This review shows a beneficial effect of EWS in time to recurrence , percentage of people hospitalised and functioning in people with bipolar disorder .
BACKGROUND Recurrence rates for bipolar disorder are high despite effective treatments with mood stabiliser drugs .
Self-help treatments and psychological treatments that teach patients to recognise and manage early warning symptoms and signs ( EWS ) of impending manic or depressive episodes are popular with patients .
The main aim of such interventions is to intervene early and prevent bipolar episodes , thereby increasing the time to the next recurrence and preventing hospitalisation .
OBJECTIVES To compare the effectiveness of an EWS intervention plus treatment as usual ( TAU ) versus TAU ( involving and not involving a psychological therapy ) on time to manic , depressive and all bipolar episodes ( the primary outcome ) , hospitalisation , functioning , depressive and manic symptoms .
A randomized trial on the efficacy of group psychoeducation in the prophylaxis of recurrences in bipolar patients whose disease is in remission.
BACKGROUND Studies on individual psychotherapy indicate that some interventions may reduce the number of recurrences in bipolar patients . However , there has been a lack of structured , well- design ed , blinded , controlled studies demonstrating the efficacy of group psychoeducation to prevent recurrences in patients with bipolar I and II disorder . METHODS One hundred twenty bipolar I and II out patients in remission ( Young Mania Rating Scale score < 6 , Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 score < 8) for at least 6 months prior to inclusion in the study , who were receiving st and ard pharmacologic treatment , were included in a controlled trial . Subjects were matched for age and sex and r and omized to receive , in addition to st and ard psychiatric care , 21 sessions of group psychoeducation or 21 sessions of nonstructured group meetings . Subjects were assessed monthly during the 21-week treatment period and throughout the 2-year follow-up . RESULTS Group psychoeducation significantly reduced the number of relapsed patients and the number of recurrences per patient , and increased the time to depressive , manic , hypomanic , and mixed recurrences . The number and length of hospitalizations per patient were also lower in patients who received psychoeducation . CONCLUSION Group psychoeducation is an efficacious intervention to prevent recurrence in pharmacologically treated patients with bipolar I and II disorder
This review shows a beneficial effect of EWS in time to recurrence , percentage of people hospitalised and functioning in people with bipolar disorder .
BACKGROUND Recurrence rates for bipolar disorder are high despite effective treatments with mood stabiliser drugs .
Self-help treatments and psychological treatments that teach patients to recognise and manage early warning symptoms and signs ( EWS ) of impending manic or depressive episodes are popular with patients .
The main aim of such interventions is to intervene early and prevent bipolar episodes , thereby increasing the time to the next recurrence and preventing hospitalisation .
OBJECTIVES To compare the effectiveness of an EWS intervention plus treatment as usual ( TAU ) versus TAU ( involving and not involving a psychological therapy ) on time to manic , depressive and all bipolar episodes ( the primary outcome ) , hospitalisation , functioning , depressive and manic symptoms .