Bipolar Disorder Treatment Study is Promising -Education

Just came across this article/press release showing a link between successful medical treatment and psychoeducation... gee, whould would have thought... That's why these bipolar disorder videos are onlne/

An excerpt from the article is below:
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TITLE: New Treatment Model for Bipolar Disorder Shows Promise

...Developed by Bauer and colleagues, the model brings together psychiatrists and nurses as a team to treat the patients.
Psychiatrists monitored symptoms and handled medications. Nurse care coordinators worked with veterans during group
education sessions.
During the weekly group sessions, nurses discussed topics such as medication side effects and early warning signs for
symptoms, which in bipolar disorder range from racing speech, bursts of optimism and impulsive behavior during manic
episodes to fatigue, social withdrawal and suicidal thoughts during depressive episodes. During the sessions, patients
discussed coping skills, got feedback from the group and created personal action plans.
The intervention was tested for three years. The results: Under the new model, patients saw a significant reduction in
symptoms, including five fewer weeks experiencing mania during the three-year study period. Patients also felt happier
and healthier, reporting more productive time at work, better relationships with family, and more satisfaction with their
care.
The new model was less expensive - an average of $61,398 for three years of direct bipolar disorder treatment costs
compared with $64,379 for usual care - although the difference was not statistically significant...
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Full text and source: http://www.emaxhealth.com/112/6963.html