What is the role of Patient Education in bipolar disorder?
Patient education should include topics relating to the nature of bipolar disorder, benefits of treatment, consequences of discontinuing or disrupting therapy, expected side effects, and the need to continue medication even when symptoms abate. It is important that patients and their families understand the recurrent nature of bipolar disorder and the need for ongoing treatment. Affected individuals and their families can be taught to recognize early symptoms of mood episodes and the side effects of therapy. They should be encouraged to seek appropriate medical attention when these symptoms occur.
Recognition and acceptance of their illness may be particularly difficult for people who experienced a sense of well-being during previous hypomanias. Some choose to go off their medication in order to regain feelings of hypomania (e.g., exhilaration, creativity). Symptoms of grandiosity can also play a part in nonadherence. People who are not aware of their illness may believe that they do not need to see a doctor or take medication; denial of need is a common reason cited for nonadherence. Others are aware of their disease, but report that they feel good and stop taking their medication.
The goals of the Medical Sites Network are to provide people with meaningful information to make informed decisions about their health and health care.