion carry on too long or fall into the trap of answering endless general questions about the disorder that patients might ask.
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- Psychoeducation Manual for Bipolar Disorder , pp. 73 - 77Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006