Bipolar%20disorder Patient Education

General Recommendations

Patient and Family Education

• Treatment plan needs to be discussed with both patient and family members
  • Discuss expected results, dosing strategies, side effects and drug interactions

• They need to understand that long-term treatment is necessary
  • Education should continue throughout treatment

• Educate patient and family about prodromal symptoms
  • Teach them to recognize early signs and symptoms of manic and depressive episodes and how to prevent
  • Patient may keep diary of events and moods over time to assist in this process
  • Teach them about destigmatization and non-discrimination
    • Specific strategies such as enhancing coping skills through improvements in self-esteem, empowerment and help-seeking behavior can help reduce stigma and can improve outcomes

Treatment Compliance

• Encourage treatment compliance because noncompliance may lead to relapse
  • Must overcome patient’s ambivalence towards treatment
  • Patient may find mania/euphoric episode enjoyable hence fueling reluctance to medication

Manage Functional Impairment

• Patients may suffer emotional, family, social, occupational, financial or academic problems during an episode
• Full functional recovery rarely occurs within 12 weeks following the remission of mood symptoms
  • May need assistance in addressing the psychosocial consequences of their actions
  • Patient should be advised to withdraw from work or other responsibilities when needed
  • Major life decisions should not be done while in depressed, manic or hypomanic state

Psychosocial Stressors

• Enhance coping strategy and problem solving skills in managing psychosocial stressors
• Disruption in sleep cycles or social rhythm can trigger manic episodes
  • Disruption of sleep is usually the final common pathway triggering manic episodes
  • Patient and family should be educated on the potential consequences and taught coping strategies
  • Patient may benefit from regular daily activity pattern, including eating, sleeping and physical activities along with emotional and social stimulation

• Proper assessment, advice and treatment is required in managing patients who abuse substance/alcohol